Boy I feel like an ass

[mechBgon]

Thanks

I forgot you have two SATA drives. How will you be using them? One with the OS and the other for storage? Or were you going to make a RAID array?

 

[ApacheChief]

First HDD: NTFS -- XP
Second HDD: one 80 GIG Linux partition and 2nd FAT32 to rotate files between it and XP.

No problem, ofcourse mech

 

[mechBgon]

Ok, that is good. Now about that prompt you're getting for the manufacturer diskette...

1) is the floppy drive actually working, because if it isn't, that's the #1 thing needs fixing. Use that DR-DOS boot-floppy-making utility and make a DR-DOS boot floppy with it, and see if the system can boot to an A:\ prompt with it. If not, maybe the floppy has no power cable (easy to overlook) or its data cable doesn't have the red wire on Pin1 on both ends, or the section of ribbon that's got a twist isn't between the floppy and mobo (it should be between them).

2) snack break. Ooops, wait

2) Look at the contents of the diskette that the Makedisk utility created, it should have some folders and some files on it. If it doesn't, something went wrong.

3) Make sure you did go into the motherboard BIOS and change the Promise's operating mode to IDE mode. If the controller still is trying to be a RAID controller then your IDE-mode drivers won't work.

 

[ApacheChief]

Alright, already had PBnH and Top Ramen , so step 2 is done.

I didn't have the Floppy Power cable in at first X) but I did it midway during the VGA problem, solves half of 1. I'll check that pin thing.

The contents were in it, checked that , step 3 done.

As for step 4, I did that, but I may have forgotten to save, I'll double check.

 

[ApacheChief]

Yuck, the Dr Dos program isn't writing anything to my floppies... eh

 

[ApacheChief]

Meh, regardless of that it is reading floppies now (switched the connection on the floppy around, now it works)

I'll try setting up SATA now

EDIT:

Installing drivers now

But still only one HDD detected... should I plug it back into the first black slot?

 

[mechBgon]

Excellent By the way, if it were me, I would crank up the memory voltage to 2.8 volts before you do the installation. Your fancy-fancy memory isn't going to like being left on AUTO, which I think is only 2.5 volts or maybe 2.6.

 

[ApacheChief]

Hold on bucco, I'll be doing the overclocking tomorrow

Just want to play DOOM!

EDIT:

Just incase you didn't notice: But still only one HDD detected... should I plug it back into the first black slot?

 

[mechBgon]

Two of your SATA slots are by the VIA southbridge, and are operated by the VIA southbridge. Only use those if you want RAID at some point, because that seems to be all the VIA SATA controller is good for. Anyone who knows how to make it work normally, speak up and school me on it You would need a whole 'nother driver floppy to make those two SATA slots active, regardless.

The other two SATA slots are lower down, by the Promise chip, and those are the ones that your magic driver floppy is going to make work. I don't know if those are the red or the black ones on your board, but those are the ones you want your drives on. If it were me, I would start with just my Windows boot drive to avoid any confusion, and then add the second drive after Windows is set up.

You should raise the memory voltage even if you aren't OC'ing (yet).

 

[ApacheChief]

Alright will do (voltage wise)

It seems my Windows XP install is frozen.. been on 'please wait' for about 15 minutes now and no HDD activity I think.

 

[ApacheChief]

Won't load my windows CD now... I'll try to get it to start from a boot disk, then install windows I guess.

God this sucks ass -.-

Pumped up voltages btw.

 

[mechBgon]

If you didn't update the BIOS yet, and you're making a boot floppy anyway, then it might be good to get the BIOS update out of the way now. You shouldn't need to boot from floppy, it should work from CD.

 

[ApacheChief]

K, updated BIOS, looks much better now.

2nd stick of memory in, trying to install Windows again.

Mech, if you ever want a tip, I'd be more then happy to paypal you a couple bucks...

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: insolence
K, updated BIOS, looks much better now.

2nd stick of memory in, trying to install Windows again.

Mech, if you ever want a tip, I'd be more then happy to paypal you a couple bucks...

Hehe, give the couple bucks to your food bank I hear the food banks can stretch one dollar into ten dollars' worth of food, they're so resourceful. "Pay it forward," as the saying goes.

 

[Spudd]

Originally posted by: mechBgon

Originally posted by: insolence
K, updated BIOS, looks much better now.

2nd stick of memory in, trying to install Windows again.

Mech, if you ever want a tip, I'd be more then happy to paypal you a couple bucks...

Hehe, give the couple bucks to your food bank I hear the food banks can stretch one dollar into ten dollars' worth of food, they're so resourceful. "Pay it forward," as the saying goes.

^^ Need more people in this world like this. ^^ :beer:

 

[Felecha]

Can I jump in here and ask, this will be so quick.

I've been visiting Anandtech for a long time, and I've figured out a lot of the acronyms, like IMHO and stuff.

What does lol mean?

 

[Frew]

Originally posted by: Felecha
Can I jump in here and ask, this will be so quick.

I've been visiting Anandtech for a long time, and I've figured out a lot of the acronyms, like IMHO and stuff.

What does lol mean?

Laughing out loud

You should try urbandictionary.com

 

[Felecha]

TYVM

 

[Kimono]

Hi guys (mechBGon especially),
I bought my setup this weekend and am very frustrated... at least until now.
I have the A8V Deluxe with Wifi option thing, 1GB of Memory (2 512 sticks) and a 160 GB Maxtor Diamondmax10 SATA drive.
The memory is OK, and the Maxtor software found and partitioned and formatted the drive as well. However, I have the same WIndows installing problem as Insolence here.
Question 1: I tried to update the BIOS but the crappy AFUDOS program fails after reading the new 1008 version. It reads it and then goes into 'Advanced checksum' and then says that the "Main BIOS checksum is bad".... What is that???

Question 2: you advise putting the BIOS option to 'IDE'. Does that do ANYTHING bad for performance?

Question 3: I tried to follow your solution and I relocated my SATA cables to the Promise controller and then during boot, the S378 sees my SATA drive (it also saw it on the VIA chips btw). But then, when I try to install WinXP Pro SP2, (without using the F6 option) it can't find a drive.
So I try it then WITH using F6 and then use the floppy I made from the Asus CD for SATA378 (which is the Promise chip, right?) and then... the floppy was corrupt so now I'm frustrated and will drink a rum&coke before trying again.

Hopefully your expertise will help me as well!

Mike

 

[Kimono]

OK, so I got a new floppy and everything seems to be fine! Finger's crossed for the complete install.. There's still the WiFi thing to set up
BTW: I'd still like to upgrade my BIOS and also I'm interested in the IDE question
thanks for the help BTW!! Great stuff.
Mike

 

[Viper96720]

I used the via220d drivers with single sata drive. I was gonna move it over to the promise side but too lazy.
Does the promise side have smart monitoring?

Kimono if you had windows installed when it was on the via side. You would just have to install the promise drivers then move the drive over to the promise controller.