New Computer using SATA

[PaidLess]

Hi. Has anyone had the problem with building a new computer and cant get the SATA HD to work. for example, a 200GB HD, format and cant get the computer to read the HD. I've had this problem once while helping a friend build her computer. In my current computer i hada IDE HD and xfer'd my old windows into it thats how i got the SATA to work. Could you build a new computer and get a SATA HD to work Out Of The Box, while maintaining the HD capacity?

 

[DaveSimmons]

> Could you build a new computer and get a SATA HD to work Out Of The Box, while maintaining the HD capacity?

You need Windows XP SP1 or SP2 for >130GB support, or you might be able to "slipstream" the original XP to a new CD with support (I haven't looked).

Depending on the motherboard and XP version you might also need a floppy drive and to use the F6 key to add SATA controller support to see the HD at all. Or to "slipstream" the driver onto an XP CD.

If search is feeling merciful today then using "slipstream" with it here and in Operating Systems might be helpful.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

your motherboard doesn't natively support SATA. there's a controller, probably a Promise, on the board, but it isn't built in to the chipset. the only way to get it to work is the dreaded F6 shuffle. when installing windows, it asks if you want to install SCSI or RAID drivers. hit F6, put the floppy in, and install the driver.

 

[PaidLess]

thanks guys .. do you think i should buy a smaller SATA hd and put windows on that and then adda bigger for storage?/

 

[Fallen Kell]

The Boston Dangler has it correct in terms of the disk not even being detected. If you are simply unable to format a partition greater then 137GB well then you have the dreaded Pre-SP1 Windows XP format limitation...