Question Win XP Pro SP3 Install - "Setup did not find any hard disk drives installed in your computer" ?

[MC Freak]

I've read several threads about this issue, but, unfortunately, none of them seem to have a clear solution.

The machine in question is a circa 2013 Dell Precision M4700 Mobile Workstation (Laptop) that was, until a couple of months ago, running Windows 11. As this machine is now needed to run an old [but powerful] 32-bit media authoring utility that was written exclusively for Win XP, we initially attempted to create a clone copy of the Win 11 OS and the other applications on the machine. Long story short, this started a chain of events that lead to us to basically gut the machine by replacing the main board, the dGPU and the CMOS battery. NOTE: the 4 x 4GB RAM modules and the 256GB SATA III SSD that were working fine in the machine were kept and reinstalled. In addition, the SSD was NTFS formatted to remove all traces of Win 11.

After spending some miserable days trying to revive the machine, we finally managed to get it running to the point where we could pull out our Win XP Pro SP3 x86 installation discs and attempt to install the OS. After the setup process initially loads up quite a few files, we eventually see a blue setup screen that states: "To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER." Unfortunately, immediately after pressing ENTER, we are seeing a blue setup screen that states: "Setup did not find any hard disk drives installed in your computer."

Knowing that Win XP does not natively support SSDs, I purposely switched the SATA Operation mode in BIOS from AHCI to ATA (IDE), but we're still getting the same hard disk not found type error. In an effort to remedy this frustrating issue, the system SSD has been removed and reinstalled several times and more than one Win XP Pro SP3 Installation Disc has been employed.

It may be worth noting that the 256GB SSD that was previously home to Win 11 in this machine was slow formatted to NTFS, but it was not partitioned.

If anyone has any ideas about why the Win XP setup utility isn't seeing the Silicone Power (SP) A55 256GB SATA III SSD installed in this machine, I'd be very grateful for any thoughts about this.

Thank you kindly for your time.

 

[ex_bubblehead]

Cheers @TerryLaze ! Unfortunately, Dell is indeed redirecting your links to a page that advertises Dell machines. I will employ your key words in a search field on the Dell support website and let you know what I come up with. Thank you for being so helpful. 👍

That has to be on your end. The link goes directly to the download page here.

Try a new private window or even a different browser (I personally use Firefox).

 

[MC Freak]

Thanks for the suggestions, @ex_bubblehead ! I try to use Firefox, exclusively, so I'm scratching my head about the redirects I'm experiencing. 🤔

 

[MC Freak]

Dell auto-added add links to the normal links...
Go to the main driver page for the m4700 and search for the
Dell WinPE Driver CAB Pack which is 5Mb ,the other link was just the list of what is in the cab.

Support für Precision M4700 | Treiber und Downloads | Dell Deutschland

This should be it.

Dell WinPE Driver CAB Pack | Treiberdetails | Dell Deutschland

Putting the redirects to one side, I dug into the Dell Support Website and ended up finding two different Dell WinPE Driver Cab pages that indicate containing drivers for Win XP x86 (32-bit). One is identified as being Version 1.0, A11 and is further described as having been released on 15 May 2013. As confusing as it is to me, the other one is identified as being Version 5.0, A05 and is further described as having been released on 31 May 2011. A newer version number for an older release? 🤔

 

[Darkbreeze]

Goes directly to the downloads page for me as well. Firefox with Ublock Origin installed. No problems whatsoever.

 

[TerryLaze]

Putting the redirects to one side, I dug into the Dell Support Website and ended up finding two different Dell WinPE Driver Cab pages that indicate containing drivers for Win XP x86 (32-bit). One is identified as being Version 1.0, A11 and is further described as having been released on 15 May 2013. As confusing as it is to me, the other one is identified as being Version 5.0, A05 and is further described as having been released on 31 May 2011. A newer version number for an older release? 🤔

Just download and slipstream all of them, windows will pick out the most suitable driver.

 

[Skidude]

EDIT: Any recommendations for a good XP era laptop (must be a laptop) PC?

We use Lenovo T530 and T520 Thinkpads with an external HD screen and keyboard. They are in dual boot setups with Win 10 and work fine in both OSs. The Ivybridge CPUs were the last that XP drivers are available for. XP install is straightforward once the AHCI driver hurdle is overcome.

 

[MC Freak]

We use Lenovo T530 and T520 Thinkpads with an external HD screen and keyboard. They are in dual boot setups with Win 10 and work fine in both OSs. The Ivybridge CPUs were the last that XP drivers are available for. XP install is straightforward once the AHCI driver hurdle is overcome.

@Skidude - Cheers for the informative post! I ddin't realize that XP drivers support ended after the 3rd "Ivy Bridge" generation of Intel CPUs.

As I'm slowly making time to install a second replacement main board in the machine we'll be using to natively run Windows XP Pro SP3 - our mint condition Dell Precision M4700 laptop - I've now disovered why the first replacement main board wasn't detecting any of our SSDs, but more about that to follow...

