*urgent-clean Install Of Windows Xp-urgent*

P

Pentahedral

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jan 23, 2005
Messages
137
Its sort of a long post, so i'm going to just jump right in.

I recently upgraded my hard drive to a Western Digital Cavier SE 160 G. I had windows on another HD but thought it would go smoothly, so just disgarded it. The HD was a RMA so it didn't come with a boot disc like the previous one, but I lost the origanal. I went to western digitals site and downloaded the files that are apperently on the floppy and made a floppy. When I booted off the windows XP OEM disc everything went fine untill it ask if I had any raid drivers or anything to install, press 's', so I do. After I hit 's' is says that it cant find file txtsetup.oem. To make a long story short I went to MSI, motherboard, and downloaded some files that it apperently needed for drivers, but the problem is both manufactures files cant fit in the same floppy, problem. So I mix and match files on the floppy to satisfy setup so it can find all the files. So, when i'm at the same instal of man. drivers I press 's' and I choose the Windows XP controller and hit 'enter'. Then it goes back to the same 'to install drivers page' saying that windows will load the following ***, to continue hit enter, i do. Then it starts to load files and finally says 'starting windows' then windows displayes that it cant find any hard discs and setup cannot continue, press F3 to exit....WTF is happening here, and WTF can I do to get past this, shouldnt you partition the HD earlier than 'windows is starting up' area?

Thanks in advance.
 
Have you tried to install windows with out specifying a driver for the hard drive? It doesn't sound like you are using raid or anything special. Just let the install go past that part to see if that will work.
 
what motherboard is this, if it has native sata ports and you are not running raid you don't need the drivers
 
most computers now have a bootable removable USB option. You got a USB memory drive?
 
The motherboard that i'm using is a MSI K8T800 Neo, I dont have a usb thumdrive thing, although it would be nice. When I go past the screen without specifiying any drivers it says the same thing that windows cant find any hard discs. Again the hard drive is a Western Digital Serial ATA Cavier SE 160.



Thanks
 
so what is this disk that you downloaded from western digital suppose to do?

you should only need the sata drivers (promise controller?) do the f6 thingie.
 
Can you hear/feel the drive spin up when the computer is started?
 
i think ur using hte wrong drivers.

if its sata - on another computer, put in teh msi disk, explore it and find the directory for sata, drag and drop the files from that onto a floppy. or sometimes when u load up the cd it asks if u want to create a sata driver disk, damn my k8n neo came with a sata disk to do just this.

then put winxp cd in, press f6 when it says addition drivers, s and u got it.
 
Go here to grab the driver for your SATA.

Follow the instructions from the readme:

2. Install Windows NT 4.0, 2000, XP, or Server 2003

* Copy all files and directories from the DriverDisk folder to a floppy disk.
Make sure the following directories and files are copied into the floppy disk.

A:\
\PIDE
\2003IA32
VIApide.inf
VIApdsk.sys
VIApdsk.cat
\Win2000
VIApide.inf
VIApdsk.sys
VIApdsk.cat
\Winnt40
VIApide.inf
VIApdsk.sys
\WinXP
VIApide.inf
VIApdsk.cat
VIApdsk.sys
\RAID
\2003IA32
VIAmraid.inf
VIAmraid.sys
VIAmraid.cat
\Win2000
VIAmraid.inf
VIAmraid.sys
VIAmraid.cat
\Winnt40
VIAmraid.inf
VIAmraid.sys
\WinXP
VIAmraid.inf
VIAmraid.sys
VIAmraid.cat
Txtsetup.oem


* Boot system from OS installing CD-ROM.

* Make sure VIA RAID BIOS is executed by the system BIOS when POST.

* Press "F6" when OS installer starts running.

* Insert floppy disk.

* Choose the OS device driver wanted for loading.

* Install OS.

* Run setup.exe after OS is installed.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks, i'll try that tomorrow with puting those files on floppy, wish windows did it like, dare i say, steam and you had an account and could download everything or transfer it from one hard drive to the next.
 
Pentahedral:

KevinO's advice directions are pretty explanatory, but need just one modification.

Put the WinXP-specific drivers in the *root* of the floppy disk (skip copying the other OS drivers since you will not need them). The XP install doesn't give any options to specify a directory on the floppy drive, it just expects to find them in the root directory (Confirmed this while setting up a Raptor 74 gig RAID-0 on an Asus K8V SE mobo).

As for using a thumb drive for the drivers, the idea is great. However, the XP install never gives that as a possible choice, so you're stuck using a floppy disk. Just ask any SFF owner whose case didn't come with a place for a floppy drive about what they had to do to get SATA hard drive(s) recognized during the XP install.

New question, though: Everyone here seems to be assuming that your hard drive is SATA, but is it really a serial ATA hard drive? If it's an IDE hard drive, then are you using a hard drive utility called "E.Z. Drive" (or something similar)? If so, that can affect how the hard drive is being recognized. Also, what jumper configuration are you using? What does the BIOS report as the detected hard drive, and on what connection/channel ??


- PTNL
 
Yea i'm pretty sure that its a serial ATA drive, since I had another drive in as a temp one, but had to change cables to a thin blue one. The cable goes into stata1 on the motherboard. Also I see the directory thing, windows expects files to be in folders and looks for them there.


I'm using the defalt jumper settings and hanvent touched them. And I believe that its on channel 1.
 
Just to check, but did you verify that the drive was detected by the BIOS properly? Like k1pp3r said: you shouldn't need any special drivers if you aren't running a RAID or SCSI drive.
 
You could also try slipstreaming the RAID drivers into the windowsXP cd if you have a retail version of XP. Here's a link showing how to:

link

I'm not sure if this will work with an OEM cd or not, but it works great with a retail cd.
 
skgarach said:
You could also try slipstreaming the RAID drivers into the windowsXP cd if you have a retail version of XP. Here's a link showing how to:

link

I'm not sure if this will work with an OEM cd or not, but it works great with a retail cd.
Click to expand...

You can slip stream with either OEM or Retail XP discs.
 
Velox said:
Just to check, but did you verify that the drive was detected by the BIOS properly? Like k1pp3r said: you shouldn't need any special drivers if you aren't running a RAID or SCSI drive.
Click to expand...

windows xp can't detect sata drives without drivers. all sata drives, afaik, are connected to a raid controller on the mb
 
majikman said:
windows xp can't detect sata drives without drivers. all sata drives, afaik, are connected to a raid controller on the mb
Click to expand...

Detected my SATA drive on my Intel D865GRH without any drivers...
 
pent,

go to your bios and set the drive to first boot device, set cdrom second, and floppy third.

Now try to install windows. Everyone i know with this problem has always fixed it by doing this. i dont know why, but it always works for us.
 
If none of the things work in here, you could always download a copy of fdisk off of the interweb and boot from that to format. make sure you get one that can write in ntfs format though. also, try changing the cable to a different header on your mobo. sometimes those headers will go bad.
 
As another user stated, yeah, for all SATA drives, you're gonna need to make a driver disk. I believe however that instead of copying all of the files over from the driver directory for your motherboard sata controller, there should be a file called makedisk.exe somewhere in the root directory of the controller folder. I've never seen a motherboard that didn't have some form of that utility on there somewhere, and it always gets all the drivers youll need onto the disk working and recognized by a windows install.
 
how come you guys need driver disks? I build alot of computers for friends, and never once have i needed a driver disk. As long as i set the SATA drive to boot first, it works without any extra software
 
#1: If you're not booting from a RAID array, don't install extra drivers in Windows setup.
#2: If Windows setup says it can't find a certain file, your disc is probably fucked up.
#3: If you're having trouble with Windows recognizing your drive, try doing a low-level format or at least wipe the master boot record.
#4: If you get Windows to recognize the drive but it reports the wrong physical size, don't worry about it. Once you get Windows up and running, you should have access to the whole drive.
 
hfusion said:
how come you guys need driver disks? I build alot of computers for friends, and never once have i needed a driver disk. As long as i set the SATA drive to boot first, it works without any extra software
Click to expand...

I don't know, but on the ones I have built I have needed the driver disk for most installs for SATA because XP natively doesn't support SATA. I don't know if some are supported or some aren't I don't know, but this user has a VIA SATA controller and not your typical Promise.
 
Wow, let the disinformation flow!!!!! Please don't post info if it's not correct, or add a little note letting others know your not sure. Wow.

Okay, if your motherboard uses a native SATA controller, such as ALL Intel chipsets, like 865, 875, etc, and your not running RAID, you DO NOT NEED TO LOAD ANY DRIVERS.

This original poster is looking for help, not incorrect answers.
 
Which connector are you using?

If you are using the connectors that are closer to the floppy connector, those are the regular ones, the other two (almost in the corner, separated by a microchip), those are the RAID connectors. (look in page 5-1 in your manual)

Use the regular SATA connectors (SATA1 and not SER1/SER2, see page 2-22), and in the BIOS check that SATA is enabled (see page 3-20)

About the drivers: I am not sure you need them to install Windows XP whithout the RAID, maybe you should write to MSI and ask them

I am sure Windows XP SP2 don't need any SATA drivers, only the RAID ones.

It was reported that WD SATA disks bigger than 137 Gb have problems when installed in RAID systems (also under INTEL chipsets), can you try to use another SATA disk? like a 120 Gb instead? may help to check where the problem is.
 
like djnes said, the drivers are only need if the sata controller is not native, my old asus board did not have native sata ports, therefor i had to load the raid drivers (even though i wasn't using a raid setup) just so windows could see the drive. Windows supports sata, it just may not suppor tthe controller they are on which is the reason for the drivers
 
Pentahedral said:
Its sort of a long post, so i'm going to just jump right in.

I recently upgraded my hard drive to a Western Digital Cavier SE 160 G. I had windows on another HD but thought it would go smoothly, so just disgarded it.

When I booted off the windows XP OEM disc everything went fine untill it ask if I had any raid drivers or anything to install, press 's', so I do. After I hit 's' is says that it cant find file txtsetup.oem.
Click to expand...

I think this is like those trick questions in school. They give you 3 pieces of relevant information, and 20 non-relevant. I think I have clipped out the unnecessary stuff and bolded the most important.

Single drive, and your installing RAID drivers... Why? What happens if you just don't hit "s?" ;)
 
malingjc said:
Detected my SATA drive on my Intel D865GRH without any drivers...
Click to expand...

This is because you are not using RAID in the ICH5r.

I have i875 and a single SATA drive as well, no driver needed as the IDE controller just treats SATA like a 3rd IDE channel when RAID is not in use.

Just FYI.

KC
 
djnes said:
Wow, let the disinformation flow!!!!! Please don't post info if it's not correct, or add a little note letting others know your not sure. Wow.

Okay, if your motherboard uses a native SATA controller, such as ALL Intel chipsets, like 865, 875, etc, and your not running RAID, you DO NOT NEED TO LOAD ANY DRIVERS.

This original poster is looking for help, not incorrect answers.
Click to expand...

Excuse me for thinking I was correct. This is a forum and people make mistakes thinking the info they are providing is correct. Forgive me for not being mister all knowing and thinking the information I am giving is valid based on the experiences I have had.

I have always had to load the SATA drivers to get XP to install (even on my nforce) for 1 drive. I realize those are RAID drivers and MY APOLOGIES to the original poster for my misinformation. I apologize for not being computer perfect. I will work on that more so I am blessed to post here.
 
KevinO said:
Excuse me for thinking I was correct. This is a forum and people make mistakes thinking the info they are providing is correct. Forgive me for not being mister all knowing and thinking the information I am giving is valid based on the experiences I have had.

I have always had to load the SATA drivers to get XP to install (even on my nforce) for 1 drive. I realize those are RAID drivers and MY APOLOGIES to the original poster for my misinformation. I apologize for not be computer perfect. I will work on that more so I am blessed to post here.
Click to expand...

It's this type of posting that brings the forums down in quality, and has us being laughed at on other forum boards. Don't underestimate the power of research. You could have clearly stated what board you were using that always required the SATA drivers. You could have also noticed the eight million other times this concept has been beaten to f'n death on here clearly stating that some chipsets use native SATA ports.

Your right, all of us make mistakes on the forum boards. The difference is, to a system builder, a concept such as this is common knowledge. It's also common knowledge to people who read these forums because it's posted on a daily basis.
 
KevinO said:
Excuse me for thinking I was correct. This is a forum and people make mistakes thinking the info they are providing is correct. Forgive me for not being mister all knowing and thinking the information I am giving is valid based on the experiences I have had.

I have always had to load the SATA drivers to get XP to install (even on my nforce) for 1 drive. I realize those are RAID drivers and MY APOLOGIES to the original poster for my misinformation. I apologize for not being computer perfect. I will work on that more so I am blessed to post here.
Click to expand...

not trying to be mean but djnes could have put that a little nicer, what do you think. We are all here to learn and teach, how would you like your sons 3rd grade teacher telling you your son is misinformed about something.
 
djnes said:
Wow, let the disinformation flow!!!!! Please don't post info if it's not correct, or add a little note letting others know your not sure. Wow.
Click to expand...

Sorry for thread crapping on the original poster. I wish you luck in trying to solve your issue

But this is the thing that brings forums down. I am trying with the best of my knowledge to help and sorry I don't live on these forums and see these things posted over and over again. I just don't. I am giving information to the best of my knowledge is correct and has worked for me before.

Any to the original poster, if you tried my fix with the drivers and it didn't work I am sorry for having to put you out 5 - 10 min only for it not to work. I was trying to give you help, but evidentally I wasn't. My apologies again.
 
I guess I should state when I'm switching to sarcasm, although it seems like everyone on here is wound tighter than a drum. I should have said Holy Misinformation, Batman!!!

Yes, it could have been put in a better way, but I still stand by the content. I have many offline discussions with some long term posters here about how often we go into a thread and see people giving false information as a possible solution. No one benefits from this, as the original poster doesn't get help, and people just browsing the thread will start to think the false info is correct.

Maybe I'm alone in this, but I try to read every thread I see...especially ones I don't have an answer for, just to see what others say, and what possible solutions are. Over the past 4 years, I've learned a lot this way.
 
djnes said:
I guess I should state when I'm switching to sarcasm, although it seems like everyone on here is wound tighter than a drum. I should have said Holy Misinformation, Batman!!!
Click to expand...

well thats the problem with forums, and chat room, no face to see expressions, and no voice to inform someone that you are being sarcastic, it really is a thin line.
 
k1pp3r said:
well thats the problem with forums, and chat room, no face to see expressions, and no voice to inform someone that you are being sarcastic, it really is a thin line.
Click to expand...

I propose an official font that should me "sarcasm". Or a color...none of us should be using monochrome monitors anymore.
 
I am sorry, but I usually detect sarcasm, but that wasn't. What would it hurt for him to download the drivers put them on a floppy hit F6 and try to install them to see if his drive gets detected? 15 min or so.

The he would have learned how to do that in case he switches to RAID and has the drivers ready. Oh the pain of it all <---- sarcasm ;). If it didn't work and some BIOS etc was the fix, then he could come and post the fix in this thread and hey guess what I learned something and the poster did too.

I understand where you are coming from djnes seeing stuff like this posted over and over again. I respect you stand by wanting valid information provided to the poster. I wouldn't want misinformation provided to me either, but I know I will get some and as long as it doesn't break my computer, format my drive etc. then I chalk it up as a learning experience. He is trying install XP on a blank drive that isn't getting detected and d/l the drivers and trying them shouldn't hurt too bad.

I usually see your posts and respect the information you give because it is usually valid, and I have never seen you come across this way before. I probably took it in the wrong context (easy to do over the internet :) ), anyway, so lets move on and see if we can help this poster and maybe I can learn something.
 
I'm thinking the OP dropped off the earth. We haven't had any updates in a while. What's the latest status?
 
djnes said:
none of us should be using monochrome monitors anymore.
Click to expand...

are you saying i am behind times, kinda like the dell commercial where the guy taps all the computers together ;)
 
k1pp3r said:
are you saying i am behind times, kinda like the dell commercial where the guy taps all the computers together ;)
Click to expand...

As much as I despise Dell (they are the enemy), that commercial is great.

Well, okay they are the enemy, but they've been slipping in quality of product and support in the past two years.
 
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