Can't format SATA drives in new machine, & install XP Pro 1

[Bocaire]

I've just completed building a new machine with the latest parts. I'm using the following key elements

ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe mobo
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400
4 WD4000KD SATA hard drives

The assembly went well. The initial POST was completed nicely - no errors other than the fact that there was no OS installed - which is true. My 4 SATA drives were all recognized, as were my 2 optical drives.

I then put in the CD for XP Pro SP2, and it went through the initial setup, and brought me to a window showing my 4 SATA drives. However, there is no way to format the startup C drive, or any of the drives. I can set the partition size to any number up to the max size. But I cannot bring up the choice to format the drive, so that Windows can install. I just keep going around in circles.

When I tried second time, the system didn't complete the post, and I never even got to the drive listing window.

So I downloaded the files to boot up via floppies, to see if that would help. Setup proceded again, and I got to the same window, but there was no way to format the C: drive. Without that of course, I cannot install Windows, and the system is just hardware sitting there.

I know that there has to be a way to format SATA drives in new machines. But I can't find it. I've checked Google, and apparently that is a common problem.

If I had a machine running XP Pro, presumably, I could stick one of the new drives in there, to format it. But all I have is machines with IDE drives.

I just can't imagine what the devil is going on.

Can anyone help me here - PLEASE.

Ron Hirsch

 

[Bocaire]

Thanks for the info. I tried RAID 0 some years back, and I thought it was a PITA. And, Maxumum PC mag ran some tests. They confirmed that the Raid 0 was slightly faster in the structured tests, but according to them, in the real world tests they ran, they saw essentially no differnces.

And, there are some things that "don't like RAID 0". In the past, I've had some glitches in doing things like drive imaging on my RAID 0 machine, which is still here, running Win 2K.

As you've noticed, I have things resolved. ASUS stated that if I get to the point in Windows Install where my SATA hard drives are listed, then I don;t need any SATA drivers, and that was the case. The problem weas that I couldn't bring up the window to format them.

But all is well now, Windows is installed, and I'm foramtting the other 3 drives.

It's still a mystery why the install disk wouldn't run to do the setup, But after creating the 6 floppies for setup, all went well.

Thanks for all your help.

RBH

 

[BaudKarma]

I wish I'd come into this thread earlier, I might have saved you a little hair-pulling. I'm glad you got things up and running finally, though.

I can collaborate what you finally learned, though... my ASUS mobo doesn't need the F6 drivers loaded unless I'm setting up a RAID configuration. If I just want to format the SATA drives normally, no driver floppy is needed.

Have you been able to boot your system up from any other CD's? I was having problems with my WD drives not formatting on a XP reinstall. I was able to boot up my system from the utility CD that came with my drives and format the drive using the WD software. Try booting your system from the WD CD and see if that works.

 

[Bocaire]

In the final analysis, I was able to boot up from the Windows CD.

The problem relates to the fact that I have 2 identical CD/DVD drives installed, both of them, Plextor 716A units.

When I went to confirm which one was connected to the primary IDE mobo connector, I misread things, and got them recersed. When I finally rechecked things, I saw my error, and then used the proper optical drive.

Now that the system is fully built, and running, what is the usual preferred boot order to set in the Bios, for the floppy, optical, and hard drive?

I do not have any WD CD's, as the drives that I bought were OEM, and come with nothing but the drive and the bag.

Bocaire

 

[BaudKarma]

I have my RAID array set as the only boot option. The only time I ever boot from floppy or optical is if there's a problem, and then I'm probably poking around in BIOS already. I'm not sure if removing the other boot options makes the boot time any shorter, but it can't hurt.

 

[ceh4702]

Sometimes some of the SATA ports are hooked up to a different controller (Hmm square chip) on the motherboard and there is a preferred controller that has the native boot enabled. For instance one controller may be for RAID and another one may be for normal drives.

If you do not like my post feel free to point out your opinion or my errors.