Problem loading XP Media Center on new laptop with SATA drives 1

[DanMIS]

I'm trying to install XP Media Center on an Alienware M5790 laptop. I purchased an OEM copy of XP Media Center. During setup it cannot find the SATA drive in the laptop. I purchased an NEC UF0002 USB floppy drive to allow installation of the needed files for the SATA drives.

I start the install, hit F6 to install the drivers for the SATA drives, and it copies the initial startup files. It then installs some files from the A (USB floppy) drive. After formatting the partition for the OS, it then asks for me to insert the "VIA RAID Combo Diskette" and press enter. Pressing Enter doesn't even spin the A drive to read the diskette.

I've tried the drivers from Alienware and the drivers from VIA. I created the diskettes from the drvdisk folder from the extracted files.

The part that truly baffles me is that when it asks for the diskette it doesn't respond to the "Enter" key by spinning the drive.

Any ideas? Thanks,

Dan

 

[G0AOZ]

You said "...for the SATA drives." Do I take it you have more than one SATA drive in this machine? If you do, then perhaps you need to set up the raid configuration before you start the XP installation.

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[DanMIS]

Sorry for the misleading info. It has room for 2 drives but only one istalled right now. You are probably on to something, though. I would think it had a raid controller if it has RAID capability (which it does).

I would install the RAID drivers, but it won't try to read the A drive.

 

[BadBigBen]

See if these lead you to something:

A connected USB floppy disk drive does not work when you press F6 to install mass storage drivers during the Windows XP installation process

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/916196

Limited OEM driver support is available with F6 during Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 setup

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314859

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[DanMIS]

Ben - I think you're on to something; I've focused on why it wanted the RAID drivers instead of why it can't read the floppy (since it does in pre-windows phase of install). I'm getting a different drive; I'll let you know.

Thanks,
Dan

 

[BadBigBen]

In the BIOS, make sure that the SATA setting is set to AHCI and nothing else...


Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[twoody54]

Yes you either need to make the setting above or get one of the select few USB floppy drives that the windows set-up will take. You will not have this problem with Vista.

One other option is to slipstream the driver onto you windows set-up disc. The program n-lite is an easy way to do that...

 

[DanMIS]

Ben - thanks for the pointer. I got a USB drive that XP recognized, and the install went fine.

Dan

 

[BadBigBen]

You are welcome, and thanks for reporting the 'fix', as others with similar problems may find it useful...


Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."