• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

is there a version of windows that has built in sata support on cd?

canuck44

Senior member
Hi,

I was wondering if there is any version of windows that when you go to install it doesn't need you to press f6 and put in a floppy to format and install on serial ata discs.

Thanks,

Michael Netting
 
Michael,

AFAIK this isn't so much a Windows issue as it is a motherboard chipset issue. I have an EPoX 9NPA+ Ultra board with the nVidia nForce4 Ultra chipset, and I was able to set up my SATA drive w/ no "F6" action. Most of the newer boards don't require the F6 to set up a SATA drive, only if you're going to RAID.
 
Ah that is good information. So to elaborate on that does anyone know if there is a version that will automatically detect the raid on an nforce 4 / 6100 board with the 430 southbridge?
 
Originally posted by: canuck44
Ah that is good information. So to elaborate on that does anyone know if there is a version that will automatically detect the raid on an nforce 4 / 6100 board with the 430 southbridge?

Uh, I'm pretty sure it's a windows thing. Either the drivers are on the cd or they're not. If you get xp SP2, I do believe that has the drivers built in as part of the service pack. Standard unpatched XP won't have it though.

So either make sure you get a new bought version of XP, or you slipstream SP2 into an old version on a new cd.
 
Originally posted by: silverpig
Originally posted by: canuck44
Ah that is good information. So to elaborate on that does anyone know if there is a version that will automatically detect the raid on an nforce 4 / 6100 board with the 430 southbridge?

Uh, I'm pretty sure it's a windows thing. Either the drivers are on the cd or they're not. If you get xp SP2, I do believe that has the drivers built in as part of the service pack. Standard unpatched XP won't have it though.

So either make sure you get a new bought version of XP, or you slipstream SP2 into an old version on a new cd.

SP2 does not include any additional drivers.

The issue is partly due to manufacturers and partly due to Microsoft. SATA technology was introduced after XP was released. Microsoft has developed generic IDE drivers that allow it to install on virtually any IDE controller, but they do not have similar generic SATA drivers ... yet.

In the meantime, take a look at the excellent http://unattended.msfn.org/, which explains how to integrate OEM SATA drivers onto your XP setup CD. There are also more automated tools such as nLite which can accomplish the same thing.
 
And why it doesn't help you today, in Vista MS will take drivers from floppy, CD, and USB keys. So, they do know it's a problem...
 
Originally posted by: bsobel
And why it doesn't help you today, in Vista MS will take drivers from floppy, CD, and USB keys. So, they do know it's a problem...

Very very very nice, and very very very much about time. I hated diggingo out a floppy and getting drivers for an install.
 
Serial ATA drives are recognized as IDE 3 and higher if not used for RAID on most new motherboards and older SATA motherboards with a BIOS update. Is that why Windows XP recohnizes them during install? Or does XP SP2 slipstreamed contain updated drivers?
 
OP if you need to have support for any device you want it to immediatly identify without supplying it with anything else you will have to slipstream the drivers that you want to install into the windows driver directory , bur a new cd , benefit 😉
 
Back
Top