I have a serious problem. I was trying to do a repair on my Windows XP system, but things didn't go as well as the guide, and I ended up wiping my hard drive. Now I'm trying to do a clean install and I have a few questions. One being about the SATA driver for my hard drive. It's seems that the Windows XP Home disk that I have has no Service Packs on it. My system was custom build and it's an OEM software disc. My question is once I get to the screen where it ask if I have SATA or RAID to hit F6 to install the drivers for my HD, since my machine is completely disable, how to I get the drivers on. On top of that, although, I have searched the mfg for drivers there only seems to be a firmware update. Will that work?
Windows XP
- Thread starter Sully54
- Start date
To use the F6 "option" you will need a floppy drive. If you have no floppy drive, you won't be able to use the F6 function. In that case you can burn a slipstream disk that combines your OEM XP disk with the missing SATA/RAID drivers. Search the internet for the procedure to make such a disk.
As an alternative, if your BIOS has this option, you can change the controller mode from AHCI/SATA to IDE and then you don't need the F6 option.
As an alternative, if your BIOS has this option, you can change the controller mode from AHCI/SATA to IDE and then you don't need the F6 option.
Ok, I can do the BIOS thing, I think. I do have a floppy drive, just not sure it's functioning. Made sure I had one when the system was built. Please hang around, because there is so much I'm not sure of. One problem I am aware of, because I do have the machine up and running, altho, I don't know how, and have internet connection, but I'm not able to stay on the web. All I have in IE6 and can't stay connected long enough to at least upgrade IE so it will stabilize. Would it just be better to go ahead and install Windows 7? My machine will support it with 2 more gigs of memory, but I'm trying to just get it stabilized with XP. As it is I can't even get my graphics card drivers to load. Working out the kinks, I guess, until I can move to Win7.
Look up the drivers on your motherboard's website and see if there are Windows 7 compatible drivers available. If so, you can go ahead and install Windows 7. What would be the point of spending time and effort stabilizing XP only to replace it with Win 7 later?
Got my Lan driver installed. Can't do anything else. Chipset won't load w/o SP1 installed. Audio won't install w/o SP2. I can't get to Windows update because IE keeps having an error and must close. Can't even upgrade IE to a new version, because it keeps closing on me. Very frustrating. I figure if I can get it all straight now it won't be such a big headache once I put 7 on and won't be able to that until next month. Could you, at least, read my above post, since I have already stated some of this before?
learninmypc
Posts: 9,685 +724
Are you saying that when you go to Start>All Programs & click on Windows update,it don't work? Just curious. 
Need Service Pack 1 before you can install some drivers? Go to Microsoft's support download site with another computer and download the service packs separately. Start with SP 1. If necessary, download SP2 separately, then go from there. Use a flash drive or burned CD/DVD to install the downloaded packs.
Once you can get into Windows Update, you will probably have to install some of the .NET Framework packages also.
Once you can get into Windows Update, you will probably have to install some of the .NET Framework packages also.
Are you saying that when you go to Start>All Programs & click on Windows update,it don't work? Just curious.
It goes to Windows Update and immediately I get a message that says "Internet Explorer has encountered a problem and must close." I get a chance to send an error report, which of course doesn't any good. Then I get a suggestion that says I need to update Internet Explorer from IE6 to IE8, which would be great, but I can't stay online long enough to get any downloads, because IE6 always encounters a problem and had to close. Also, when I'm on the Windows Update page and the error message is sitting on the screen, I notice a message over the top of Windows Update that states, "Window XP cannot use Windows Update.
learninmypc
Posts: 9,685 +724
Ok, do as mailpup suggests.
Thought about that. Will check it out.
Yes, but you can't get SP3 unless you have either SP1 or SP2. The only SP2 they have is for IT or Developers, but I'm putting it on now. Will move to SP3 after that I hope. So far had no luck with SP1, because I couldn't connect to Microsoft servers. About ready to just shut her down and forget the whole thing.
gbhall
Posts: 2,419 +77
Here's some advice (too late !) which will help you avoid a similar problem in future.
(1) make a drive image of a working system, which you can always use to restore your system in minutes
(2) create a working CD or USB version of any small Linux portable system. With that, you can always test your hardware and access the internet at any time without problems.
(3) Try to use more than one browser, then problems with one don't cut you off from the internet. E.g. Firefox, chrome, IE. Linux (2) above usually has firefox.
(4) Tempting though it is to carry on using the same old system until it bursts into flames. it always ends in tears in the end. Eventually, repair becomes impossible.
(1)-(3) cost nothing except a little time
(1) make a drive image of a working system, which you can always use to restore your system in minutes
(2) create a working CD or USB version of any small Linux portable system. With that, you can always test your hardware and access the internet at any time without problems.
(3) Try to use more than one browser, then problems with one don't cut you off from the internet. E.g. Firefox, chrome, IE. Linux (2) above usually has firefox.
(4) Tempting though it is to carry on using the same old system until it bursts into flames.
it always ends in tears in the end. Eventually, repair becomes impossible.(1)-(3) cost nothing except a little time
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Did you use another computer for the downloads as I suggested? Are you saying the second computer can't connect to Microsoft downloads?
I am posting this from my Windows XP computer, just to let you all know that it is up and running. It wasn't the easiest thing I've done, by far, but a learning experience. Hopefully, when I get ready to put Windows 7 on, I'll, at least, have some idea of what I'm doing. Want to thank all of you who have been very helpful with my cause. You're a great team. The irony of it all, was by the time I had it up and running, my internet service went down. Up and running now.
