New Core 2 rig refuses windows install

[Windfish]

I'm not sure if this is really a software or hardware problem, but here it is.
I recently ordered and put together a new computer, specs:

Core 2 Dua E6300 OEM
AK 961 heatsink (Freezer 7 Pro and Thermaltake Blue Orb were out of stock)
Gigabyte 965 DS3
1Gig Corsair XMS2 667 memory
250gb Seagate SATA 2 HD
Lian Li Pc 60 Plus case
Radeon x1800xt

It booted fine, first time, all the components work. I've formatted the Hard drive using the Seagate disc formatting tools. I've not formatted it all, but have made a small FAT32 and a small NTFS partition. 20gb each. So the drive obviously works. It comes up in the bios as an IDE drive though, is this normal for a SATA drive? Anyway, the problem is that during Windows xp installation it says there aren't any hard drives connected, and I cannot uderstand why it says that. I also made DOS partitions on it using FDisk, and that doesn't help.
There must be quite a few people here who have installed Windows on very similar systems.
So is there something I have forgotten to do?

 

[allred]

Try F6 during windows install and use you drive controller floppy to install your drive controller so windows installer can read and write to your hard drives.

 

[slicessoul]

Hmmm...it's strange.

Did you made all partition as a primary partition or you've made logical partition too ? Have you mark the first partition as active ?

A partition where you will install windows os must be in primary partition.

for ex.: 250 GB divided by 5 partitions

Primary partition as C: = 50 GB NTFS (marked : Active) this is where your OS is.
Logical Partition : 200GB
Logical partition 1 : 50GB NTFS (D
Logical partition 2 : 50GB NTFS (E
Logical partition 3 : 30GB NTFS (F
Logical partition 4 : 20GB FAT32 (G

There's a possibility that XP won't see your HDD because you divided into many partitions but all of this partitions are in primary. Try have a look again, how is the structure of you partitions.

Good Luck

 

[Windfish]

Try F6 during windows install and use you drive controller floppy to install your drive controller so windows installer can read and write to your hard drives.

Thanks, I will try that, the drivers should be on the seagate site, and so it shouldn't take too much effort.
About the primary partition thing, I've tried setting each of them as the primary active partition, and it couldn't recognise either. I only formatted it into 2 20gb partitions, a FAT32, and NTFS one , as it said that before an OS was installed, it couldn't cope with large hard drive partitions.

 

[slicessoul]

Try F6 during windows install and use you drive controller floppy to install your drive controller so windows installer can read and write to your hard drives.

You can try this one too.

IMO, Seagate Tools can see the HDD, you can make partitions etc...so it's mean that you don't set your HDD in BIOS as RAID. btw, check your BIOS if it's set in compatible mode or enhanced mode. Set it in Enhanced Mode if you use XP.

 

[prodaytrader]

since your useing a sata drive you will need to install the 3rd party drivers when doing the win xp install. The xp install does not detect that you have a sata drive installed. When you got the drives you were probably given a floppy with drivers. Use those for the install. If I recall, when xp starts to load off the cd you have to press f6 or something like that to install 3rd party drivers. Press that button then insert the floppy disk. It will load the drivers you need. I hope that helps you.

 

[slicessoul]

There's no driver for Seagate HDD Windows recognize it easily but there's driver for the controller. So maybe it's better you go to Gigabyte site to find the driver of your HDD controller.

 

[slicessoul]

as it said that before an OS was installed, it couldn't cope with large hard drive partitions.

OS doesn't care if it's a large volume or small volume. What it care is it have enough place for installation.
Large or small the volume of partition is depending on the file system. FAT32 can cope until 32GB. NTFS can cope until 2TB.
A more large the partition a more longer time to take to Format it.

 

[Windfish]

On the site there only seems to be drivers for RAID SATA HDs, so maybe it doesn't need any drivers. Anyway, I'll try the SATA cable in different ports on the motherboard, as they aren't all controlled by the same ship.

 

[The_OGS]

Hi Windfish,
Very interesting to read everyones 'guesses' however clearly you are all unfamiliar with P965 and ICH8, heheh :^)
This mobo has native SATA support (no F6, no drivers etc.)
The Seagate software is for those running Win2K or whatever, you shouldn't need that either.
WinXP does NOT support large HD volumes! For that you require an SP1 (or of course SP2) CD.
If installing from an old WinXP disk, that is what will happen... You must first Slipstream your WinXP CD to SP2 (or at least SP1).
Windows XP install should start from CD and go right onto your HD as if it was IDE - just make sure you connect to one of the native (Intel) SATA controllers.
Note: Seagates come jumpered, restricting them to SATA1! Remove the tiny jumper to activate SATA2 (if your mobo supports it; yours does).
I have made the standard 2GB FAT multiboot partition on my rig, complete with DOS OS. Therefore WinXP installs multiboot menu, and then sees all sorts of blank, unpartitioned, unclaimed HD space.
Let Windows claim, partition and format HD if possible (no quickformat!) and no Seagate HD software, since Windows apparently is choking on it for whatever reason...
Now, if you attempt to install OS on IDE HD on P965 mobo, that is truly impossible, LoL... but you should be okay.
Let us know,
Regards

 

[Windfish]

Well, I managed to sort the problem out myself this afternoon, and install Windows. All I did was go into the BIOS, and change the hard drive mode from legacy IDE support, to Native support, and that did the trick. I didn't know about the jumpers resticting it to SATA 1, so I will see if I can get it onto SATA 2 in a couple of minutes. I also had a quick go at overclocking, and got the FSB up to 490!, which is a core speed of 3.34ghz, and with no voltage increase anywhere, and didn't try it any higher. I didn't run a stress test as I don't have a lot of software on it yet, but I might post my achievements in a few days. Thanks for your help guys.

 

[slicessoul]

Very interesting to read everyones 'guesses' however clearly you are all unfamiliar with P965 and ICH8, heheh :^)

Wow...we got a real "expert" here !!!