XP Pro setup

demonstalker · 11-April-04, 03:16 PM

Ok, I have a 160 gig hard drive that I want to do a clean install on (windows has never been on this drive its just been for storage). My problem is that my Bios doesn't support the 160 gig drive, so it is hooked to a Promise ATA133 pci card. When i start xp setup i need to be able to load the drivers from the driver disk so setup can see the drive, but i don't have a floppy drive and the floppy drive controller on my mobo fried. I have a usb drive, but once again my bios is to old to support that either. Does anyone know a way to get around this?

aaronrkelly · 11-April-04, 03:28 PM

No way around it as far as I can tell - Windows XP install ONLY looks on the floppy. Ya have to get that floppy working or your hosed.

Edit: I have a WD 160 GB drive and use the Promise ATA controller card that comes with it - my drives ALL show up during an XP install.....even the ones connected to it. Maybe thats another side affect of your mobo being out of date - not sure.

demonstalker · 11-April-04, 04:06 PM

Do you have a XP SP1 cd by chance? I only have an original disk without sp1.

aaronrkelly · 11-April-04, 04:17 PM

I do - but Im not sure it would make any difference....can someone confirm/deny this??? PM for further if you want........

biohazardpc · 11-April-04, 04:19 PM

I agree.. You have to use a floppy to install the raid/pci drivers to install.. Why does your bios not support 160 gig?

demonstalker · 11-April-04, 04:26 PM

arronrkelly, it prolly works with the SP1 cd because it has the drivers on the cd already.
biohazardpc, the mobo doesn't support it because it is 2 or 3 years old and out of a crappy gateway.

aaronrkelly · 11-April-04, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by biohazardpc


	I agree.. You have to use a floppy to install the raid/pci drivers to install.. Why does your bios not support 160 gig?

Well I dont agree with that - I dont have too. His mobo must not support bootable add in devices - cause my Promise ATA controller requires no drivers - all my drives are available during a XP install.

Or it may be my SP1 CD - not sure.

biohazardpc · 11-April-04, 04:35 PM

If you are talkign about installign a os on he 160 off a pci card you have to use the drivers floppy to install windows or it will not recognise the drive in setup especially for a clean install...Usually it will see it as a raid setup.. Even on my latest mobo for my sata I have to use a floppy..

nev_payne · 11-April-04, 05:32 PM

there is only 1 thing i can think of ( why do i come up with all the old skool stuff?!?)

Back in the day of at mobos you had somthing looking like this:

The great and all powerfull ISA prepherial contoller. This may be a problem though if there are no isa's on your mobo. PCI versions of this great lil beastie are very rare indeed - mainly intend for the even greater VESA or VLB slots.

Hope this helps.

Slick2145 · 11-April-04, 06:12 PM

SP1 will not change anything because your bios wont support it. This is not becuase of XP (XP has large disk support. - you need to get a BIOS flash - of course you may need the floppy drive again for this...

demonstalker · 11-April-04, 06:25 PM

The only reason I was inquiring about SP2 was that I was thinking it could have drivers for my controller card on the cd. Regardless, I did some searching for a bios update and came up empty. It seems that I need to get the update from Gateway (the mobo is out of a Gateway), but I don't know the serial number because the original case is at home (not college where I am now) so they aren't any help. Hopefully later when people get back I can borrow a floppy drive and see if I can get something to work. I already tried one out of a Dell, but the cable had a blocked out pin, and i had that pin....

Slick2145 · 11-April-04, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by demonstalker


	The only reason I was inquiring about SP2 was that I was thinking it could have drivers for my controller card on the cd. Regardless, I did some searching for a bios update and came up empty. It seems that I need to get the update from Gateway (the mobo is out of a Gateway), but I don't know the serial number because the original case is at home (not college where I am now) so they aren't any help. Hopefully later when people get back I can borrow a floppy drive and see if I can get something to work. I already tried one out of a Dell, but the cable had a blocked out pin, and i had that pin....

The only reason I say that it is not your XP cd is because your XP CD already has large disk support and it pulls the disk location/info from BIOS.

Another option might be to try buring the files to CD and put and extra CD drive in for the installation - as long as your BIOS will recgonize your CD drive I believe you should be able to pull the files XP needs that way.

You should also be able to pick up a floppy cable at Best Buy for about 10 bucks (Rounded type).

Or if you want I can send you a new one with the extra slot open, if you want me to!?

flounder405 · 11-April-04, 06:48 PM

if its a WD you can give this a shot ,i have never had problems with it
http://support.wdc.com/download/index.asp#diagutils
i think maxtor has something similar just in case but it goes though the floppy ,wich aint to much help for ya

demonstalker · 11-April-04, 11:58 PM

Well, I got it to work. A guy a couple doors down loaned me a cable and I grabed a drive outa another kids computer for a lil bit and got the stupid thing working again. Thanks for the ideas people.

