sata and windows xp

[technology-sponge]

okay, i know this sounds pretty basic, but i cant get straight answeres from anyone

with the windows xp install (oem edition, no service packs integrated), do you need to load drivers if your using a sata hard disk? i hav 3 hdds running normally (no raid, set to ide mode on ga-965p-dq6 mobo)

 

[The_Prophecy]

With no service packs integrated, I am 90% sure you will need a driver for XP setup to see the drive(s). There is another issue though with not having any SP's integrated. You won't be able to use all of those hard drives (if they are over 137GB) because pre SP1 XP does not support LBA (Large Block Addressing). Borrow another computer and use nLite to integrate SP2 into your disk, then re-burn it. SP2 can be downloaded from here

 

[Crashman]

I'm 100% sure he won't. As for pre SP1, Windows would treat it as a 128GB ATA disk, so he should still slipstream SP2.

 

[Crashman]

No, you don't need any drivers for the on-chipset SATA controller, as long as it's in IDE mode. Windows Setup will address it as a generic ATA controller.

Windows Setup doesn't know the difference between SATA and Ultra ATA, it just treats them all as ATA.

I should warn you against listening to people and using a driver floppy, as you might end up needlessly chacing yourself in circles.

 

[rexter]

The_Prophecy: - With no service packs integrated...........then re-burn it. SP2

You can slipstream your OS but the key will not work form regular OEM key to OEM SP1-2 integrated. I'll need original WINDOWS XP SP2 KEY.
or your installation will not accept the key. However, you can install SP2 after you load the OS.

Like Crashman said just install the OS. It might not need the driver at all, but if it's needed. Your system will update what ever drivers are needed anyway.

And before you go to internet and downloads any updates make sure you're protected with firewall.

 

[darkstar782]

No.

A WinXP Home OEM key will work with an XP Home OEM RTM disk, an XP Home OEM SP1 disk, or an XP Home OEM SP2 disk.

And so on and so forth, the Service pack or lack thereof does not stop the key working. Its just that a Home OEM key only works on Home OEM, Home Retail for Home Retail, Home Corp for Home Corp, the same for Pro.

If you want the HDD partitioned correctly you need to use at least SP1 for LBA support.

 

[The_Prophecy]

No.

A WinXP Home OEM key will work with an XP Home OEM RTM disk, an XP Home OEM SP1 disk, or an XP Home OEM SP2 disk.

And so on and so forth, the Service pack or lack thereof does not stop the key working. Its just that a Home OEM key only works on Home OEM, Home Retail for Home Retail, Home Corp for Home Corp, the same for Pro.

If you want the HDD partitioned correctly you need to use at least SP1 for LBA support.

That's exactly right, except for the fact that there is no official corporate version of Home Edition.

 

[darkstar782]

Oh really? I thought any version of windows was available through a Volume License agreement... I learn something new every day

Ah well, you get what I mean anyway

 

[SomeJoe7777]

Whether you need to slipstream a service pack or not and whether you need a driver floppy or not are two separate issues.

Think about the partitioning scheme you want to set up. This will determine whether you need to make a slipstream CD or not. Do you want your C: drive to be larger than 137 GB (127 GiB) ? If not, you don't need to slipstream a service pack on a new CD.

The reason for that is that Windows XP RTM (no service packs) will install fine on a drive >137GB, but will only partition and format a maximum of 137GB. (Windows XP RTM does not support 48-bit LBA). After Windows is up and running, you can install SP1 or SP2, and then partition and format the remaining drive space. But that will be a different drive letter, not C:.

Now think about the motherboard SATA transfer mode you want to use. If you use Legacy IDE mode (which you have it set to now) you will not need a driver floppy. Windows will recognize the motherboard SATA controller as a standard IDE controller, and will install properly. After Windows is up and running, you can install the Intel chipset drivers which will provide optimized drivers, but the controller will still be in IDE Emulation/Legacy IDE mode. In this mode, the controller does not support hot swap (useful for eSATA drives), and do not support NCQ.

If you switch the controller to AHCI mode in the BIOS (native SATA mode), the controller then supports hot swap and NCQ. But you will then need a driver floppy to install Windows (press F6 as soon as the blue text-mode install screen comes up. Later in the installation, press S to tell Windows you have a manufacturer-specific driver disk).

 

[rexter]

I tried my OEM home and Pro with either SP1 and SP2 and can not get it accept the key, maybe I did something different.

CD to DVD that way all the drivers will be in one disc.

 

[The_Prophecy]

Whether you need to slipstream a service pack or not and whether you need a driver floppy or not are two separate issues.

Think about the partitioning scheme you want to set up. This will determine whether you need to make a slipstream CD or not. Do you want your C: drive to be larger than 137 GB (127 GiB) ? If not, you don't need to slipstream a service pack on a new CD.

The reason for that is that Windows XP RTM (no service packs) will install fine on a drive >137GB, but will only partition and format a maximum of 137GB. (Windows XP RTM does not support 48-bit LBA). After Windows is up and running, you can install SP1 or SP2, and then partition and format the remaining drive space. But that will be a different drive letter, not C:.

Now think about the motherboard SATA transfer mode you want to use. If you use Legacy IDE mode (which you have it set to now) you will not need a driver floppy. Windows will recognize the motherboard SATA controller as a standard IDE controller, and will install properly. After Windows is up and running, you can install the Intel chipset drivers which will provide optimized drivers, but the controller will still be in IDE Emulation/Legacy IDE mode. In this mode, the controller does not support hot swap (useful for eSATA drives), and do not support NCQ.

If you switch the controller to AHCI mode in the BIOS (native SATA mode), the controller then supports hot swap and NCQ. But you will then need a driver floppy to install Windows (press F6 as soon as the blue text-mode install screen comes up. Later in the installation, press S to tell Windows you have a manufacturer-specific driver disk).

Why not slipstream SP2 on to the disk anyway, simply for the sake of security? Saving the user time is also a really good reason to do it.... I tell everyone to slipstream SP2 on to their disk, even if they don't reinstall the OS very often. This way their system is more secure (I still use that term lightly), and the user doesn't have to spend 3 hours installing patches and service packs.