Installing XP from within XP?

28 Mar 2005 9:36 AM

Bobby

I have been trying to install Windows XP Pro (SP2) on a new (SATA) hard
drive and I've had problems with the setup program recognising my drive
(does XP have a problem with SATA drives?).

I (now) appreciate that XP sees a SATA drive as a SCSI/RAID device (don't
ask me - again, does XP have a problem with SATA?) but the setup program
tells me that I have no hard drives installed when I try to do a clean
install. I have tried to put the motherboard driver onto floppy but XP
can't/won't read it.

But my SATA drive is recognised OK when XP loads (using my original HD). It
comes up as drive "H" and works fine.

So, is it possible to install XP from within XP? Can I boot from my original
HD and then somehow install XP from that position (since my SATA drive is
recognised when XP is loaded)?

Cheers.

Bobby

28 Mar 2005 9:50 AM

Paul Murphy

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"Bobby" <bo***@europe.com> wrote in message
news:3aq1i4F696fmcU1@individual.net...
>I have been trying to install Windows XP Pro (SP2) on a new (SATA) hard
>drive and I've had problems with the setup program recognising my drive
>(does XP have a problem with SATA drives?).
>
> I (now) appreciate that XP sees a SATA drive as a SCSI/RAID device (don't
> ask me - again, does XP have a problem with SATA?) but the setup program
> tells me that I have no hard drives installed when I try to do a clean
> install. I have tried to put the motherboard driver onto floppy but XP
> can't/won't read it.
>
> But my SATA drive is recognised OK when XP loads (using my original HD).
> It comes up as drive "H" and works fine.
>
> So, is it possible to install XP from within XP? Can I boot from my
> original HD and then somehow install XP from that position (since my SATA
> drive is recognised when XP is loaded)?
>
> Cheers.
>
> Bobby

You wont be able to get the new SATA HDD as C: unless you install Windows XP
onto it directly - otherwise it will end up as a secondary drive. It sounds
like the drivers you're using during setup are the wrong ones. Are you
attempting to have them detected after pressing F6 during the initial part
of XP setup (when the blue screen message says to press F6 to install RAID
controllers - or something like that)? What are the contents on the floppy
that you created (the file names) and what is the motherboard make/model and
SATA controller details on it?

Paul

28 Mar 2005 12:06 PM

BP

When you first load the XP CD and hit ENTER "to install" there will appear
at the bottom of the screen a message that asks you to press F6 to "load
SCSI devices". You will then be prompted to insert the floppy with the SATA
drivers.
Now when I built my new machine, the bios was initially set up so that my
function keys were inactive until I hit an "F Lock" key to activate them. I
had to go through the loop of trying to hit F6 with nothing happening a
couple of times before I figured that one out.

Show quoteHide quote

"Bobby" <bo***@europe.com> wrote in message
news:3aq1i4F696fmcU1@individual.net...
>I have been trying to install Windows XP Pro (SP2) on a new (SATA) hard
>drive and I've had problems with the setup program recognising my drive
>(does XP have a problem with SATA drives?).
>
> I (now) appreciate that XP sees a SATA drive as a SCSI/RAID device (don't
> ask me - again, does XP have a problem with SATA?) but the setup program
> tells me that I have no hard drives installed when I try to do a clean
> install. I have tried to put the motherboard driver onto floppy but XP
> can't/won't read it.
>
> But my SATA drive is recognised OK when XP loads (using my original HD).
> It comes up as drive "H" and works fine.
>
> So, is it possible to install XP from within XP? Can I boot from my
> original HD and then somehow install XP from that position (since my SATA
> drive is recognised when XP is loaded)?
>
> Cheers.
>
> Bobby
>

28 Mar 2005 9:33 PM

Bobby

Thanks I tried that.

And this time the driver loaded from the floppy disk - but Windows *still
reported that there was no HD installed!

I'm at a complete loss with this drive.

Bobby

Show quoteHide quote

"BP" <replyto***@only.net> wrote in message
news:RY-dnXJOTfTEbtrfRVn-sQ@conversent.net...
> When you first load the XP CD and hit ENTER "to install" there will appear
> at the bottom of the screen a message that asks you to press F6 to "load
> SCSI devices". You will then be prompted to insert the floppy with the
> SATA drivers.
> Now when I built my new machine, the bios was initially set up so that my
> function keys were inactive until I hit an "F Lock" key to activate them.
> I had to go through the loop of trying to hit F6 with nothing happening a
> couple of times before I figured that one out.
>
> "Bobby" <bo***@europe.com> wrote in message
> news:3aq1i4F696fmcU1@individual.net...
>>I have been trying to install Windows XP Pro (SP2) on a new (SATA) hard
>>drive and I've had problems with the setup program recognising my drive
>>(does XP have a problem with SATA drives?).
>>
>> I (now) appreciate that XP sees a SATA drive as a SCSI/RAID device (don't
>> ask me - again, does XP have a problem with SATA?) but the setup program
>> tells me that I have no hard drives installed when I try to do a clean
>> install. I have tried to put the motherboard driver onto floppy but XP
>> can't/won't read it.
>>
>> But my SATA drive is recognised OK when XP loads (using my original HD).
>> It comes up as drive "H" and works fine.
>>
>> So, is it possible to install XP from within XP? Can I boot from my
>> original HD and then somehow install XP from that position (since my SATA
>> drive is recognised when XP is loaded)?
>>
>> Cheers.
>>
>> Bobby
>>
>
>

28 Mar 2005 11:04 PM

Paul Murphy

What were the files on the floppy disk (all the file names) and where did
you get them from? Additionally, are there any options for the SATA
controller in the machines BIOS? I suspect the problem is either with the
drivers or BIOS settings, what's the motherboard and SATA controller used?

