Installing windows on SATA HDD

If you are installing Windows XP then -
The problem is that XP installation CD does not have a SATA driver, unless you have a SATA drive on a disk etc. and can install the driver when XP asks for a hard drive driver then, XP cannot detect the hard disk and therefore won't install XP. The FIX. Go into the BIOS and disable the SATA drive (enable IDE emulation), this will make XP think it is a IDE/PATA hard disk. Then you can install XP normally. When Windows has been installed then install all the device drivers (including the SATA driver), then shut down and boot up and got into the BIOS and enable the SATA drive.

Yes, it's compatible with the motherboard, no, it's not compatible with the XP install disk because it doesn't have SATA support. And since Asus doesn't provides it special driver needed (one that must be put on a floppy) it means that you simply cannot install XP on this disk.
All you can do is to obtain another PATA hdd what ever its size and install XP in it. Then put the new SATA disk in and use it to store all the installed programs and all your files on it. As a bonus you won't lose them if the new PATA disk fails or XP gets corrupted.
Or install Vista or 7 instead of XP, the have support for SATA disks

If you're using a scsi card and connecting the hard drive to the card you need to have the scsi set-up floppy disk. When the blue screen starts during windows installation watch the bottom of the screen. It will tell you to press F6 key then to insert the floppy disk.
If you're using a sata drive connected directly to the motherboard (not in a raid configuration) you shouldn't need anything but the windows disk. The motherboard drivers and utilities disk should have the files to create the scsi install disk.

Yes, go into the bios and make sure that SATA is turned on. Sometimes with motherboards that have two ide controllers the SATA is turned off by default. Also another thing to check is whether the motherboard is SATA I or SATA II. If it is SATA I then change the jumper on the hard drive to peg back to SATA I. Your new hard drive is SATA II and the motherboard may not support it.

Have you checked in the bios setup of the motherboard if your SATA ports are enabled?

Let me know if you need further assistance.
Regards,
Graemevm

We have a tonne of T41's here at work, but I can't remember if they use IDE disks or SATA.

If it *is* SATA, you need to get the SATA drivers from IBM's website, extract and put them on a floppy disk.

Start the Windows install, then when it says to press F6 to load additional drivers, do that. Feed it the floppy disk, and go on with the options.

In short, the Windows installer can't see the SATA disk without the driver being "pre-installed".

Acer Extensa supports two model of HDD installation 1) AHCI and 2) SATA.

Windows Vista get installs on both but for Windows XP you need to Enable SATA option.

For that go into Bios, Change option of Hard Disk from AHCI to SATA. After that you can install both XP as well as Vista.

Try it, and mail me update: [email protected]

i am using Windows XP on Acer Extensa-4220

Hi ,
u can not detect HDD during installing win-xp coz in u r laptop u have SATA hard drive.
to detct hdd in setup u want to make sata netive mode diseble in COMS setup

Plz check COMS thereis sata netive mode is available ....


if this information is useful for u please rate me......

hi
go to your bios setup
go to advanced option your sata hdd is disable enable it.
if it is enable then boot your sys with bootable disk
go to dos mode.
type FDISK
Y
4 TO DISPLAY INFO OYUR PARTITION.
IF YOUR PARTITION ARE NON DOSE DELETE IT
THEN RESTART YOUR SYS.
U CAN INSTALL XP NOW.

Check the SATA/RAID controller setting. It could have been set to [Disabled] Refer to your user?s manual for a detailed description on how to enable the onboard SATA/RAID controller by adjusting the jumper or BIOS settings. Regards SparkGap