SATA & WinXP Home Install Issue

[Platyply]

I've been struggling (not even the repair shop helped) with my A8V Deluxe, WD Raptor 74GB and WD 80GB IDE drives, and WinXP installing. I've tried every tip and done the floppy disk 'F6' thing a million times making sure to use the 378IDE drivers, and turning the BIOS setting to IDE Operational mode. I've switched between the red SATA port and the black port for the SATA drive. Incidentally, the when in the black plug WinXP Setup doesn't recognize my SATA drive. If I do get the installation going there is almost always a hang-up/fatal error either during setup or the copying of the setup files. Which I then I have reformat the drives and try again. I did manage to get the OS installed once, but the system was so instable I couldn't put in any drivers or install anything (the computer would always restart).

I just ordered the MSI K8N board based on the nVIDIA chipset, but if I'm still looking for any new ideas to get this problem fixed. I've done MemTest86 -- no errors. Any ideas why everyone else is getting thier floppy drivers to work and I can't?

Thanks.

 

[Ka0t1x]

You have 4 different SATA Ports right? On my Abit IC7-G, I use the ones ran off of my Northbridge first, and then install the sata drivers onto the hdd (after I load XP), and transfer it to my Silicon(in your case the Promise chip) chip. For a while I thought my Silicon chip was going bad, go figure. Unless you've already tried this.. I don't know what you mean by red and black.

Also, if it copies the files and then errors out, but it didn't install windows.. you don't have to format, I don't think so anyways.

 

[waxking1]

Platyply,
i've got a different motherboard but the same problem. I'm using the Abit iC7 Max3. I would just like to be able
to get the OS(XP pro) installed and booting stable. On the Max 3 you can put the SATA XP drive on SATA 1 or 3.
If you use 3 you have to install driveres at the f6 prompt. I'm not even using raid but have been unable to get
a clean install. I can only get it to recognize the raptor on SATA 1. I have formatted it from the XP pro install and
I have tried formatting from another XP drive under disk management. I've swapped memory, video card, dvd
drives. I put the DVD drive on IDE1 master with no other drives. I've updatted the BIOS and tripped the CMOS.
I've tried setting the BIOS every different way possible. I've enen tried a different XP Pro disk. I was going to
try ordering a new motherboard(ASUS), but your post makes me think that the problem may lie elsewhere.
It is harder to find info on how to set up a single SATA drive with XP that a RAID config. Almost everything I
find is for a RAID install. Good luck.

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: waxking1
Platyply,
i've got a different motherboard but the same problem. I'm using the Abit iC7 Max3. I would just like to be able
to get the OS(XP pro) installed and booting stable. On the Max 3 you can put the SATA XP drive on SATA 1 or 3.
If you use 3 you have to install driveres at the f6 prompt. I'm not even using raid but have been unable to get
a clean install. I can only get it to recognize the raptor on SATA 1. I have formatted it from the XP pro install and
I have tried formatting from another XP drive under disk management. I've swapped memory, video card, dvd
drives. I put the DVD drive on IDE1 master with no other drives. I've updatted the BIOS and tripped the CMOS.
I've tried setting the BIOS every different way possible. I've enen tried a different XP Pro disk. I was going to
try ordering a new motherboard(ASUS), but your post makes me think that the problem may lie elsewhere.
It is harder to find info on how to set up a single SATA drive with XP that a RAID config. Almost everything I
find is for a RAID install. Good luck.

waxking1, you may find insight from these instructions I got from a guy who got his Abit to install to, and boot from, SATA:

but where i think the main problem was - was in the bios settings - here are the settings that worked for me (this one is without raid - im waiting on a second disk to set up the raid):

note - these are from memory (and from your other thread) - i dont have the box in front of me atm:

Under Integrated Peripherals -> OnChip IDE Device:
IDE Bus Master - Enabled
OnChip Serial ATA - enhanced
OnChip Serial ATA Mode - ide
SATA RAID ROM - Enabled

Advanced BIOS Features:
Hard Disk Boot Priority - 1. Bootable Add-in Device
Bootable Add-in Device - Onboard sata
Boot Other Device - Enabled

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: Platyply
I've been struggling (not even the repair shop helped) with my A8V Deluxe, WD Raptor 74GB and WD 80GB IDE drives, and WinXP installing. I've tried every tip and done the floppy disk 'F6' thing a million times making sure to use the 378IDE drivers, and turning the BIOS setting to IDE Operational mode. I've switched between the red SATA port and the black port for the SATA drive. Incidentally, the when in the black plug WinXP Setup doesn't recognize my SATA drive. If I do get the installation going there is almost always a hang-up/fatal error either during setup or the copying of the setup files. Which I then I have reformat the drives and try again. I did manage to get the OS installed once, but the system was so instable I couldn't put in any drivers or install anything (the computer would always restart).

I just ordered the MSI K8N board based on the nVIDIA chipset, but if I'm still looking for any new ideas to get this problem fixed. I've done MemTest86 -- no errors. Any ideas why everyone else is getting thier floppy drivers to work and I can't?

Thanks.

For the A8V Deluxe, the best intelligence I've been able to gather is that for a non-RAID situation, you want to do this:

1. Set the Promise controller to IDE mode in the BIOS (as opposed to RAID mode)
2. Make the IDE verson of the Promise driver floppy
3. Sacrifice a black dog in the graveyard at midnight
4. Plug the hard drive into one of the ports that connects to the Promise controller (as opposed to the VIA southbridge's controller)
5. Do the F6 thing to begin Windows Setup
6. After Setup, now you will want to go into the mobo's BOOT menu and set it to use the SATAn hard drive as the primary hard drive, and set the primary hard drive as the boot device
7. and it couldn't hurt to be prepared for worms in case it actually works :Q

Also give your RAM a little more voltage, maybe 2.6 to 2.7 volts if it was on AUTO.