Can't load Windows on VIA K8T800 Pro

[halfpower]

I've assembled a computer. I've got it running but I haven't figured out how to install Windows. It always displays some sort of error message about not being able to or not having access to a hard drive.

I'm using an Asus A8V motherboard and a single 160GB SATA hard drive plugged into the first VIA sata connector. I have ASUS A8V BIOS Revision 1009 and VIA VT8237 South Controller, Rev 2.

I think that I may need to install some driver or firmware on the motherboard. Maybe I need to feed some driver or RAID setup file into the Windows setup program. Know what the problem is?

thanks,
halfpower

 

[tungtung]

Not sure whether or not this still applies (I thought the SATA port on KT800 is directly off the motherboard) but in the old days, when installing Win2K or WinXP you should always have a floppy disk with the SATA/SCSI driver on hand ... you need to hit F6 when you are prompted during the installation, then put in the disk with the SATA/SCSI controller driver ... this will install a driver for the SATA/SCSI controller, so that windows will be able to detect the drive on those controllers (which may or may not include you actual boot drive) ... just give this a try ... once again to be honest I'm not entirely sure, since the last system I built for my friend using SATA boot drive with WinXP does not need this step (the F6 setup)

 

[halfpower]

I think you are right on the mark. I've gotten to the point where I hit F6 and insert a floppy. The problem at this point is that I'm not sure what is suppose to be on the floppy. When I insert the disk and hit enter I get a message saying "insert_file_name.oem not found." The actual file name is call something like 'txtsetup.oem.' Is a .OEM file a driver? I believe there are only four of them on the support CD.

 

[halfpower]

That's four files with that particular name. I suppose I could try them all.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

here's the instructions for install text and here are the newest drivers text

 

[grooge]

You are not supposed to have to install any drivers for SATA operation if plugged to the chipset controllers. If it is a third party, even a via one, on the PCI bus, you need drivers to install either SATA or RAID for Windowos recognizing the PCI device. A PCI device doesnt have to be in a slot.. the integrated sound chip, the lan card (except for some intel board or one with nforce3-4 board) or any third party onboard device are using the PCI bus to communicate with the rest of the system.

That being said, you should make sure that SATA is enabled in the BIOS for the onchip via controller and that RAID is disable for it. Make sure that it is plugged to the right controller and then, the BIOS should recognize your drive. If it does, then you are all set, Windows will recognize it no problem. If you see a message that your drive is recognize by the SATA/RAID controller, you did something wrong. You should not have RAID with one drive.. it is worthless and more likely to cause errors.

 

[furballi]

OK...I'm working on an Abit AX8 so it should be very similar to AV8. Also have one SATA and NO RAID. Under which section in the BIOS should I look for the option to enable onboard VIA SATA controller? Is the option to disable RAID found in the same screen?

I have 4 SATA connectors. Suspect SATA1 and SATA2 are controlled by the onboard VIA chipset.

TIA

 

[tcsenter]

You are not supposed to have to install any drivers for SATA operation if plugged to the chipset controllers. If it is a third party, even a via one, on the PCI bus, you need drivers to install either SATA or RAID for Windows recognizing the PCI device.

I think this depends on whether the SATA drive in question will be the boot drive onto which Windows will be installed.

While I haven't used any SATA drives myself, I have seen several discussion topics on MSI and VIA forums where the VIA SATA Combo Driver need to be installed from the floppy during XP Setup, even for integrated VT8237 SATA in non-RAID mode.

 

[halfpower]

Thanks! That did the trick.

 

[halfpower]

Originally posted by: grooge
You are not supposed to have to install any drivers for SATA operation if plugged to the chipset controllers. If it is a third party, even a via one, on the PCI bus, you need drivers to install either SATA or RAID for Windowos recognizing the PCI device. A PCI device doesnt have to be in a slot.. the integrated sound chip, the lan card (except for some intel board or one with nforce3-4 board) or any third party onboard device are using the PCI bus to communicate with the rest of the system.

That being said, you should make sure that SATA is enabled in the BIOS for the onchip via controller and that RAID is disable for it. Make sure that it is plugged to the right controller and then, the BIOS should recognize your drive. If it does, then you are all set, Windows will recognize it no problem. If you see a message that your drive is recognize by the SATA/RAID controller, you did something wrong. You should not have RAID with one drive.. it is worthless and more likely to cause errors.

I think the motherboard I am using has a has two VIA chipsets. One for the main boad components and another that handle the SATA. I did see somehting in the BIOS about a SATA boot ROM. I have no idea what that is. I have it enabled though.

