Re: Windows XP install problem - SATA disk

From: RM (RM_at_hotter.com)
Date: 02/10/05 

Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2005 19:57:09 -0000

"pixel" <dontwant@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:cucnbt$ba7$2@lust.ihug.co.nz...
> i've installed sata OS disks with winXP before, but this is a new kind of
> sata problem.
>
> motherboard: Gigabyte GA-K8NXP-SLI [Sil 3114 sata raid controller], 36GB
> raptor boot disk (no other hard drives), XP pro with SP2.
>
> ok, the cd booted ok, installed the SATA controller (from Sil3114 folder)
> after hitting F6... XP install found the disk (yay).... formatted the
> drive.... all files copied ok....remove floppy and CD for reboot... then:
> DISK BOOT FAILURE.
>
> so basically i think the problem is not with the driver or windows install
> but in the bios. as a first, second or third boot device i can't select
> "sata" or "scsi", just "hard disk". i remember from past installs having
> to set it to SCSI but that's not anywhere in the BIOS. there's no other
> SATA options in the bios except for enabling and disabling SATA-RAID, i've
> tried both and they give the same result.
>
> the Gigabyte website outlines this procedure to set sata boot disk:
> ---
> 1. Advanced BIOS features--> SATA/RAID/SCSI boot order: "SATA"
> 2. Advanced BIOS features--> First boot device: "SCSI"
> 3. Integrated Peripherals--> Onboard H/W Serial ATA: "enable"
> Then it depends on the SATA mode that you need to set "RAID" to RAID mode
> or "BASE" to normal ATA mode in the item named Serial ATA function.
> ---
> none of that even remotely resembles the bios of this mobo. the word
> "sata" isn't even mentioned in advanced bios features.
>
> either the bios is a piece of crap (likely) or the disk itself is stuffed.
> any ideas...? :)

If the SATA disk doesn't appear on the boot order screen then the bios
hasn't registered that it exists yet. Disable every RAID option on the
Integrated Peripherals and turn off all the PATA and unused SATA ports, make
sure your drive is plugged into port 0 (which isn't the top one). Restart
the BIOS and it should then appear during the detection phase, go back into
the BIOS and it will be on the boot order screen.

You shouldn't need any drivers to install windows, once the BIOS has the
drive acknowledged correctly. But you will need to reformat the drive before
installing windows - don't skip this as the current format is corrupt.

The manual for all the gigabyte boards is awful, the most important bits
simply aren't there.

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