Up to the Challenge?

[PhyGuy]

Let me start you off with the system specs..

Giga-byte GA-8N-SLI pro
P4 Prescott 3.2 Ghz HT (LGA775)
DDR2667 PQI 1024MB (1GB) RAM
Geforce 6600GT 128MB PCI-e
NEC DVD+RW/DL/CD-RW

Hitachi Deskstar 160GB SATA HD


ok so I'm installing the SATA driver through F6 however I have many options for which driver to use, considering the mother board came with about 11 to choose from, Giga-byte offically told me to use a Nvida driver they supplied with the motherboard from both the RAID controler and SATA drive, did the F6 thing loaded the drivers, still Windows doesn't detect a hard disk and can not continue installation, SUPRISE not really...so I tryed another driver, which found a harddisk but minus 30GB so it tells me a unpartitioned 130GB drive, partition it, and install windows XP files, it restarts as it says it will and then it just starts the loop over again, (have to press f6 etc) it doesn't detect the windows files on the C: drive (SATA drive) if I choose to repair the installation it finds C:\WINDOWS> no problem but everytime I boot up it goes through the CD boot, BIOS is set for Floppy, Hard drive, CD-ROM to boot. Called Hitachi they told me basicly they didn't know why the drive would be detected by their dignostic program but not by windows. They also informed me that windows XP with out SP1 or 2 doesn't detect drives larger then 130GB and may be the limiting factor I changed the SATA cable slipstreamed my XP CD to SP2 and but everytime I write the CD it fails right at the end yey!!!! not...how the hell do I install this freakn SATA drive? anyone anyone? im gonna include a screen shot of the options to choose for RAID/SATA drivers from the mobo cd, if u figure it out...I do something...something big...idk what yet but ill do it!

 

[RealBlackStuff]

Have you tried picking the correct SATA drivers and copying them onto a floppy?
That's the only way to get those SATA drivers installed via F6, NOT from a CD.
And if you get only 130GB, you can always partition/format the rest once XP is up and running, if you can't get SP2 to slipstream.
See also http://www.theeldergeek.com/slipstreamed_xpsp2_cd.htm

 

[PhyGuy]

Yes I've seen that site and followed it, as for picking the right driver, I'd love to did you see the screen shot take your pick which is the right one? (btw the mobo is a nVida4 SLi chipset)

 

[RealBlackStuff]

Your mobo-manual and a visual inspection perhaps of the mobo should tell you which hardware is installed. I couldn't tell you anyway.
Or try the free Everest Home from www.lavalys.com, tells you all about your PC.

 

[PanicX]

According to the detailed specs I found here (giga-byte.com); it says your storage controller is the Promise PDC 20779. And according to the driver download page(giga-byte.com) the subtext for the Promise PDC 20779 driver specifies that it's to be used for windows setup installation. In fact it looks like a specfic driver made for a floppy as you can see it has a reduced size.

So... that would be my guess.