Windows XP & sata drive

[mrHappy]

Not as much a software as a hardware question.
I'm considering buying a VelociRaptorto install windows on, but do I need any special sata drivers to use under the installation of windows or has microsoft made is so that you don't need special drivers in sp2/sp3 anymore?

[Lashiec]

I don't think so. My drives are all SATA, and I did not have any problem installing Windows XP right from the CD. It did have SP2 slipstreamed, so as long as you have it slipstreamed in the installation CD too, you won't have any problem.

[steeladept]

If I remember correctly, XP does NOT include any SATA drivers.  However, the Mobo manufacturers include them in the support drivers provides as long as you have on board SATA.  If not, and you are instead using an add-in card, the support drivers should be located on the disk provided (or downloaded as the case may be).  Either way, the drivers should be available by the hardware provider.

[4wd]

It depends whether your BIOS has the SATA interfaces set to 'IDE Compatible' mode or not.

If they're set to 'AHCI' or 'RAID' then you will most likely require the drivers for your motherboard and hit F6 at the start of XP installation to use them, (you can stick them on a flash drive, make sure it's plugged in before booting the CD).

[f0dder]

4wd: XP only supports loading drivers from floppy, flash drive support wasn't introduced until Vista (unless it's an addition in SP3).

mrHappy: you can indeed run your SATA drives in "compatibility mode" in your BIOS, and then you won't need drivers... but then you won't get the full benefit from the drives (NCQ and such). It's pretty easy slipstreaming drivers to your install disc though, so I'd definitely run in AHCI mode

[Carol Haynes]

I think it depends on the drives too. I have installed XP on my system using SATA II drives without any issue and there doesn't seem to be a BIOS compatibility setting to select.

My laptop was a different matter though - I had to slipstream drivers for AHCI compliant SATA drives to even get the manufacturer's own XP installation disk to install otherwise it just said 'No hard disk present'.

[mrHappy]

Found out my current mb doens not support AHCI mode so I'm going to have to get a new one for that anyway.
But as long as slipstreaming is doable and not much harder than slipstreaming sp3 I'll figure it out.

[f0dder]

I think it depends on the drives too. I have installed XP on my system using SATA II drives without any issue and there doesn't seem to be a BIOS compatibility setting to select.

-Carol Haynes (July 15, 2009, 11:33 AM)

Sounds like an old BIOS that only supports compatibility mode?

[Carol Haynes]

Found out my current mb doens not support AHCI mode so I'm going to have to get a new one for that anyway.
But as long as slipstreaming is doable and not much harder than slipstreaming sp3 I'll figure it out.

-mrHappy (July 15, 2009, 02:35 PM)

Simplest way is to use nLite on an original WinXP CD contents. I used this method, didn't remove anything from the original disk just added the SATA drivers and built a new ISO to burn. Took probably under 15 minutes to do the lot.

[4wd]

4wd: XP only supports loading drivers from floppy, flash drive support wasn't introduced until Vista (unless it's an addition in SP3).

-f0dder (July 15, 2009, 09:46 AM)

Well, all I can say is it works here but you could be right, I didn't take note of the SP.  Also, maybe it depends on how the flash has been formatted?

All mine are done to look like HDDs so I have a better than even chance of being able to boot off the damn things.

mrHappy: you can indeed run your SATA drives in "compatibility mode" in your BIOS, and then you won't need drivers... but then you won't get the full benefit from the drives (NCQ and such). It's pretty easy slipstreaming drivers to your install disc though, so I'd definitely run in AHCI mode

You can also use DriverPacks, just download the BASE program and the MassStorage driverpack and you'll end up with an XP that will load onto almost anything no matter what mode the SATA is in, (although they haven't updated it for some of the latest motherboards <6 months old).

EDIT: Actually I do now vaguely remember loading my SATA drivers from flash drive for SP2 for my old AsRock 939 motherboard - maybe it depends on the motherboard?

Dang it!  I'll just have to try it on the spare computer for each SP, enquiring minds want to know......grrrrr.......curse you f0dder!         

[f0dder]

EDIT: Actually I do now vaguely remember loading my SATA drivers from flash drive for SP2 for my old AsRock 939 motherboard - maybe it depends on the motherboard?

Dang it!  I'll just have to try it on the spare computer for each SP, enquiring minds want to know......grrrrr.......curse you f0dder!        

-4wd (July 16, 2009, 07:41 PM)

If it has an USB floppy emulation mode, then perhaps that would work? I think the "press f6 to insert drivers" thing happens before booting fully into the NT kernel, so it has an opportunity to use BIOS calls and copy drivers to the install partition?

[4wd]

If it has an USB floppy emulation mode, then perhaps that would work? I think the "press f6 to insert drivers" thing happens before booting fully into the NT kernel, so it has an opportunity to use BIOS calls and copy drivers to the install partition?

-f0dder (July 16, 2009, 11:20 PM)

Well, it's official....I'm senile 

None of the SPs enable XP to use a flash drive.

I must have mis-remembered between my USB flash drive and USB floppy drive.  My only defense is it's been a couple of years since I have had to use the F6 method - obviously alcohol destroyed those brain cells that had the requisite information.

Back under my rock for now but I'm still almost positive I've seen this work on one of my boards - I wish I still had that AsRock motherboard to test with.

[mrHappy]

does anyone know exactly how and what I need to do to slipstream the chipset driver using nlite?

Bought an Asus p5ql pro board and am trying to do the streaming part, but I have no idea of what to do.
I have no idea of what inf file I should choose when integrating drivers.

[4wd]

Bought an Asus p5ql pro board and am trying to do the streaming part, but I have no idea of what to do.
I have no idea of what inf file I should choose when integrating drivers.

-mrHappy (July 23, 2009, 11:09 AM)

1) Start nlite and point it to your XP CD or the directory you've copied the files to, then click 'Next'.
2) Select 'Drivers' and 'Bootable ISO', then click 'Next'.
3) Select 'Insert Multiple Driver Folder' and point it at the directory that has the extracted P5QL SATA driver.  It will add all drivers in that directory - don't worry, upon installation any drivers that aren't required won't be installed.
4) Click 'Next' then answer 'Yes' to start the process.
5) Give your ISO a label, (top left, 2nd down), and click 'Make ISO', save the ISO somewhere.
6) Burn the ISO to a disc using whatever you like, (nlite can do it but I prefer ImgBurn).
7) Job Done.

Alternatively, using DriverPacks:
a) Grab the MassStorage DriverPack from here, (current version 9.01).
b) Grab the DriverPack BASE program from here, (current version 8.12.5).
c) Extract and run the DPs_BASE.exe, it'll create a directory structure - copy the MassStorage DriverPack to the DriverPacks directory, (don't extract the DriverPack).
d) Click the '>' button in the BASE program until you get to 'Select location of platform' panel - Browse to the HDD directory containing the copied XP CD.
e) Click '>' and select 'DriverPack MassStorage 9.01' and 'DriverPack MassStorage text mode', (or Select  All).
f) Click '>' and select 'Method 1'.
g) You can now leave the rest at default and just click the 'Slipstream!' button if you're using a bog-standard uncustomised XP install, (no extra programs installed at installation time).
h) The final XP directory can be turned into a CD using nlite and just the 'Bootable ISO' button.
i) You now have a XP CD that will install on almost any IDE/SATA controller, no matter what mode the SATA may be in, (IDE Compat, AHCI or RAID).

[mrHappy]

Thanks, will give that a try.