PLEASE HELP...EPoX 9NPA+Ultra SATA Drivers

[vikingblade]

hi guys. i need some help. im planning on my new build. i will be using the EPoX 9NPA+Ultra Motherboard. my problem is... i will be going with a seagate 7200.8 sata harddrive, and my copy of winXP Home is old...it does not have SP2 built in. i dont wanna buy XP again, and it is my understanding that without sp2 on the winxp cd, it will not detect and properly install my sata drive. so, ive been told during installation, i will be prompted to hit F6 to load a sata controller driver.. i then need to provide this driver on a floppy disk. i went to the epox motherboard website looking for the driver i need... i dont know which one to get...

can someone please link me or tell me exactly which driver i will need to save on a floppy. thanks

 

[marw1n]

you will have cd with drivers included with you epox mainboard, look for the SATA folder, and there you will have installer for the flopy sata drivers

 

[trueteck1]

If you don't have a hacked version of Win-XP OS you can go to Windows Update site & download XP's sp2. If you got a hacked version then if you download sp2 then XP will only work for 30 more days before it is disabled. Hope this helps.

T_T

 

[vikingblade]

well... dont i need to install these drivers using the floppy before i install windows..

how can i access the cd folder/sata drivers to put on a floppy if no windows installed.
are you saying after i get my epox motherboard, go into the provided cd, find the sata driver folder and then copy to a floppy... this would work i guess, but requires me to have another computer up and running. i wanted to get the driver on floppy now and have it ready. i dont have the motherboard yet, next week. then my current pc will be gone and all i will have is componants ready to install.

i can download sp2 now...but how does that help me install the needed sata driver on a clean install of windows.

i need to get the sata driver on floppy before i begin the setup and winxp install

can anyone point me where online i can download the correct sata drivers needed for the EPoX 9NPA+Ultra...PLEASE

 

[vikingblade]

OK...Heres the epox website where im supposed to get the SATA Driver..

EPOX

Which Driver do I need to save to a floppy in order to install a sata drive without SP2

VIA Serial ATA Controller Driver OR...
VIA Serial ATA F6 Driver WinXP OR...
NVIDIA Serial ATA F6 Driver WinXP

Someone please point me in the right direction here.....

 

[vikingblade]

BUMP

 

[Mem]

i can download sp2 now...but how does that help me install the needed sata driver on a clean install of windows.

Download Autostreamer and SP2 and use this slipstream guide ,won't need to install any drivers then while XP OS is installing.

Btw you would need "NVIDIA Serial ATA F6 Driver WinXP " to your previous question above,like I posted just slipstream SP2 and no worries then.

 

[vikingblade]

thanks...looks interesting, but, wouldnt it be easier to just get the sata driver from the epox site and save it to a floppy..

if only i knew which driver to get...

 

[MDE]

You don't need the driver if you aren't running a RAID array (at least I didn't on my nForce3 board).

 

[grooge]

Originally posted by: vikingblade
thanks...looks interesting, but, wouldnt it be easier to just get the sata driver from the epox site and save it to a floppy..

if only i knew which driver to get...

What is nice with the nforce4 chipset, is that, if you make sure that RAID is disabled in BIOS for the SATA connector you plan to use, then no drivers will be needed. Because it is the same controller that take care of both the SATA and the PATA interface. So, go in BIOS, disable RAID, put the CD in and let the installation begin.

 

[vikingblade]

really.. even if my winxp is the original home edition...no sp2. how can it detect my sata drive as a sata and install winxp onto it if it doesnt have a sata controller driver to detect the drive...im confused.

ive heard to use a sata drive to install winxp without sp2, i need to hit F6 before xp install to load sata driver from a floppy. am i completely off here...

 

[MDE]

It'll work, trust us. You usually only have to install the drivers for a RAID setup or on certain older SATA controllers.

 

[vikingblade]

LINK

 

[Mem]

Yes for single SATA you don't need any drivers,nforce 4 has native support,just install OS like you normally would make sure it is detected in BIOS and you should have no problems.

I was not clear before but F6 is only needed for RAID and older chipsets,like other members have posted.

Autostreamer is still worth downloading since it gives you WinXP + SP2 CD without you having to download SP2 after OS install, plus increased HD size support that XP without any service packs does not have.