XP Install w/ SATA - F6 DOESN'T WORK

[reedvoid]

New Dell 8400, 3.2GHz, 1GB RAM, WD 80GB SATA drive.

1. Boot from XP Pro disc
2. Pressed F6
3. Ask for driver
4. Insert floppy
5. Ask for driver
6. Ask for driver
....

I downloaded the drivers from Dell, and from Intel, and tried to rip
them off the XP Home Edition disk. Nothing works. The setup just
doesn't seem to acknowledge that I have the drivers in there.

I read through countless forums, but no one seems to have this problem.
F6 seems to be working for everyone else, why isn't this working for
me? Is this a Dell-specific issue?

Thanks!

Steven

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

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:

| New Dell 8400, 3.2GHz, 1GB RAM, WD 80GB SATA drive.
|
| 1. Boot from XP Pro disc
| 2. Pressed F6
| 3. Ask for driver
| 4. Insert floppy
| 5. Ask for driver
| 6. Ask for driver
| ...
|
| I downloaded the drivers from Dell, and from Intel, and tried to rip
| them off the XP Home Edition disk. Nothing works. The setup just
| doesn't seem to acknowledge that I have the drivers in there.
|
| I read through countless forums, but no one seems to have this problem.
| F6 seems to be working for everyone else, why isn't this working for
| me? Is this a Dell-specific issue?
|
| Thanks!
|
| Steven

 

[RonK]

Go to the following link and download the sata driver from Dell. Save the
file to disk, Have a formatted floppy in the drive. Run the program. It
will create the drivers on the floppy disk. Have it in the floppy drive
when you install XP.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?P180431CA

 

[Leythos]

Unless you have the optional raid controller, you do not need to use the
F6 option when installing XP. The sata drive will be detected during
install so long as it is recognized in the BIOS. Be sure to install the
latest Intel chipset drivers after windows is installed.

Wrong, the process is to get the drivers from dell, find the XP related
folder in the expanded download, copy the XP files to a diskette, restart
the install, F6, specify drivers, etc.....

SATA is not supported out of the box on any of the XP installs, you need
to set the BIOS properly AND install drivers for most controllers.

 

[MSNews]

Unless you have the optional raid controller, you do not need to use the F6
option when installing XP. The sata drive will be detected during install
so long as it is recognized in the BIOS. Be sure to install the latest
Intel chipset drivers after windows is installed.

Good luck,

Woody

 

[Woody]

Wrong. Do you have an Intel based MB? The F6 drivers are only required for
the "optional" RAID controller. For non-raid SATA, the native XP UDMA
drivers are used. Again, installation of the Intel chipset drivers is
recommended.

Woody

 

[Leythos]

Wrong. Do you have an Intel based MB? The F6 drivers are only required for
the "optional" RAID controller. For non-raid SATA, the native XP UDMA
drivers are used. Again, installation of the Intel chipset drivers is
recommended.

I have 7 motherboards that have RAID SATA controllers,
one of them even has the Intel and Promise SATA RAID controllers on it
(both support RAID). None of the board are Intel branded boards.

I could very well be wrong about my statement as I've never connected any
drives to the non-SATA RAID controllers. For all of the RAID SATA
controllers I've had to load the SATA drivers at boot/install in order to
properly see the drives and in order to complete the installation properly
before Windows booted the first time.

I guess I never figured anyone buying a board with SATA RAID would install
a single drive, seems like a waste of redundancy and performance.

 

[Woody]

I have 7 motherboards that have RAID SATA controllers,
one of them even has the Intel and Promise SATA RAID controllers on it
(both support RAID). None of the board are Intel branded boards.

I could very well be wrong about my statement as I've never connected any
drives to the non-SATA RAID controllers. For all of the RAID SATA
controllers I've had to load the SATA drivers at boot/install in order to
properly see the drives and in order to complete the installation properly
before Windows booted the first time.

I guess I never figured anyone buying a board with SATA RAID would install
a single drive, seems like a waste of redundancy and performance.

I agree, for SATA RAID setup you definitely need to load the RAID controller
drivers at the F6 prompt. The OP made no mention of RAID and Dell, for some
reason, makes RAID optional on their MB's. Unless specifically ordered, the
Dell MB would come with non-RAID SATA for which additional drivers are not
required.

Good discussion.

Woody

 

[RonK]

Here's what Dell has to say about it for Raid and Non Raid installation.:

Installation Instructions


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Custom Instructions for R82876.exe:

At the beginning of the operating system setup, press F6 to install a
third party SCSI or RAID driver.

1. When prompted, select 'S' to Specify Additional Device.

2. When prompted, insert the floppy disk you created in step 2 and
press Enter.

3. At this point you should be presented with a selection for one of
the following depending on you hardware version and configuration:

- Intel(R) 82801FR SATA RAID Controller
- Intel(R) 82801FR SATA AHCI Controller

4. Highlight the selection that is appropriate for the hardware in
your system and press Enter.

5. Press Enter again to continue. Leave the floppy disk in the system
until the next reboot as the software will need to be copied from the floppy
disk again when setup is copying files.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Woody]

Dell RAID capability and a 3.5 floppy are options on the 8400. If the OP
didn't order it, they don't have it. Your instructions are valid if the OP
has the optional RAID controller.

Woody

 

[RonK]

Since Sata Drives are considered scsi in XP - You need those drivers during
install.

 

[NobodyMan]



Don't post binaries to a text newsgroup. I didn't want your crappy
gif file on my hard drive.

 

[Carl G]

Hi All
I have a DFI board with SATA and Raid onboard.
I do not have to install drivers to just use the SATA hard drives.The only
time i have to install drivers is when i want to setup a raid setup.