Hi All,

I have this Dimension 9150 and encountered this same issue. After I have tried TylerY method, I now encountered different error. I get this blue screen that says, "A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer. If this is the first time......follow these steps: Disable or uninstall any anti-virus.... Technical information: *** STOP: stop: 0x00000024 (0x001902FE, 0xF79026dc,m 0xF79023D8, 0xF70BFF73). ***ntfs.sys - ...." It doesn't allow me to pass this screen. Thank you all for helping.

FYI: I do not have floppy drive on this PC.

Hey TylerY (or anyone else with advice to share),

Can you (or anyone else) solve my problem.

I am trying to boot my computer off of a Boot CD (to install DreamPackPL since I lost my password) but I get the same error message about hardrives not being detected. I wanted to follow your steps to change my Sata operation from Raid Autodetect/AHCI to Combination but I am afraid I will need to reinstall the operating system and thus lose all my files!

I have a Dell Dimension 9100. Do you know if it is required to reinstall the OS if you change your SATA Operation as you outlined?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

K.

Hey man i have this exact same problem since i've been trying to repair my OS due to some random Blue screen of death error.

I tried restarting my PC but the BSOD just comes back up, i can't even go into safe mode or anything like that. So i put in my OS CD to try and repair and i get the error message "Setup did not find any hard disk drives installed in your system" and so on. It comes up as soon as the CD loads and i'm asked what i would like to do ( Enter=continue R=Repair etc.). I even tried burning the drives along with my OS using this program called Nlite onto another CD and it keeps failing.

So i find your solution and i get up to the step where i have to go to "SATA Operation" and change the AHCI setting to "Combination". But that's the thing my PC doesn't allow me to change to "Combination", the only other option is something called ACL or ACI i'm not completely sure, never the less "Combination" is not an option.

I'm running a Dell XPS 210 with 1 gig of ram and Windows XP media center edition.
And i don't have a floppy disk drive :[

There is really no need to fall back to the SATA mode in the BIOS. You can keep full AHCI and Flash Cache hardware functionality by simply adding the Intel driver to the XP install CD.

You don't need a floppy disk drive (the F6 method never worked for me anyway). What you need is a CD burner and good burning software to create a bootable XP install disk that has the SATA drivers slipstreamed. Paragon Easy CD Recorded is good for making bootable CDs as is Nero and Roxio as well as many other fine products..

You also need the following:

1) the Intel storage manager driver for your dell laptop (download from support dell com)

2) nlite (download from www nliteos com)

3) Your XP install CD.

Follow these steps to create an updated XP CD.

Create a folder named C:\XPCD and copy the contents of your XP CD to the new folder. Make sure you have hidden files set to visible in Folder Options under Tools in My Computer.

Download the Intel SATA driver (storage manager) and double-click the file to expand it. Be sure to remember where you expanded it (default is a folder under C:\dell\drivers\<downloaded file name without the extension>).

Download and install nlite.

(Optional) If your XP CD is not on the latest service pack now would be a good time to slipstream it in. Download sp3 network install and use: "<service pack file name> /s:C:\XPCD" to integrate sp3.

Start nlite and follow these steps:

1. Use the browse buttin to point to C:\XPCD (nlite should detect the install files).
2. Click next until you get to the Task Selection page.
3. Click the Drivers button.
4. Click next to advance to the Drivers page.
5. Click Insert then Single Driver.
6. Browse to the folder that you extracted the Intel SATA drivers to. (the ones you downloaded from the Dell support site)
7. Select either of the two INF files and click Open.
8. Select the line that matches the SATA hardware installed on your Laptop. This is critical -- if you pick the wrong one it's not going to work. My Inspiron 1720 has the 82801 HEM/HBM SATA AHCI Controler (Mobile ICH8M-E/M).
8. Click Next then Yes to start the process.

When nlite has finished you can burn the updated XP CD.

Use the guide at:
old bink nu/xpbootcd/
to create a bootable XP CD.

If you do the above steps correctly the updated XP CD will find your hard drives.

How do you know which drivers to burn on the CD though?
I tried nlite but it didn't work but i'll bet anything it's because i burn the wrong drivers.

