Formatting - What do I need to install before windows

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 25 Oct 2006 at 14:51

So I need to format again.. My question is, Do I need to install something before Installing windows.. such as a Sata driver?

My hardware is as following
AMD 4400+ X2 64Bit
Abit - AN8 - 32X (Nvidia)
ATi 1800XT
Creative Audigy 2 ZS
Western Digital 74Gig Raptor SATA
WD 120Gig SATA
WD 160Gig SATA

The_KiD · 25 Oct 2006 at 14:54

You normally have your SATA drivers handy on disk or CD.

When you begin your install of windows, you will see a screen asking you to press F6 to load any third party drivers, press the button, stick in your CD and it will do the rest.

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 25 Oct 2006 at 14:59

Yeah thats what im asking, Do I NEED to do that? I only have the drivers on floppy disk and dont have a floppy drive.. Will burning the files to a CD work just as fine?

The_KiD · 25 Oct 2006 at 15:05

yes it should do, or you can even slipstream them into the windows cd so it is done automatically.

Blue Cypher · 25 Oct 2006 at 15:09

Windows xp comes with basic SATA drivers, but if you use some kind of controller for a raid or anything then you would need a disk, but if its just the 2 hdd's then i dont think you do.

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 25 Oct 2006 at 15:31

The reason I ask is.. There is always something listed in my device manager as an unknown device.

And I have removed everything external to try and find out what it is.

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 25 Oct 2006 at 19:07

How do I stick the Sata Files I got from Abit onto the Xp Cd then. My floppy drive isnt working and burning it to an extra Cd didnt work either.

Freakish_05 · 25 Oct 2006 at 21:52

Blue Cypher said:
Windows xp comes with basic SATA drivers, but if you use some kind of controller for a raid or anything then you would need a disk, but if its just the 2 hdd's then i dont think you do.

Correct.

If you are using RAID then you will need to install the drivers by pressing F6 etc. If you are just using the drives separately then you don't as windows detects them as normal IDE drives (don't worry, this wont affect performance).

It is advisable to unplug all SATAs except the one that you are installing windows on, otherwise I've found that problems happen

N.B. This is all based on using my DFI LanParty Ultra-D with Maxtor drives.

bledd · 25 Oct 2006 at 23:42

Fstop11 said:
How do I stick the Sata Files I got from Abit onto the Xp Cd then. My floppy drive isnt working and burning it to an extra Cd didnt work either.

www.nliteos.com

use that to integrate the drivers into your xpdisc, (you'll have to create a new xp disc using it)