Topic: Install SATA 3GB/sec HDDs into Asus A8N32-Sli DLX/WinXP Pro SP2 etc

[Fleabus]

I’m about to build a new system and am confused about how to get my HDDs
installed correctly.

I do NOT want RAID.
I will not be over-clocking anything.
I plan to partition both HDDs during the clean install of WinXP Pro SP2.

What is the best way to install 2 SATA HDDs in a non-RAID config?
What exact settings to choose in BIOS?
The manual seems ambiguous and seems to assume RAID.

Do I need to create a floppy with nVidia drivers/controllers and F6?
If so, what files do I need from the Asus disc to make it?

The system in decreasing order of relevance:
Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe nForce4 SLI X16
2 x x 500GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 500GB SATA 3Gb/s 7200RPM 16MB
HDD NCQ/RoHS Model# ST3500641AS
1 x Plextor PX-716AL Double/Dual DVD±R/RW CD-R/RW internal E-IDE
(ATAPI) slot load drive retail kit black
1 x FDD
WinXP Pro SP2 OEM.
Burned to disc and ready:
nForce4_amd_6.70_winxp2k_english.exe
amdcpu.exe (v1.2.2.2) processor driver.
Boot floppy w/1009 AFUDOS bios update & flash util

The rest:
1 x AMD ATHLON 64 X2 4800+.
1 x Zalman CNPS9500 LED Copper CPU Heat Sink 92MM Fan.
1 x Corsair XMS-3500LL PRO 2GB kit.
1 x ATI Radeon X1800XT PCI-E.
1 x Turtle Beach Montego DDL 7.1 PCI Sound Card
1 x Antec P180 case w/included TriCool 120 x 38mm fan +
3 x Antex 3 and 4pin 120 x 25mm TriCool fans.
1 x Thermaltake Hardcano13 5.25” bay fan controller
2 x Samsung SyncMaster 213T Black 21.3” TFT DV-I 1600x1200 60Hz
1 x Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 3100 (MX 1000 Laser Cordless Mouse + MX 3000 Cordless Keyboard)
Motherboard on-board LAN to Alcatel Speed Touch Home external ADSL
modem via Linksys BEFSR41 wired router
1 x Enermax Liberty EL620AWT 620W Modular PSU ATX12V v2.2
etc

I know to skip nVidia’s firewall software and IDE drivers (let XP install its own).

Any help with any of the above questions or advice in general appreciated.

 

[mex]

If you dont want raid then use the standard SATA ports on the motherboard eg, use socket 1 and 2 and make sure the jumper settings on the HDD are set correctly.

Put it all together and and switch on. Press delete to get into the BIOS and make sure the booting option is set to boot from the CD Rom first on boot. Save settings and reboot with the Xp CD in the CD drive and wait for the que to press F6 to add SATA drivers. Follow on screen instructions and insert the floppy disk with the SATA drivers on that you can get from your mother board CD. You can also download them from the asus website but sometimes they dont work!

make your sata disk in windows xp from d:\drivers\SiI3132\32bit\make disk\make disk sata

From here follow all on screen instructions to install a fresh version of windows xp using a NTFS partition.

Once you got all that done partition you second HDD in the disk managment in snap in located in Start,all programs,administrative tools,computer management,disk managment.

If i missed anything let me know its getting late. Nice computer BTW.

 

[myPCrocks]

Do not press F6,the only time you do is if your going run in Raid. Your chipset driver will pick up the Sata driver.

 

[mex]

Whether or not it will auto detect SATA and reconise it i wouldnt know as i add SATA drivers everytime, unless of course i am reinstalling and then you wouldnt have to add them.

one Question though, How would you have chip set drivers at that stage of an instalation on a blank unpartitioned HDD?

My advice use the SATA Drivers with your installation.

 

[newtekie1]

My A8N32 didn't need drivers, and I did not need to configure anything in the BIOS. It defaults to making the SATA drives setup as single drives that windows will pick up during a clean install.

 

[mex]

Well thats good to know, but i still think its good practice to do it. You wont have that Luxery with all mother boards as of yet!

 

[newtekie1]

Yeah there are still a lot of boards out there with SATA controllers that Windows won't recognize without you loading drivers first. Though the SATA controller on all the NForce4 chipsets are detected by Windows without drivers, as are a lot of the intel controllers. I used to just automatically put the drivers on a floppy and install them before windows installed, but not anymore. I try to install windows first, if it doesn't find the SATA controller then I go though the process of installing the drivers first.