Newbie Q.

[DodgerLD]

Hi,

Is there anything I need to do before installing Windows? Do any drivers need to be loaded, or can it all be done in Windows once it's been installed?

System: AMD Athlon 64 3500+, Asus A8N-E Rev. 2 mobo, etc.

Thanks!

D.

 

[Bobthelost]

Not normally, some motherboards do need to have drivers installed with floppy discs if you've got a RAID array, but for the most part you just wire it up, turn it on, install windows and then all the drivers and software.

 

[KoolDrew]

You shouldn't have to. If it works fine right now go ahead and install Windows.

 

[m1ldslide1]

If you're using a SATA drive you'll need to install drivers for it. At the beginning of your XP install it'll tell you to press F6 for SCSI drivers, which you need to do, and then have your floppy in there and select all relevant drivers for your MoBo.

THis is necessary even if you're not running RAID.

 

[Buck Naked]

Originally posted by: m1ldslide1
If you're using a SATA drive you'll need to install drivers for it. At the beginning of your XP install it'll tell you to press F6 for SCSI drivers, which you need to do, and then have your floppy in there and select all relevant drivers for your MoBo.

THis is necessary even if you're not running RAID.

incorrect

 

[Bobthelost]

Originally posted by: m1ldslide1
If you're using a SATA drive you'll need to install drivers for it. At the beginning of your XP install it'll tell you to press F6 for SCSI drivers, which you need to do, and then have your floppy in there and select all relevant drivers for your MoBo.

THis is necessary even if you're not running RAID.

Not always, i didn't have to for my motherboard (A8N32), it recognised my Raptor without any tweaking. SOME do, but most motherboards don't need anything like that done.

 

[KoolDrew]

Originally posted by: m1ldslide1
If you're using a SATA drive you'll need to install drivers for it. At the beginning of your XP install it'll tell you to press F6 for SCSI drivers, which you need to do, and then have your floppy in there and select all relevant drivers for your MoBo.

THis is necessary even if you're not running RAID.

I have a SATA drive and didn't need to install any extra drivers. Windows XP installed perfectly without any problems.

 

[PansitPalabok]

Originally posted by: DodgerLD
Hi,

Is there anything I need to do before installing Windows? Do any drivers need to be loaded, or can it all be done in Windows once it's been installed?

System: AMD Athlon 64 3500+, Asus A8N-E Rev. 2 mobo, etc.

Thanks!

D.

DODGERLD, what kind of memory are you using?

I'm getting the A8N-E also but having a hard time deciding which one to get.

 

[KoolDrew]

PansitPalabok, just get Corsair Value Select. There is really no reason to spend any more then that and Corsair is a reputable manufacturer.

 

[Bobthelost]

Originally posted by: KoolDrew
PansitPalabok, just get Corsair Value Select. There is really no reason to spend any more then that and Corsair is a reputable manufacturer.

:thumbsup:

 

[Buck Naked]

Originally posted by: KoolDrew
PansitPalabok, just get Corsair Value Select. There is really no reason to spend any more then that and Corsair is a reputable manufacturer.

That G.skill I linked in his thread was only $3 more...

 

[KoolDrew]

That G.skill I linked in his thread was only $3 more...

If it is only $3 more then it is fine. That is still in value RAM territory. I meant stuff that is quite a bit more expensive isn't worth it.

 

[alimoalem]

Originally posted by: KoolDrew

That G.skill I linked in his thread was only $3 more...

If it is only $3 more then it is fine. That is still in value RAM territory. I meant stuff that is quite a bit more expensive isn't worth it.

i think the poster already knew that . i think he meant which branded value ram...

i would get a 2x1gig kit of the g.skill value ram that is CAS 2.5...$145 for 2 gigs

 

[PansitPalabok]

Thanks, Kooldrew and Buck. Point taken.

Sorry OP, didn't mean to threadcrap.

 

[DodgerLD]

Originally posted by: PansitPalabok
DODGERLD, what kind of memory are you using?

2 x 512MB Corsair ValueSelect.

Only after I purchased it, did I read in the manual that running it in dual channel is not supported, but I'm trying it anyway, and so far, so good. (don't exactly know how check whether it's running in dual channel or not.) I'll probably do that memtest thing when I get XP installed, etc.

D.

 

[DodgerLD]

Originally posted by: Bobthelost
... if you've got a RAID array ...

No RAID array.

 

[PansitPalabok]

 

[DodgerLD]

No, the motherboard manual states that this specific memory is not supported in a dual channel memory configuration.

D.

 

[DodgerLD]

Originally posted by: m1ldslide1
If you're using a SATA drive you'll need to install drivers for it. At the beginning of your XP install it'll tell you to press F6 for SCSI drivers, which you need to do, and then have your floppy in there and select all relevant drivers for your MoBo.

THis is necessary even if you're not running RAID.

Well, the BIOS appears to be detecting it correctly, does that mean anything?

D.

 

[m1ldslide1]

Well now I'm totally confused because I've run into this with every board I've worked with. My understanding is that WinXP doesn't natively include SATA drivers and that's why you have to add them in. My BIOS will certainly detect my HD, but once I start trying to install windows (format the drive) it cries foul and tells me that the device is undetectable or unusable or unsomething.

I could be wrong since nowadays I slap those drivers in before windows even has a chance to scream at me. So maybe it wouldn't scream anyway. But I definately ran into it with my first couple of builds -- took me a couple of days until my A+ buddy explained it to me, popped in the drivers disk, and had it going within minutes.

 

[pkrush]

Windows normally only demands drivers for SATA hard drives when you have the drives set to "RAID Mode" in the BIOS (even if you're not running RAID), or if you're using a SATA controller that isn't integrated into the chipset.