I downloaded the drivers file from Dell's website but it was a list of about 10 and i just decided to burn them all in when Nlite ask...... :S

I didn't think it would matter since they where all in the same folder...

Which dell system are you working on?

XPS Dimension 210

You know the really tiny tower ones lol

Sorry for taking so long to respond. You need to know which controller you have so you can be sure you are installing the right driver.

Download the "ASTRA Bootable ISO image" from www sysinfolab com. Burn it to a CD and boot it. When ASTRA is loaded press i to close the nag then press Alt + i (information). Scroll to Storage (ATA/ATAPI)... and press enter, make sure your hard drive is selected and press enter again. Find the line labled "ATA Controller Name:" and write down the data on that line.

If you have a floppy drive you can use the "ASTRA bootable floppy image" instead. That would be the fastest way, but the CD will work if you don't have a floppy drive.

Now that you know which controller you have:

1. Make sure you have downloaded and expanded the Intel Storage Manager driver from Dell.
2. Make a fresh Windows CD folder and copy the CD contents into it.
3. Slipstream sp3 (optional but highly recommended).
4. start nlite and browse to the Windows CD folder (nlite will report on the sp version, etc...)
5. Click next until you reach Task Selection.
6. Click Drivers button
7. Click Insert then click Single Driver.
8. Browse to the Storage Manager driver folder and select either file.
9. Use the info from ASTRA to select your controller. make sure you select the right one!
10. complete the nlite process to slipstream the driver into the CD folder.
11. Burn the CD.

Before you boot the install CD boot to the BIOS and make sure you have SATA set to AHCI or RAID (depending on which controler you have) and not to IDE, ATA or COMPATIBILITY mode.

The CD should now install Windows XP with no need to press F6.

Post back if you have any questions or if you have any problems -- let me know how you make out.

Roger

Thx man i dont have my PC at the moment so it'll probably take like 2 days before i post back with results. But when i do i will.

When i try to unzip ASTRA i get an error message saying File skipped unknown comprehension method and also the description doesn't say the bootable ISO will work with XP.

I'm using XP on this PC maybe that's the problem?

Tyler it is 2009 and I had to let you know that your fix is still going strong. Saved me weeks of work. I have been trying to solve for 4 days. Tyler and google ... great combo.

The thing is i cant find my "Sata Operation" its not there....

I cant find SATA operations in my setup, i have looked everywere cant find it : /

I just wanted to ask about that post you made how to fix it,

I dont understand the point of the floppy disk? do i really need it or do have something on the floppy disk?

And i cant find my "SATA operation" on setup at Onboard devices : /

Can you please help me??

my problem is like yours, i have an acer aspire 4315 laptop running vista and recently it blue screened, not sure why. the error message is generic and says nothing specific... I can run a live cd of backtrack so i can at least internet, but i want xp. when i get to setup it tells me i need to check HDDs and whatnot for power or plugged in. obviously i cant use a floppy cuz i cant open this thing up and add one (im good, not that good) so if i need to find a newer xp disc, ok no big deal i can do that. and i cant restore to a restore point b/c it doesnt allow me to create restore points, i havent been able to fix it in months from doing this. so any help would be much appreciated.

Tobias

I had the same problem with a client's Dell XPS trying to install Windows from their resource CD. What I had to discover was that the SATA drivers on the CD were bad. I was able to boot with a USB floppy and the correct drivers. After that it was down hill. The point is that you can't take anything for granted with these installations. Thankfully there are forums like this one to help.

I don't have dell hard disk ... I have Samsung 80gb and I have same problem... how can I solve that? 'cause I can't find setups from tyler's post.. PLEASE SOMEONE HELP MEE !!!!!!! (

Another registration to say thanks to Tyler. I had the same error on a compaq nx7400 so I simply accessed the machine's bios setup, found where SATA was mentioned and, since there were two choices, selected the "other" setting and boom, now setup sees my hard drive.

And another registration to say thanks. Had the problem on a Dell Dimension 8400 after installing Ubuntu. Thanks, Tyler.

Thanks man, I've used this tip on two laptops now that had this issue. Great advice!