sata installation/detection for winXP setup

[StinkyMojo]

iv'e tried everything from using the Silicon Image drivers during F6, to using Seagate's own DiscWizard Starter Edition(consists of a bootable iso), just to install my new sata. Windows XP setup sees the drive fine.. its just that when i try to create the partition it says that its not a valid windows partition ( i know i need to format it, but i already did through DiscWizard). Bios doesn't even recognize the damn thing.. It's connected to the main primary sata plug in the mobo, and the other 8 gig is connected as primary slave. XP recognizes the 8 gig fine, as does linux.. any clues?

[Jason425]

*screams* don't #@^098 around with seagates disccrap...


you know what.. RTFM..


WTF, THAT 8 GIG DRIVE ISN'T SATA.. WHY IS IT SLAVE?

Are you installing XP onto the SATA, or do you have a working XP setup that you are trying to add a SATA drive to? If the latter, don't bother w/ the F6 thing, it's unnecessary.

As far as driver being on the floppy, what files are you putting there? If it's an *.exe or msi or something like that, you're using the wrong stuff. There are usually 2-3 basic files (i forget the extensions though .. no XP stuff around me atm). You should also make sure you are using the latest drivers.

As far as the BIOS goes, SATA drives don't show up in the normal BIOS. however, there may be an option to disabe/enable the SATA controller from the bios. Obviously, make sure it is enabled. Also, there may be a jumper on your mobo that can disable SATA, make sure it's set to enable as well (some computers may even have both). Where the drive should show up is in the SATA controller's own BIOS. These things vary wildly, but you'll usually press something like F2 or TAB to get into their bios after you pass the option for the mobo's BIOS. Go through there to make sure you have the drive setup properly.

Make sure you have power connected to the drive, and make sure there is only one power cord in the drive (if there's 2, you've probably fried your drive).

Let us know what happens after you do the F6 thing, if you are trying to install to the SATA.

[Jason425]

good points to cover, but what I said still stands and might be the real problem...

[vee_ess]

Did you install your motherboard drivers? I never do, but with my very limited experience with SATA, I'm not sure if it would automatically recognize all the different DMA controllers and all (or whatever else).

[StinkyMojo]

Checking the bios to see if SATA is disabled.. oh and fyi this is a new installation of windows from dos, and you can't RTFM when it is OEM.. and online documentation is pretty vague.

[StinkyMojo]

Well, my bios doesn't have any option for SATA enableing/disabling, the closest thing i can find is "bootup other device", which is enabled. The jumper is already set to enable SATA. I'm now gonna play around with the onboard silicon image raid controller and try to fiddle with it..

[Jason425]

you're going to play around with AND try to fiddle with... the raid controller.. pssst.. you aren't doing raid...

[StinkyMojo]

i know im not doing raid.. its the only place other than seagates utility where i can configure the drive... limitedly

[Jason425]

the only thing you can do in the raid thing is create or delete arrays...