"No hard disk" error on XP install (SATA)

[khensu]

My notebook came installed with Vista, which of course had to go. When trying to install XP I received a "no hard disk" error.

The HD in the laptop is a SATA drive, hence the error. As the laptop doesn't have a floppy drive I tried slipstreaming the drivers onto the bootable Windows XP installation CD but to no avail - I tried it both manually and with nLite. I don't get the "no hard disk" error, but another one, namely that the driver cannot be found despite it being there (double-checked, retried, etc).

So, any ideas on how to solve this? How do I get XP onto the SATA drive without a floppy?

 

[mike99]

Where did you get XP driver? Driver for SATA controller on laptop? You could try with a USB floppy to install the motherboard drivers.

Mike.

 

[CompTIA_Rep]

At this point you could get a USB floppy (or borrow one) and do it that way.


Otherwise, you could pull the drive and plug it directly into your main machine and copy over the driver to another partition and then select that partition as the source of the driver.


Or you could ... well do one of those things.

 

[mrbbq]

I know a way to solve this problem quite easily. Go into the Bios and there should be an option somewhere saying "legacy something" under the hard drive section.

 

[khensu]

I've ordered a USB floppy, hopefully that'll do the trick.

In the BIOS there's no legacy option, nor an option to change the SATA options (Google said change it to "compatible")

I don't have a main machine, I moved to the UK in February and everything except for this laptop is still in my icky native land (not Poland).

The SATA drivers came from the Intel website, it are the ones for the 945 chipset (which is the one this laptop uses, of course).

Thanks for the replies so far!

 

[diashto]

Does your XP disc have SP2 installed on it? SP2 install discs load more drivers, including a bunch of SATA drivers.

 

[khensu]

Yeah, it's got SP2 on it, but it doesn't load the proper drivers, apparantly

 

[mike99]

So make a floppy disk and try using a USB floppy drive to install it.

Mike.

 

[TheSinisterToucan]

You need to use the Intel Matrix Storage Manager drivers, freely available from Intel.

They provide a self-executing 'F6' floppy disk image with the RAID drivers on it, but you'll need a floppy to make it work - nobody seems to have found a way around this issue.

AL

 

[khensu]

Well, the USB floppy drive was dispatched today, so hopefully I get to play around with it in a day or two.

The Intel Matrix Storage Manager comes in an .exe file, and basically installs itself on Windows, as opposed to providing me with files (such as the .sys files that come with the Intel SATA controller).
Is there a way I can steal the .sys and other needed files from the .exe?

 

[SomeJoe7777]

Intel Matrix Storage F6 Floppy:

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&ProductID=2101&DwnldID=13495&strOSs=44&OSFullName=Windows*%20XP%20Professional&lang=eng

(Copy and paste entire link into browser. Forum software won't allow a link this long.)

 

[khensu]

Ah yes, that one. I forgot about that one due to the lack of a floppy drive at the time. I probably would've forgotten to search Intel again when I have the floppy, thanks!

 

[Steaky]

Hey guys I have the exact same problem.

Here's what I've done so far:

Bought a USB Floppy, copied the Intel Matrix Storage F6 Floppy file onto a floppy
Entered in Windows XP set up and pressed F6

here's the problem with mine....

F6 doesn't work!!!!! It just won't go into the screen to load my floppy!

I need to install XP, but I just can't! Does anyone know what the problem is?

 

[ponce17]

Had the exact problem on an HP notebook
Went to bios-->system configuration-->SATA Native Support-->changed enabled to DISABLED

That fixed my problem.

As mrbbq said, look for any SATA settings in your bios.

 

[rodney_ws]

I had this exact problem and what Ponce17 said is the exact solution... you can do that (that's what I did) or attempt to load the driver when Windows prompts you to press F6 for a storage driver. My employer was accidentally shipped laptops with Vista and I had to reload XP Pro and encountered this same problem.