Slick2145 · 12-April-04, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by demonstalker


	Well, I got it to work. A guy a couple doors down loaned me a cable and I grabed a drive outa another kids computer for a lil bit and got the stupid thing working again. Thanks for the ideas people.

Much welcome!

11-April-04, 03:16 PM		#1 (permalink)
demonstalker Apex Advanced Techie	XP Pro setup Ok, I have a 160 gig hard drive that I want to do a clean install on (windows has never been on this drive its just been for storage). My problem is that my Bios doesn't support the 160 gig drive, so it is hooked to a Promise ATA133 pci card. When i start xp setup i need to be able to load the drivers from the driver disk so setup can see the drive, but i don't have a floppy drive and the floppy drive controller on my mobo fried. I have a usb drive, but once again my bios is to old to support that either. Does anyone know a way to get around this?

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
New Setup	turbopsi	Anything Goes	2	06-February-06 12:18 AM
Look at this ATI SLI setup	Cpt.Planet	Anything Goes	20	23-November-05 09:51 PM
What do you think of this setup?	AngelAce	Other PC Problem / Help	7	19-May-05 03:27 PM
my wc setup :)	AMD-playa	Extreme Cooling	11	02-August-03 09:24 PM
Fan setup?	VolcomXLT	Case Cooling	26	22-May-03 08:47 PM

11-April-04, 03:28 PM		#2 (permalink)
aaronrkelly Apex Tech God	No way around it as far as I can tell - Windows XP install ONLY looks on the floppy. Ya have to get that floppy working or your hosed. Edit: I have a WD 160 GB drive and use the Promise ATA controller card that comes with it - my drives ALL show up during an XP install.....even the ones connected to it. Maybe thats another side affect of your mobo being out of date - not sure.

11-April-04, 04:06 PM		#3 (permalink)
demonstalker Apex Advanced Techie	Do you have a XP SP1 cd by chance? I only have an original disk without sp1.

11-April-04, 04:17 PM		#4 (permalink)
aaronrkelly Apex Tech God	I do - but Im not sure it would make any difference....can someone confirm/deny this??? PM for further if you want........

11-April-04, 04:19 PM		#5 (permalink)
biohazardpc H.A.L.O.-Hoe	I agree.. You have to use a floppy to install the raid/pci drivers to install.. Why does your bios not support 160 gig?

11-April-04, 04:26 PM		#6 (permalink)
demonstalker Apex Advanced Techie	arronrkelly, it prolly works with the SP1 cd because it has the drivers on the cd already. biohazardpc, the mobo doesn't support it because it is 2 or 3 years old and out of a crappy gateway.

11-April-04, 04:35 PM		#8 (permalink)
biohazardpc H.A.L.O.-Hoe	If you are talkign about installign a os on he 160 off a pci card you have to use the drivers floppy to install windows or it will not recognise the drive in setup especially for a clean install...Usually it will see it as a raid setup.. Even on my latest mobo for my sata I have to use a floppy..

11-April-04, 05:32 PM		#9 (permalink)
nev_payne Apex Tech God	there is only 1 thing i can think of ( why do i come up with all the old skool stuff?!?) Back in the day of at mobos you had somthing looking like this: The great and all powerfull ISA prepherial contoller. This may be a problem though if there are no isa's on your mobo. PCI versions of this great lil beastie are very rare indeed - mainly intend for the even greater VESA or VLB slots. Hope this helps.

11-April-04, 06:12 PM		#10 (permalink)
Slick2145 Apex Tech Fanatic	SP1 will not change anything because your bios wont support it. This is not becuase of XP (XP has large disk support. - you need to get a BIOS flash - of course you may need the floppy drive again for this...

11-April-04, 06:25 PM		#11 (permalink)
demonstalker Apex Advanced Techie	The only reason I was inquiring about SP2 was that I was thinking it could have drivers for my controller card on the cd. Regardless, I did some searching for a bios update and came up empty. It seems that I need to get the update from Gateway (the mobo is out of a Gateway), but I don't know the serial number because the original case is at home (not college where I am now) so they aren't any help. Hopefully later when people get back I can borrow a floppy drive and see if I can get something to work. I already tried one out of a Dell, but the cable had a blocked out pin, and i had that pin....

11-April-04, 06:48 PM		#13 (permalink)
flounder405 The Mack Daddy	if its a WD you can give this a shot ,i have never had problems with it http://support.wdc.com/download/index.asp#diagutils i think maxtor has something similar just in case but it goes though the floppy ,wich aint to much help for ya

11-April-04, 11:58 PM		#14 (permalink)
demonstalker Apex Advanced Techie	Well, I got it to work. A guy a couple doors down loaned me a cable and I grabed a drive outa another kids computer for a lil bit and got the stupid thing working again. Thanks for the ideas people.