Paul

Show quoteHide quote

"Bobby" <bo***@europe.com> wrote in message
news:OzFaF39MFHA.2252@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> Thanks I tried that.
>
> And this time the driver loaded from the floppy disk - but Windows *still
> reported that there was no HD installed!
>
> I'm at a complete loss with this drive.
>
> Bobby
>
> "BP" <replyto***@only.net> wrote in message
> news:RY-dnXJOTfTEbtrfRVn-sQ@conversent.net...
>> When you first load the XP CD and hit ENTER "to install" there will
>> appear at the bottom of the screen a message that asks you to press F6 to
>> "load SCSI devices". You will then be prompted to insert the floppy with
>> the SATA drivers.
>> Now when I built my new machine, the bios was initially set up so that my
>> function keys were inactive until I hit an "F Lock" key to activate them.
>> I had to go through the loop of trying to hit F6 with nothing happening a
>> couple of times before I figured that one out.
>>
>> "Bobby" <bo***@europe.com> wrote in message
>> news:3aq1i4F696fmcU1@individual.net...
>>>I have been trying to install Windows XP Pro (SP2) on a new (SATA) hard
>>>drive and I've had problems with the setup program recognising my drive
>>>(does XP have a problem with SATA drives?).
>>>
>>> I (now) appreciate that XP sees a SATA drive as a SCSI/RAID device
>>> (don't ask me - again, does XP have a problem with SATA?) but the setup
>>> program tells me that I have no hard drives installed when I try to do a
>>> clean install. I have tried to put the motherboard driver onto floppy
>>> but XP can't/won't read it.
>>>
>>> But my SATA drive is recognised OK when XP loads (using my original HD).
>>> It comes up as drive "H" and works fine.
>>>
>>> So, is it possible to install XP from within XP? Can I boot from my
>>> original HD and then somehow install XP from that position (since my
>>> SATA drive is recognised when XP is loaded)?
>>>
>>> Cheers.
>>>
>>> Bobby

28 Mar 2005 11:27 PM

Bobby

Thanks for helping Paul.

> What were the files on the floppy disk (all the file names) and where did
> you get them from?

The floppy was created from the motherboard CD (it had a utility to create a
floppy with the drivers).

> Additionally, are there any options for the SATA controller in the
> machines BIOS?

Yes. I have enabled the "SATA Bootrom" and the Promise controller. I've
tried both RAID and IDE mode for this controller (I don't understand how a
SATA controller - if that's what the Promise controller is - can operate in
IDE mode since I thought SATA was totally different from IDE?).

> I suspect the problem is either with the drivers or BIOS settings, what's
> the motherboard and SATA controller used?

Mobo: Asus K8 SE Deluxe. SATA controller (I think) is Promise
Flex-something.

Cheers.

29 Mar 2005 12:04 AM

John Smith

Can'y find an English user manual at the ASUS site but I note that the MB has
two
SATA controllers, a Promise 20378 and a VT8237 bothe supporting RAID.
Check your manual to see if both of them can be set for a boot device or that
you have then BIOS set properly to ID the SAT drive for booting.

John

Bobby wrote:

Show quoteHide quote

> I have been trying to install Windows XP Pro (SP2) on a new (SATA) hard
> drive and I've had problems with the setup program recognising my drive
> (does XP have a problem with SATA drives?).
>
> I (now) appreciate that XP sees a SATA drive as a SCSI/RAID device (don't
> ask me - again, does XP have a problem with SATA?) but the setup program
> tells me that I have no hard drives installed when I try to do a clean
> install. I have tried to put the motherboard driver onto floppy but XP
> can't/won't read it.
>
> But my SATA drive is recognised OK when XP loads (using my original HD). It
> comes up as drive "H" and works fine.
>
> So, is it possible to install XP from within XP? Can I boot from my original
> HD and then somehow install XP from that position (since my SATA drive is
> recognised when XP is loaded)?
>
> Cheers.
>
> Bobby

29 Mar 2005 6:55 AM

Paul Murphy

http://www.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/sock754/k8v_se_dx/e1491_k8v_se_deluxe.pdf

Paul

Show quoteHide quote

"John Smith" <jsm***@aol.com> wrote in message
news:42489B9E.D8CA494F@aol.com...
> Can'y find an English user manual at the ASUS site but I note that the MB
> has
> two
> SATA controllers, a Promise 20378 and a VT8237 bothe supporting RAID.
> Check your manual to see if both of them can be set for a boot device or
> that
> you have then BIOS set properly to ID the SAT drive for booting.
>
> John
>
> Bobby wrote:
>
>> I have been trying to install Windows XP Pro (SP2) on a new (SATA) hard
>> drive and I've had problems with the setup program recognising my drive
>> (does XP have a problem with SATA drives?).
>>
>> I (now) appreciate that XP sees a SATA drive as a SCSI/RAID device (don't
>> ask me - again, does XP have a problem with SATA?) but the setup program
>> tells me that I have no hard drives installed when I try to do a clean
>> install. I have tried to put the motherboard driver onto floppy but XP
>> can't/won't read it.
>>
>> But my SATA drive is recognised OK when XP loads (using my original HD).
>> It
>> comes up as drive "H" and works fine.
>>
>> So, is it possible to install XP from within XP? Can I boot from my
>> original
>> HD and then somehow install XP from that position (since my SATA drive is
>> recognised when XP is loaded)?
>>
>> Cheers.
>>
>> Bobby
>