 

[MC Freak]

Win XP Pro SP3 Install - "Setup did not find any hard disk drives installed in your computer" ?​

As the title of this thread clearly states, the machine we wish to use as a native Windows XP Pro SP3 PC will not detect any of our SSDs ... and when I write "...will not detect...," I mean that the M4700's BIOS won't detect any drive that we install in this machine. This being the case, we ordered a second replacement main board, which finally arrived on Monday Nov 6th, so I started into the process of gutting the M4700 again, but, somewhere during the main board removal process, I turned the machine over and heard something moving around inside of the machine!

So what did this piece of FOD turn out to be? The SATA connector for the primary system drive! At some point during my many hours of troubleshooting this machine, I must have either inserted the SSD into its metal "drive carrier" or the drive carrier itself into the machine UPSIDE DOWN! In fact, I may have done both, at some time during troubleshooting, but the point is that the traces that hold the SATA connector for the primary system drive to the main board were physically cracked until, eventually, the connector itself separated from the PCB. In hindsight, this seems maddeningly simple, but the important thing is that we now know why the primary drive(s) weren't being detected by the M4700's BIOS.

Message to Dell M4700 Owners:
With the M4700 in its normal operating position, be very careful that the metal primary drive carrier is oriented with the painted-on disc symbol closest to the front of the machine. In addition, be sure to install your primary SSD or HDD into the metal drive carrier/cradle with the (4) threaded mounting holes on the drive oriented downward!

 

[Darkbreeze]

None of that could possibly have anything to do with your problem, regardless of whether it might seem that way. I've installed drives upside down, rightside up, sideways, upright, and in fact, not even "installed" at all, but simply connected laying loose OR even velcroed in place, and it has NEVER, not ONCE, in 35 years, EVER caused a single issue so I find it extremely unbelievable that THAT could have anything to do with anything. It was without doubt, something else that you did different.

 

[MC Freak]

I began working around with computer equipment when punch cards were still in use (more than 35 years ago) and I'm telling you that the connector that the SSD plugs into came loose when I was [personally] removing the first replacement main board. Hell, even the metal tips on the rear of the drive carrier were bent! I wore a uniform overseas for many years - and I've seen a lot worse than a broken laptop. I mean, seriously, why would I lie about something like that? It's been a ball, but I consider the subject of loose connectors now closed. Have a great night!

 

[Darkbreeze]

Loose connector? Ok. I'll buy that. No argument. I guess I missed that part.

That's a totally different thing than the orientation of the drive or drive carrier has anything to do with any problems, unless of course the orientation is what somehow caused the loose connection. It's still rather weird/unusual though as the sata power and data connector that is used by machines with 2.5" drives is normally VERY tight so I'd have to suspect there would be more to it than simply the orientation if it was able to become loose unless it simply wasn't fully plugged in to begin with or somehow the connector became damaged, perhaps via heat or something.

Very unusual though, but, and didn't mean to seem combative at all, just didn't seem like the one thing could equal the other, so long as you got it resolved that is all that really matters. Funny how something so unseemly often tends to be the issue when all normal parameters would seem to have been met with no success. Good luck to you.

And for the record, punch cards are a thing I was familiar with as well. The "35 years" was just how long I've actually been "building" systems or upgrading them in some fashion, not how long I've been working with technology.

 

[Corwin65]

JR is in the middle... still remember reading punch cards . . .

 

[Wing901]

I've read several threads about this issue, but, unfortunately, none of them seem to have a clear solution.

The machine in question is a circa 2013 Dell Precision M4700 Mobile Workstation (Laptop) that was, until a couple of months ago, running Windows 11. As this machine is now needed to run an old [but powerful] 32-bit media authoring utility that was written exclusively for Win XP, we initially attempted to create a clone copy of the Win 11 OS and the other applications on the machine. Long story short, this started a chain of events that lead to us to basically gut the machine by replacing the main board, the dGPU and the CMOS battery. NOTE: the 4 x 4GB RAM modules and the 256GB SATA III SSD that were working fine in the machine were kept and reinstalled. In addition, the SSD was NTFS formatted to remove all traces of Win 11.

After spending some miserable days trying to revive the machine, we finally managed to get it running to the point where we could pull out our Win XP Pro SP3 x86 installation discs and attempt to install the OS. After the setup process initially loads up quite a few files, we eventually see a blue setup screen that states: "To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER." Unfortunately, immediately after pressing ENTER, we are seeing a blue setup screen that states: "Setup did not find any hard disk drives installed in your computer."

Knowing that Win XP does not natively support SSDs, I purposely switched the SATA Operation mode in BIOS from AHCI to ATA (IDE), but we're still getting the same hard disk not found type error. In an effort to remedy this frustrating issue, the system SSD has been removed and reinstalled several times and more than one Win XP Pro SP3 Installation Disc has been employed.

It may be worth noting that the 256GB SSD that was previously home to Win 11 in this machine was slow formatted to NTFS, but it was not partitioned.

If anyone has any ideas about why the Win XP setup utility isn't seeing the Silicone Power (SP) A55 256GB SATA III SSD installed in this machine, I'd be very grateful for any thoughts about this.

Thank you kindly for your t

I don't think SSD is the problem but the 128G limitation. Before Windows Vista, windows can only recognize drives no bigger than 128G. Any drives bigger than that size cannot be seen in the installation procedure. Therefore, make a 128G partition for XP installation. First, you need to download SATA driver from intel website and unzip it to a diskette.

XP SP3 can see drives bigger than 128G after successfully installed,