Hello!

I've bought a PC with components and managed to put it together.

During WinXP installation I can't use the normal method of copying the SATA-drivers to a floppy because I didn't buy FDD... So the XP can't install after formatting the HD and copying the XP files on to it. It says HD read error, press Ctrl+Alt+Del to reboot...
If I buy a floppy drive, how am I able to copy the drivers the the floppy because on my old laptop I don't have a FDD and none of my friends have it!?? Is there any other way? Please help me!

I have tried to Slipstream a new XP-cd but I am stuck. In the gigabyte's Cd which comes with the MoBo, there are drivers but there aren't any SYS-files that you are supposed to copy to the I386-folder. Just exe-files. And it is hard to know which are the right drivers. I don't need any RAID or 64-bit drivers but maybe it desn't hurt if I try to put them there as well?

I have used mainly these intructions:
http://maximumpc.com/2005/01/how_to_slipstre.html

Here are all names of the drivers in the Gigabyte's CD: gigaraid.exe, si3114.exe, si3114r.exe, 6410.exe, p20779.exe, p20779r.exe, MSM32.exe, MSM64.exe, si3132.exe, si3132_64.exe si3132r.exe, si3132r_64.exe, it8211.exe, GSATA32.exe, GSATA64.exe.
Then there is also a small program to help to make a copy of the drivers direct to a floppy Nothing happens when I use that because as I said there is no floppy drive in my laptop. Gigabyte made it easy for every other user than me!

Specs:
motherboard: Gigabyte-965P-DS3, 2x1gig corsair 5300 DDRII, C2D E6400, just one 250 Gb SataII hard disk connected to SATAII0 on the MoBo. On the BIOS I have selected "Onboard SATA/IDE Ctrl mode" IDE.

Do I need to tell more, please ask if I do.

Please please help me, I want to get using my new computer!

the .exe files are probably self-extracting zip files. run them and it should extract the files you need.

floppy drives are cheap and you should ALWAYS have one. You can buy them used even or even FREE. For your laptop you can buy an external floppy drive. They're still required for operations like the one you're doing plus BIOS updates.

I know floppy drives aren't necessary in the newer systems any longer. CD/DVD Combo drives can easily replace the need for a floppy drive. Heck, a memory stick that is bootable can replace a floppy drive. I still have one installed. I work on older systems, and a floppy is more convenient to use there

have a floppy but still a problem!!!

Hi everyone and thanks for your advices!

I went and bought a floppy drive.

Now when I try to install, it asks the drivers and I put any driver (of many) to the disk as instructed from Gigabyte. Well, nothing happened, the same text comes visible again "please insert the disk..."

And so I haven't come any closer but I am getting even more pissed off!

Could it be the hard disk that is broken somehow? I have now tried to install XP with both Gigabyte connector and Intel connector but nothing helps. When computer has copied the XP files to the hard disk, it boots and if I don't take out the XP-cd I can install it again... And if I take it away, it says "disk read error..." (the same than before).

I actually read in the manual that the drivers are only needed when usin SCSI ar RAID configuration!!

What is then wrong?!

What the heck should I do? I still haven't got any answer from Gigabyte after 3 days!

I'm lost here...

Are you saying that the floppy doesn't read? Or is it the Gigabyte CD? You are right! You don't need any added SATA drivers! Skip that installation if you can. Make sure the SATA controller is enabled and active in the bios. By default, this should be enabled.

SATA/IDE device enabled

Hi! Thanks for encouraging me!

Yes the Floppy tries to read (it makes a sound and the LED is on) but nothing is found. But it doesn't matter if I don't really need istall any drivers!

I have the Onboard SATA/IDE Device [Enabled] on BIOS, also SATA/Ctrl mode [IDE]. I haven't really changed anything in the BIOS, everything is on defaults!

I have tried to install XP again. Everything goes as before: After the WinXP files is copied to the hard disk, there comes a message saying boot (countdown) in 15 seconds, take out disk from drive A.
I have to take the XP cd also out because otherways it wants to istall it again and then the computer boots. It starts POST and stops after that it tries to start up default boot order which is: 1.floppy 2. hard disk 3. cdrom. FDD is empty and it can't read hard disk and then it reboots. And this continues...

The hard disk can be formatted and the sectors and cylinders etc can be seen so there should be nothing wrong with it? I have 1 jumper which I haven't used, should I???

Still got any further...

"I have the Onboard SATA/IDE Device [Enabled] on BIOS, also SATA/Ctrl mode [IDE]. I haven't really changed anything in the BIOS, everything is on defaults!"

The SATA control mode should be SATA not IDE right?

explanation to Tmagic650

Hi Tmagic650, the following options available for "Onboard SATA/IDE Ctrl Mode":
-IDE Set the SATA channel to IDE mode (default value)
-AHCI Set the SATA channel to AHCI mode (Advanced Host Controller Interface)
-RAID/IDE Set theSATA channel to RAID mode and IDE channel to IDE mode.

Hard disk was broken!!!!!

Hi there again!

I went and bought another hard disk. Then when installing WIN XP again, NO PROBLEMS!!!!!!!!

So, it was a Samsung P120 250GB hard disk that was broken somehow. All that trouble and now finally I have managed to install XP. Now have to start installing software&updates.

See you!