Installing Windows XP on a S-ATA Drive?

[Unsolved Paradox]

I can't install Windows XP on my S-ATA drive. At all.


Specs:

My system:

CPU - AMD Athlon 64 3000+
MB - Asus K8V
RAM - 1 GB KingMax PC3200
HD - 2x Maxtor 160 GB S-ATA
DVD - Sony DWD-18A dual-layer
VID - ATI All-In-Wonder 9600 XT
AUD - Sound Blaster Audigy 2


Having brought it in to the place where I bought it (pre-assembled but without software), they insist that the O/S works fine.

Maybe I'm doing something wrong, so...here's what I do:


1) Check that both of my HD's are completely unpartitioned/unformatted.
2) Boot from my Windows XP Professional CD, taking me into setup.
3) Press F6, load Promise S-ATA drivers for Windows XP.


This takes me to the point where I can install Windows XP (Enter), use the recovery console (R), or Quit (F3). Upon pressing Enter, it says I do not have any valid HD's installed.

Am I missing something? I created the Promise drivers from a utility on the Asus website; are there more generic versions I could/should be using?


Please help me, I'm desperate!

 

[tyanni]

I'm not that familiar with SATA, but a quick look at asus' site shows that the K8V has native SATA (ie done through the VIA K8T800 chipset itself) and SATA raid, done through the Promise Controller. Are you sure you have the HDD attached to the promise controller, and not the native SATA?

Tim

 

[Unsolved Paradox]

Hmm, frankly, I can't tell...not really good with hardware, unfortunately. For what it's worth (apparently not much), the techs that assured me it worked, plugged the HD's in for me.

Taking another look, will report back on my findings (or lack of). Thanks!