My XP install disk can't find any hard disks!?

[delussional77]

I will try to summarize the problems I am having on my friends computer to the best of my ability. I am not the most technical person when it comes to computer repair but I will fill in any of the missing blanks as best I can.

My friend came to me last week when his new Dell PC was showing an error message at startup that read:

cannot find: local disk\windows\system32\******* (Note: i do not know what file was missing, something important though)

I decided to try using his Windows XP disk to repair the missing file. I went into his BIOS and changed his boot devices to allow the DVD-ROM to boot first and made his SATA HD the 2nd boot option.

When I tried to repair the disk I get an error stating:

"Windows failed to find hard disks" (or something very similar)

I thought maybe his HD was dead, so we bought a new SATA drive and the same error message comes up when I use his XP disk to format the new drive. Same exact error message.

I have no clue why I'm getting this message. I did go into his BIOS and check the disks and it appears that the computer is seeing the HD (it finds a 165GB drive and has a drive ID associated with it). I'm stumped and it's finals week, he really needs his computer!!! Thanks for the help guys!

 

[aceman817]

The issue is that the Windows XP setup needs a driver to recognize the SATA controller and the drive attached to it. Look for the driver online from Dell's site and put it on a disk. Then when you start the XP CD press F6 when it tells you to load a third-party driver. At the repair console you can try chkdsk /r and see if that helps.

--Al

 

[delussional77]

not trying to be completely helpless but I don't know which drivers are the correct drivers. Can you link me to them? Thanks!

 

[aceman817]

Go to support.dell.com. Enter the service tag from the Dell computer and look under the drivers section for SATA drivers. If you can't fimd them, they have a place to chat with a Dell rep.

 

[delussional77]

okay, newest update

I went to dell's site and got the service tag and was able to creata the necessary floppy disk. When the Windows XP: Pro disc is loading i press F6 like I am supposed to. It takes me to a screen that prompts me to type 'S', which I do and then insert the floppy disk. It begins to read the floppy disk and then tells me there is an error and it cannot continue. Any ideas now?

 

[ryan256]

Originally posted by: delussional77
okay, newest update

I went to dell's site and got the service tag and was able to creata the necessary floppy disk. When the Windows XP: Pro disc is loading i press F6 like I am supposed to. It takes me to a screen that prompts me to type 'S', which I do and then insert the floppy disk. It begins to read the floppy disk and then tells me there is an error and it cannot continue. Any ideas now?

Use a different floppy disk.

 

[BadThad]

Originally posted by: ryan256

Originally posted by: delussional77
okay, newest update

I went to dell's site and got the service tag and was able to creata the necessary floppy disk. When the Windows XP: Pro disc is loading i press F6 like I am supposed to. It takes me to a screen that prompts me to type 'S', which I do and then insert the floppy disk. It begins to read the floppy disk and then tells me there is an error and it cannot continue. Any ideas now?

Use a different floppy disk.

Floppy disk is bad, try again.

Interesting that the SATA port is NOT in IDE mode from the factory. Normally, when not using the RAID functions of the SATA port, there's no need to specify a driver.

 

[Fraggable]

Even when you only have 1 SATA drive, the mobo needs to be in RAID mode. I don't know why, that's just the way Dell boards work.

Most likely your floppy was bad or you didn't create the disk right.

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: Fraggable
Even when you only have 1 SATA drive, the mobo needs to be in RAID mode. I don't know why, that's just the way Dell boards work.

The same applies to Asus P4PE boards. SATA and RAID are linked - can't have one w/o the other. A single SATA drive has to have the RAID0 driver loaded BEFORE Windows starts or the SATA drive doesn't exist.

A new Dell is under warranty. Why not call their tech support and have them walk through the problem and solution with you.

If that doesn't work - get an RMA and send it back.

 

[Mavtech]

I just had this same issue installing XP Pro. It told me there were no HDs to find. Come to find out, in the bios, there are options for RAID/SATA/IDE. It is in the menu labeled "SATA Drive Performance" or something like that. It's at the bottom of the list of HDs. By default, it is set to the first choice. I found that it should be set on "Detect RAID, if not, use SATA".....or something to that affect. I can't remember the wording exactly since I am work. It detects all SATA drives now just fine.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: Fraggable
Even when you only have 1 SATA drive, the mobo needs to be in RAID mode. I don't know why, that's just the way Dell boards work.

I don't know about ALL Dell boards with built-in SATA RAID, but several, including the SC420, can work in non-RAID mode with a single hard drive and XP can be installed without any SATA drivers at all. It's basically an IDE-emulation mode that eliminates the need for special SATA controller drivers.