Sata/IDE/Windows XP question

[SarimRune]

Very new here. Please help.

I'm having trouble installing an old copy of Windows XP Home onto my new system. I have a Sata II drive and the MB supports it.

I cannot get Windows to partition the Sata drive. It just hangs.

I did try out an IDE drive and Windows installed just fine. But the problem: The IDE drive is only 4GB. Tiny, I know.

So what is a better idea:
a) Go out and get a newer SP2 version of Windows and hope to hell it'll partition the SATA drive.

b) Keep the 4GB HD for Windows exclusively and install all other software on the SATA drive.
1) would a 4GB HD be fine for this?
2) Would this be more efficient than the SATA II solo drive? I doubt it but I dunno these things.

Please and thanks.

 

[SarimRune]

Thanks for the response.

I have already done that, sadly. Without the drivers, I can get it to see the drive as a 130MB but not partition it. With the drivers, I can get it to see the drive as the full 250MB but not partition it.

When it tries to partition it, it just says 'Please wait' and if I'm very lucky it just kicks me back into the previous screen. If I'm not lucky, it seems to hang there forever.

I did switch the drive into SATA I mode and without the drivers but with a copy of Windows XP SP 2, I did manage to get it to partition the full drive.

However, I would love to figure out if I can get the drive to work in SATA II mode. I don't see why that won't work.

 

[Snale]

I did that same thing witha similar configuration and worked perfectly... 8O

 

[mdd1963]

"I have a Sata II drive and the MB supports it.
"

Does your BIOS have an option for choosing between SATA and IDE drives as the first boot device? (mine did; you might also have to specify SATA 1,2,3 or 4)