I'm struggling... help...

medicnick83

medicnick83

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Okay, I'm struggling to get my other PC working, really.

I've posted this information on the MSI forums but no one has replied and I really need help, even WKJ?beanie is not online and I need help so badly!

Here goes: :cool:

I have this motherboard: http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?func=proddesc&prod_no=524&maincat_no=1
It's the MSI 655 Max-L version of the board.

I've got a 160GB SATA2 drive and a SATA 20x dvd writer (the board has 2x SATA ports) and the SATA2 HDD is plugged into SATA port 1 and the writer is plugged into SATA port 2, and I've even tried this with a IDE writer, my problem is as follows:

Scenario 1: (I've managed to only get far with this scenario)
SATA2 drive & IDE writer

Windows XP Pro with SP2 install starts up, but when it asks which drive to install too, it can't see the 160GB drive in question.
But the SATA onboard (when booting) sees the drive as D0 (device 0 maybe?!?) (even says IDE Bus Master enabled or something)

Scenario 2:
SATA2 drive and SATA writer

Doesn't see the SATA writer at all so I can't boot into XP.

What is wrong?
Why won't it pick the SATA2 drive up?!?

Please guys help... I know this is a old PC but I bought it cheap and I can't really afford to upgrade as I've spent a bit trying to get all the parts together so please guys, don't suggest 'upgrading' as it's not an option.

If you need more info, questions, please ask!

Oh, Motherboard Bios info is as follows: A6730SMS V1.1 02112003
 
Last edited:
I see there is a v1.2 BIOS update, that will be my first stop, but considering the v1.1 update was supposed to fix the "SATA bootROM" part, I don't think v1.2 will help, but it's something I'll do anyways.
 
Many boards still require SATA drivers to be used during XP installs. This is an irritation, but can be circumvented. Did the motherboard come with a disc (possibly a stiffy, ugh)? On the driver disc, there may be SATA drivers along with instructions for creating a boot disc (ugh). Push comes to shove, you could try nLite'ing an XP installation and integrating the SATA driver
 
Being technically challenged, I'd say it sounds like the SATA2 port/whatever it's called ... is fried? :o
 
Chances are good you need to load the SATA drivers for the install. Either via stiffy disk or USB stick (IIRC). Some more information on your sort of situation here
 
As sn3rd said - you'll need the SATA drivers for XP to pick it up.

Otherwise see if you can put it in IDE emulation/compatibility/native mode and install XP that way.
 
So, let me try and get this straight.

I'll need to say, do the following:

1. Get an IDE drive, install XP on the IDE drive.
2. Put in SATA drives and XP will pick them up.

But then, bam, it will work?
 
You need to install the SATA drivers from a stiffy or USB flash disc.

I also got a SATA DVD writer and a 250Gig Sata HDD and I also needed to install the drivers from a stiffy to enable the SATA port. I did it for the HDD and after that the DVD writer also work with no problems.
 
gdiza said:
So, let me try and get this straight.

I'll need to say, do the following:

1. Get an IDE drive, install XP on the IDE drive.
2. Put in SATA drives and XP will pick them up.

But then, bam, it will work?
Click to expand...
no, thats not right.

look, windows xp doesnt have a clue how to speak to your sata hardware. xp was born long before your sata hardware. so xp, during install, needs to load a driver, so it can go "aaah...now i see the sata stuff".

the clue is, the first part of xp install, on the bluescreen part, you see a message at the bottom "Press F6 if you need to install a third party SCSI or RAID driver..."

so press f6.
so now the installation will branch a bit, and at some point it will ask you to insert your stiffie disk.

the stiffie disc will be made by..YOU, OR it would have been supplied with the motherboard, OR on the mb driver cd there will either be drivers called "f6" or similar..., whatever......when you find them, copy them to your stiffie, put the stiffie in when xp asks you and follow the instructions.

to the poster that says you can do it via usb thumb drive, good luck to you. that capability was only added since vista.

you can also try to use nlite or similar to integrate the drivers and make your own cd that'll boot and work on your motherboard, but the above instructions are how you do it normally.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F6_disk
 
Hi there, also try looking at the settings for the SATA controller in the bios. Set it to IDE function. Also, if you're installing to XP onto a SATA drive, switch off ACPI for the SATA controller cause XP doesn't like that very much.
 
There isn't really any settings for that.

There is a onboard SATA option, which is ENABLED and the IDE option is DISABLED.
 
Okay!

So this is my plan of attack for when I get home..

I've managed to organize a 40GB IDE HDD. (I might be able to keep it)

I'm going to put that in along with one of my IDE writers and install XP on it.

Then I'm going to plug in the SATA drives (both of them) and see if XP picks it up and then I'm going to do a BIOS update.

I'll disconnect the IDE stuff and try doing a XP install.
If I can't pick up the SATA stuff again, I'll just leave the 40GB IDE in :)
 
I'm not sure that will even work. As I understand, it's XP that doesn't know how to talk to your hardware. Enabling IDE mode and using an install disc with integrated Service Pack 2 is what allowed me to install on my notebook. If you install XP on that borrowed drive, your SATA hardware should be picked up. Maybe nLite a disc while ur in XP? That'll save you hassles in future
 
I'm going to try and muddle with XP / nLite tonight.

I have an original XP Pro with SP2 so I'll need to figure out how to incorp this SATA drivers into the XP thingy... *sigh*
 
I'm very sure that I have at some point had it Enabled, like I originally said, the SATA detection part comes up, finds the HDD only (not the writer) and then well, boots (but remember, the I had the IDE writer in) and Windows XP setup starts but when ti wants to install, can't find the HDD, so I'm guessing that the SATA on this MB is just plain KARK
 
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