 

[furballi]

Did you ended up installing from the floppy by hitting F6?

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: furballi
Did you ended up installing from the floppy by hitting F6?

I have the 8237 and you have to install the drivers during setup by pressing f6. It is all in the link I provided.

 

[halfpower]

Originally posted by: furballi
Did you ended up installing from the floppy by hitting F6?

Yes.

 

[furballi]

Thanks. I also have the floppy but no instruction. Glad I have a floppy drive.

 

[grooge]

Originally posted by: halfpower

Originally posted by: grooge
You are not supposed to have to install any drivers for SATA operation if plugged to the chipset controllers. If it is a third party, even a via one, on the PCI bus, you need drivers to install either SATA or RAID for Windowos recognizing the PCI device. A PCI device doesnt have to be in a slot.. the integrated sound chip, the lan card (except for some intel board or one with nforce3-4 board) or any third party onboard device are using the PCI bus to communicate with the rest of the system.

That being said, you should make sure that SATA is enabled in the BIOS for the onchip via controller and that RAID is disable for it. Make sure that it is plugged to the right controller and then, the BIOS should recognize your drive. If it does, then you are all set, Windows will recognize it no problem. If you see a message that your drive is recognize by the SATA/RAID controller, you did something wrong. You should not have RAID with one drive.. it is worthless and more likely to cause errors.

I think the motherboard I am using has a has two VIA chipsets. One for the main boad components and another that handle the SATA. I did see somehting in the BIOS about a SATA boot ROM. I have no idea what that is. I have it enabled though.

Yes it has. the VIA solution is rather weak and actually use another chip to add more SATA port. being an onboard solution, connected to the system by the PCI bus, it DOES need a driver to be used as SATA or RAID as it is not different as a PCI card in a slot in operation..except being integrated on the motherboard.. just like onboard sound. An onchip controller, like the nforce3 or nforce4 chipset doenst need drivers for normal SATA operation as standard microsoft can be used with it. Being onchip, it is recognized by windows as a standard IDE controller because the chipset make it happen this way.

SATA is not different than IDE.. SATA is only the interface between the IDE drive and the IDE controller. RAID is another story because it use a different controller trick to work, that why drivers has to be installed for windows to know how to use it.

SATA boot ROM use is for displaying message about the RAID controller at post time. having it disable might speed up the post tiom as it wont dsplay the information.

 

[grooge]

Originally posted by: tcsenter

You are not supposed to have to install any drivers for SATA operation if plugged to the chipset controllers. If it is a third party, even a via one, on the PCI bus, you need drivers to install either SATA or RAID for Windows recognizing the PCI device.

I think this depends on whether the SATA drive in question will be the boot drive onto which Windows will be installed.

While I haven't used any SATA drives myself, I have seen several discussion topics on MSI and VIA forums where the VIA SATA Combo Driver need to be installed from the floppy during XP Setup, even for integrated VT8237 SATA in non-RAID mode.

As I said in an earlier post, VIA SATA solution is weak in feature compared to nforce3 or 4. The chipset itself support only 2 sata devices, iirc. Some board use an additionnal chip to have more connectors to be competitive with competition offers. Having the SATA to boot require drivers for windows, so F6 is necessary. If windows is already installed, then the drivers might have been already installed for that controller with the motherboard CD.

I stopped using VIA solution because nforce is a way better chipset, complete with more features. It might ne be a perfect chipset, but really close to being one. Way closer tha VIA, no matter what other think. VIA chipset were good when nvidia had their first nforce3 150 chipset. It had not that much feature and was not performing as it should. but the newer nforce3 250 chipset and nforce4 just nail down te VIA ones in term of excellent features, stability and performance..

VIA need to come with a solution superior to the the nforce one. Too bad, but it is just a fact, not fanboying..

 

[Peter]

VIA's 8237 SATA might have fewer ports and no "IDE compatible" mode, necessitating its own drivers - but in return it's noticeably faster than NVidia's, particularly in typical home/office application scenarios (many small files).

 

[grooge]

Being on the PCI bus, as the LAN or the sound card will kill the speed advantage when used with another PCI device at the same time. Doing files transfer over the GBlan while doing files operation will be slower than nvidia solution, which is based in the chipset bypassing the PCI bus. Same for the nvidia lan. It have a higher CPU usage too..

Benchmark are only number.. that can be make to looks good. real performance is what matter.