Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (
More info?)
Hi, PeterM.
You should not need the floppy unless the SATA drive will be your boot
device. To add a secondary drive, you should be able to add drives just as
you do for any other device, like a printer or flash drive. In fact,
there's a good chance that WinXP will detect the new hardware and install it
automatically. Just power down, plug it in, and reboot and see what
happens.
And forget FDISK! That is part of MS-DOS/Win3x/9x/ME history. In WinXP,
use Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc - or right-click My Computer, then Manage
| Disk Management) to create or delete partitions (and logical drives in
extended partitions) and format them, and to assign specific "drive" letters
to keep WinXP from reassigning letters each time you reboot. And note that
Disk Management handles more than just hard drives; it also manages CD/DVD
drives, USB flash drives...even digital cameras that can be addressed with a
"drive" letter. Take a little time to explore Disk Management (and its Help
file) and to set it up the way you like it. (I like to maximize the window
and set View to show me the Volume List at the top and the Graphical View at
the bottom.)
But if that new SATA drive is to become your boot device, then you will need
much more advice to get it - and WinXP - installed and working right. Some
of the advice may be machine-specific for an OEM version of WinXP, so you
may need to visit with other Dell users in the Usenet newsgroup
alt.sys.pc-clone.dell. Or tell Dell exactly what you plan to do and ask for
their specific instructions.
RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
rc@corridor.net
Microsoft Windows MVP
"PeterM" <pmaston@comcast.net> wrote in message
news
uCdnW3tbOVUNAbfRVn-2g@comcast.com...
> Many thanks Peter, I will go to the site and download the driver from
> Dell. I will also buy a floppy drive for that purpose. You made my
> day..............PeterM
>
> "peterk" <peterk@nomalarky.net> wrote in message
> news:upeDAOXZFHA.3908@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
>> You need to get the Dell CD and find the Sata drivers on it.
>> You then need to copy those drivers to a floppy ...........whoops no
>> floppy!!
>> Might I suggest you buy one for about $10.00 and hook it up
>> When you load XP there will come a point where it will ask you to push F6
>> if you are loading onto anything but an EIDE drive.Insert the
>> floppy.......which is the only place XP will look....no other place...It
>> will then load the SATA drivers and install properly.The rest is the
>> normal procedure.
>>
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sg_clean.asp
>> peterk
>>
>> --
>> It's so much easier to suggest solutions when you don't know too much
>> about the problem
>> "PeterM" <pmaston@comcast.net> wrote in message
>> news:KsGdnWxW9MSiPgbfRVn-gA@comcast.com...
>>> I'm trying to install a new HD that I just got from Dell. When the new
>>> Win XP CD goes through its paces, it all of a sudden says that it kind
>>> find the HD. It is one of these new HD, blue small cable SATA I guess.
>>> Is it that I have to fdisk the new HD, since this computer has no
>>> floppy, how do I fdisk the HD, if that is what I have to do. I went and
>>> looked into the BIOS, and the system has the 0 drive as ON. I can't
>>> figure out what to do. Any help is appreciated...............Peter
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram