HD Installation Help

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2005-05-07 01:17am

I'm trying to install a SATA hardrive into my computer. No, not as a salve, as the only harddrive. From scratch.

Yes, the connections are all proper.

But, when I go to start it up, the harddrive is not recognized.

Now, I'm supposed to use Discwizard to get my HD formatted and such, yes? Only, when I run it, the HD still isn't detected.

So I'm told that I need to get the proper RAID configuration installed on my motherboard. Got it, but guess what? You run it with the Windows XP reinstallation disc- BUT AFTER SELECTING THE FILES TO BE INSTALLED, IT TELLS YOU THAT SETUP CANNOT BE CONTINUED BECAUSE NO MASS STORAGE DEVICE IS DETECTABLE.

How the bloody fucking goddamn bloody fuck am I supposed to get my hard drive installed, if it's a goddamn catch-22?

Faram · Post by **Faram** » 2005-05-07 02:56am

When the windows XP cd boots up there is a option to install third party scsi drivers.

It is early in the boot and easy to miss!

Press F6 and insert the drivers diskett when prompted.

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2005-05-07 03:15am

Faram wrote:When the windows XP cd boots up there is a option to install third party scsi drivers.

It is early in the boot and easy to miss!

Press F6 and insert the drivers diskett when prompted.

That's exactly what I'm talking about. I do that, and select the proper drivers to install.

But then it gives me the shit about no mass storage device detected, setup cannot continue. Then the computer reboots. Now, the website says to leave the floppy in while the computer restarts, but when I try Discwizard, there's still no recognition- and if I try the install again, no RAID gets detected on the system already.

DarkSilver · Post by **DarkSilver** » 2005-05-07 05:50am

Just out of couriosity.....and maybe a stupid question but...it happens to me when I'm first installing a new drive

Are you sure the ribon cable to the HDD is connected correctly? Thier turned the right way, the drive is on the proper location on the ribbon if it has more than one connector.

That, and are your jumpers correctly set? I don't know how much headache I get with hdd's when all it is in the jumper setting isn't correct.

Just suggestions, I'm almost positive you've checked these by now though.

Glocksman · Post by **Glocksman** » 2005-05-07 06:50am

From your link, I'm assuming that you're trying to install this drive into a Dell system. Dell systems run Intel chipsets. To the best of my knowledge, Intel's non-RAID SATA implementation mimics a standard IDE device for installation purposes.

In other words, you shouldn't need to install the IAA during XP's install routine or run the Disc Wizard software.

Which Dell system is it?
Do you have RAID enabled in the BIOS?
If so, turn it off as you can't run a RAID configuration with a single drive.
Are you running a 3rd party controller card like a Promise card?
If so, you need to make a driver floppy and F6 during the XP install routine.

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2005-05-07 12:24pm

Glocksman wrote: Which Dell system is it?

XPS Gen 3.

Do you have RAID enabled in the BIOS?
If so, turn it off as you can't run a RAID configuration with a single drive.

It never had more than one hard-drive in there. I assume I would check under Setup (F2) to disable the RAID? If not, then what would I do to get at the BIOS?

Are you running a 3rd party controller card like a Promise card?
If so, you need to make a driver floppy and F6 during the XP install routine.

No, the SATA connection is right on the motherboard, no controller card required.

Glocksman · Post by **Glocksman** » 2005-05-07 01:18pm

Yeah, F2 is the BIOS.
I could be wrong, but I'm 99% sure that you shouldn't need a driver floppy to install XP on a bare SATA drive with Intel chipsets.

One other thing it could be is overclocking.
Are you overclocking the system?

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2005-05-07 01:44pm

Glocksman wrote:Yeah, F2 is the BIOS.
I could be wrong, but I'm 99% sure that you shouldn't need a driver floppy to install XP on a bare SATA drive with Intel chipsets.

That was my impression as well.

One other thing it could be is overclocking.
Are you overclocking the system?

No way.

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2005-05-07 02:12pm

Okay, for Setup, under SATA Operation, there are four option.s

RAID Autodetect/AHCI (Default)
RAID Autodetect/ATA
RAID On
Combination

Which of these should it be set to?

Glocksman · Post by **Glocksman** » 2005-05-07 04:39pm

Try RAID Autodetect/ATA, as I believe AHCI is Intel-speak for NCQ and not all drives support NCQ yet.

Here's a link to an Intel .pdf that explains what most of the options in Intel (Dell boards are OEM'd by Intel) BIOS'es mean.

Good Luck, as I know troubleshooting SATA issues can be a royal pain in the ass.

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2005-05-08 03:54am

Problem resolved. The SATA drives weren't set properly.