 

[gahleon]

Dont' know if it was already said but check to make sure that you have the sata disk if you have more than one set to boot from the one you want the os on. In otherwords make sure it is set as the first sata device.

 

[MrM]

What do you do if your computer is a Gateway Laptop Bios

I tried removing the SATA HD in the Bios and STILL there is No HD detected by Windows XP Installation disk.

I too, have NO Floppy drive, I'm disabled and cannot get out again to buy one or borrow one.

Can anyone walk me through a GATEWAY Bios or OTHER work around?

MrM

 

[MrM]

I forgot these details:

I recently purchased a Gateway M6817 with Windows Vista Home Premium Pre-Install.


On my Desktop I have an internal HD that runs the following: 95, 98se, ME, 2000, and
XP. On that HD I used the boot.ini file to multi boot

NOW THE QUESTION:

How do I Boot into my other OS sytems (95, 98se, ME, 2000, and XP) using my new Laptop
Pre-loaded with Windows Vista Premium?

I especially need windows 2000 access. Every time I try to install it on my laptop
it shows the blue screen: "No Hard Drive Installed"

My HD is a WD SATA connected NOT to the motherboard but via a PCI Card (? I think)
attached to the motherboard. With my WD Lifeguard utility disk, it reads as a BIOS
HD attached via an "unknown controller".

What do I do. It won't even read my already installed windows 2000 (or anyother OS)
that I attach via USB Enclosure device.

What do I DO?........HELP ANYONE

 

[aBg_rOnGak]

Use nLite to integrate Intel's AHCI drivers into your XP installation, then burn it to a blank cd-r. No need to use floppy or press F6. But you have to read all the visual tips/ help in the program or you won't really succeed

 

[Nd4Spdr]

I had the same problem. I just installed Vista instead... NOT x64 though.

Why do you not want to install Vista? I originally didin't want to to save resources, but I didn't have a floppy drive (who does anymore?) Anyway, i'll just deal with Vista. I love it anyway.

 

[eRazor]

You need the F6 floppy contents and nlite to create your own slipstreamed drivers install CD. I had success doing this with a half dozen different HP laptops this week.

I tried the USB floppy with an F6 driver disk, and they would load the initial driver, but after the installation said "Starting Windows" (text mode setup), the USB gets reset and the floppy becomes inaccessible. About 2 minutes later, setup asks for the floppy again, and insists it must be A:. Fooked.

Long story short, F6 disk and nlite is the solution (or switch to Vistcrap).

 

[coryandlaurel]

Thanks! Just loaded a new Vista Dell notebook with Win XP.

First it wouldn't let you install XP saying it was an older version operating system. Make sure it is booting directly from the CD.

Then when it started, it didn't recognize the HD when booting and trying to install from the XP disk so we had to switch the HD to ATA from SATA, disable the flash ram something.

Good to go now!

 

[avinash74]

Hi

I have been reading the replies/solution to your post and got bored reading halfway down the list. Why would you need a floppy drive to install when the entire world has stopped using floppies. Check your Win Xp disc. I bet its a pirated ancient version. Go in for Win Xp with SP2 or SP3. That cd will install and detect the SATA HDD.

Hope it helps and sorry for sounding a bit rude.

Avinash

 

[jerm77]

avinash74-

sorry, but this isn't very helpful.

I have a XP professional XP2 release CD. this does not install any SATA drivers that would allow the boot OS to see my HDD. I have a HP dv2000. However, allowing legacy support for the SATA device does.

go in the bios.

system configuration-->SATA Native Support-->changed enabled to DISABLED

drive is now recognized.

 

[fcfc04]

It would be helpful to state which BIOS one is using and maybe the version.

Not every BIOS allows for SATA disable, so there is a need for F6 driver install in those particular cases. XP SP2 (and previous) does NOT install SATA drivers unless the drivers were previously slipstreamed into the image. Im not sure about SP3 as I've yet to try it.

I've just tried a couple XP discs w/o success; gonna slipstream the drivers instead.