Please help! (SATA/install problems)

[callousdigits]

Hi all,

I'm trying to do a clean install of vista on a new build, and I can't figure out how to install the SATA driver for my WD HD. Bios recognizes it fine, but the vista install doesn't -- when doing a clean install there's an option for inserting a driver disk, but it doesn't find any compatible drivers on the disc that came w/my GA-EP35 mobo. Any help would be greatly appreciated, I'm ripping my remaining hairs out...

 

[evll_panda]

Have you checked to make sure your HD is not in Raid via the BIOS? Also are the drivers on your disk for vista or xp? Also are you using a 64-bit OS?

 

[callousdigits]

Hi
Raid isn't an option in my mobo's bios (the ep25-ds3l doesn't support it). I'm using the 64-bit vista OS; I'm not sure which drivers I need for sure from the Gigabyte disc, but it does contain 64bit folders. Any ideas what the filenames for the drivers in question are likely to be?

 

[evll_panda]

Try this:
1) turn off ACHI
2) turn on SATA Port 0-1 Native ON.

If that doesnt work then use WD Digital Data life guard and test your HD.

 

[evll_panda]

Oh also do you have access to another computer? If all the above I listed fails try this:

Connect to a second computer with a sata/usb adapter or just connect it internally, run western digital tools to format and create a new partition. I have read around where someone had similar problems to yours with the P35 chipset and vista 64bit and coincidentally they had a WD hd

 

[callousdigits]

Good suggestions, panda -- I'll be trying them later today! (need a usb/sata connector to use my other computer). WD customer support was no help -- they're "not trained" for vista 64-bit support, so can't help. Grr

 

[evll_panda]

Lol, not trained for vista ha ha funny stuff. If none of that works then I have no clue what is wrong lol good luck with it all though

 

[callousdigits]

Update: after an hour w/gigabyte's customer service (and he was awesome), we tried installing XP instead of Vista (duh, can't believe I didn't try that), and XP recognizes the drive just fine. So, it's either a Vista (64) issue or a WD problem. I'm going to try initializing/formatting with XP (assuming I don't run into licensing issues) and then upgrade to Vista. <fingers crossed>