solved: Pleez, need Help with PC build, not seeing drives.

[Cy6nUsX1]

I am building a computer for my boss.

(1) Gigabyte MB - GA-8IPE-775
(1) Sata 80Gig Drive
(1) IDE UltraDMA drive
(1) Pentium P4 2.8GHz
(2) 256m GEIL RAM dual channel mode
(1) CD/DVD burner
(1) 400W P4 approved Powersupply

Chapter 1: w/ SATA
I turn on the PC with the Windows XP-SP2 CD-ROM in the drive. Hit F6 to load the SATA drivers for ICH5 chip that the MB uses for SATA. Reads the floppy and finds drivers (not sure if they are correct because Gigabyte sent me at least three to try). After is reads the floppy it proceeds to load Windows files. Then I got as far as Format NTFS (quick) it goes to 20% hangs, then 100% then it says, Cannot find any hardrives...check power connectors or something like that.

Chapter 2: w/ IDE
I eliminate the SATA driver choice error by try trying an IDE drive and the computer takes a LOOOONG time to get through POST and then a real long time detecting the IDE drive during post. It eventually goes through the Format NTFS (quick) routine and then the same message about, Cannot find any hardrives...check power connectors or something like that.

I saw the both drives in the BIOS fine. I tried turning on and off the SATA onboard controller in the BIOS during several attempts to install Windows.

THANKS!!

 

[Jiggz]

Try the IDE scenario first. I'm not sure what size is the IDE HDD but you may have to partition it first before installation. Second, don't use quick format. Instead use full format since the HDD is new it doesn't have an exisiting format yet. Upon boot up, go to the bios and set the default setting. Make sure the HDD is showing. Save and exit the bios. Upon boot up on Windows and when it goes to the option of where to install windows, highlight the HDD but first to do a partition. You can partition so no paritition is bigger than 120GB (unless you just want one big one which is also OK, since you are already using XP SP2. Then format each partition and then go with the installation. Make sure the hdd is jumpered correctly. Look on the sticker on the hdd on what is the right jumper settings. Goodluck. As for the SATA, you may have to partition and format just like above.

 

[Cy6nUsX1]

Thanks. Yes on the IDE Drive (180Gb) the jumpers are set to Master. It is the only drive. In the BIOS, I tried "failsafe" and "optimized" settings. I tried installing each drive SATA and IDE separately. The drive information is detected by the BIOS and the drive is also shown when initially setting up a format for Windows. However, after the formatting completes, Windows is not able to locate a suitable hard drive....Please check power connections....

I cant understand why BIOS sees the drives and Windows does not. In the past, I have converted old FAT32 Drives into NTFS using NTFS (Quick) option. The NTFS (Quick) option doesn't work with new drives? If so, that could be the problem.

 

[Cy6nUsX1]

SOLVED:
Boss had the jumper on the IDE drive set wrong. Boss had plugged in BOTH power cords to the SATA drive!

He was the one that wanted to assemble it....dont flame me for it. LOL. No wonder I couldn't detect the drives when loading software!! DOH!