SATA driver help...

[cardcrash]

I'm about to install my new 150GB Raptor but as I understand you have to install the SATA drivers from floppy when installing windows. Thing is when I go to the MSI website the only mention of SATA drivers is 'ATI SATA RAID Driver for floppy install' :

http://www.msi.com.tw/program/support/driver/dvr/spt_dvr_detail.php?UID=640&kind=1

I'm not going to be using RAID but is this the driver I'm going to need anyway???

 

[sturm]

there should have been a floppy disk that came with your motherboard. use it.

 

[nobly]

Yeah, thats it. In your case you have to go through the RAID controller, even though you're not going to use RAID. That's because the SATA ports are just part of the controller.

They don't necessarily come w/ a floppy disk. I've seen it where they don't.
As for the Windows install, you might have to wrangle around in dos a bit to get the file structure correct. Hopefully you have another computer to do that with.

 

[cardcrash]

Got my mobo cheap off ebay, with just a copy of the driver cd.

I only have this PC, what was that about having to muck around in DOS? You've got me worried now!

 

[nobly]

uhh when I had to do it for my gf's computer, WinXP Pro wanted the drivers in a particular directory structure.

I didn't have the drivers in the right folder, so I managed to wrangle a DOS boot disk and moved the drivers around so that WinXP would be happy.

You can slipstream the drivers into a copy of the Windows disc: (Really helpful also if you don't want to download and install SP2)
http://www.maximumpc.com/2005/01/how_to_slipstre.html

But I think I created that issue myself because I didn't preserve the folder structure. Make sure you preserve the folder structure when you unzip it (don't just drag and drop them out, go to Extract and preserve the folder structure).
I think a file in there tells it where to look for the drivers, so preserving the folder structure makes sure that it'll look in the right place.

 

[cardcrash]

I've already copied the SATA RAID drivers to floppy and my XP cd has SP2 on it so I don't think I'll bother with the slipstream but thanks anyway.

I just hope it all goes smoothly when I stick my new Raptor in!

 

[pat]

If you disable RAID or set the controller to IDE or SATA, maybe you won't need a floppy at all!! Not every chipset needs drivers for windows to use the disk. ULI, nvidia, some VIA, and I think ATI too won't need drivers, as the disk controller is integrated into chipset AND controller by normal BIOS command, just like older PATA controller.

 

[cardcrash]

So are you saying I could just plug the new hard drive in to a SATA port and just install Windows as normal? Just making sure SATA is switched on in the bios?

 

[pat]

Well, yes. That's how I did it many time on nvidia, VIA and ULI chipset.

When sata first show up, chipset were not ready for it, so third party controller were needed. And third party drivers too. Now that SATA is current, modern chipset can deal with it just like any other controller

 

[cardcrash]

Ah, I see, thanks. My mobo manual doesn't give any sepcial mention to having to install sata drivers, but under 'specifications' it does say 'Supports dual channel native SATA controller up to 150MB/s with RAID 0 or 1' and 'Supports boot from LAN, USB Device 1.1 & 2.0 and SATA HDD':

http://msicomputer.co.uk/Products.aspx?product_id=703523&cat_id=77

so perhaps you're right. Oh well I guess I'll find out when I stick it in and try the XP install, which'll be tomorrow probably, maybe tonight.

 

[pat]

Ah, I see, thanks. My mobo manual doesn't give any sepcial mention to having to install sata drivers, but under 'specifications' it does say 'Supports dual channel native SATA controller up to 150MB/s with RAID 0 or 1' :

http://msicomputer.co.uk/Products.aspx?product_id=703523&cat_id=77

so perhaps you're right. Oh well I guess I'll find out when I stick it in and try the XP install, which'll be tomorrow probably, maybe tonight.

I think I already installed XP on an ATI chipset (intel cpu) and the HDD were recognized right on. Make sure RAID is disabled

 

[cardcrash]

Thanks Pat, you were right, didn't need to mess about with any sata drivers, it all went very smoothly like any regular win install... thanks!!

 

[RichPLS]

Pat knows his stuff!

 

[nobly]

Thanks, that's great to know!
I haven't installed a SATA since it was just coming in. Now it won't seem as such a pain.
Good to hear they're getting past that, cuz it was annoying!!

 

[cardcrash]

Is there a utility available for benching hard disk performance? I've got my old 20GB HDD running as my F: drive and would just like to make sure the Raptor's running like it should, and how it is in comparison to the 20GB.