SATA HD not being recongised at all, BIOS will not detect 1

[atmlord]

Hi,
I currently have a problem with my SATA 160GB HD, I went to reinstall WINXP because my internet explorer wasn't working and I had tried everything to fix it and used a fresh reinstall as a last resort. Anyway I got through the installation but at the end a clue screen error came up with loads of numbers, I was quite concerned as it was just before the WINXP installation had completed. So I restarted the computer, but it kept looping and I never saw the WINXP logo, so I tried to reinstall WINXP and had to do it through a BIOS mode, it installed the necessiary files needed to start the installation but when it got to the end of the process it came up with an error telling me that the HD was no detected and I had to start all over again. I tried again and again but the same error came up and I can not access WINXP at all. I've checked the IDE cables and everything looks alright so I'm guessing that either HD has either gone or WINXP is just not working at all at the expense of my HD.

Specs:
3200XP ATHLON
MSI motherboard
512MB 166MHZ RAM
Winxp

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[happydownloader]

Did you hit F6 as you were installing and install the SATA drivers?

 

[atmlord]

I did and it came up with please put in A: disk, but I don't have a floppy disk with the drivers, I bought it off of a company who obviously installed it all for me and didnt give me the drivers.

 

[happydownloader]

Go to the HDD manufactors web site and I'm sure you can download one from them

 

[atmlord]

I downloaded the drivers but it didnt work... I still got the same error saying no HD was detected and when I went to install the HD using the drivers it said it wasnt detected, so is my HD dead?

 

[paparazi]

atmlord
I'm not doughting that you havn't tried but it does just sound like the SATA drivers have not installed.
These SATA drivers need extracting and writing to a floppy disk, they obviously must be the correct ones and for the OS you are using.
Martin

Start by questioning and soon you will be anwering.
So please take but remember to return and give when you can.

 

[atmlord]

Ok, I rang up the computer company, and apparently I need a floppy disk for SCSI drivers, so they are sending it to me and it should get to me on tuesday or wednesday. I'll keep you updated to see if the disk works.

 

[atmlord]

Right I still havnt got the disk, is there a website where I can download SATA drivers? I've looked on the Maxtor website and it hasnt got jack so can someone give me a direct link please.

Thanks

 

[paparazi]

atmlord
You need the serial ATA drivers for your motherboard (nothing to do with the hard drive manufacturer)
Visit the MSI website, go to the download area, find the mainboard drivers applicable to your particular motherboard and download the SATA drivers.
Extract this driver and copy it onto a floppy disk.
Start the PC with XP in the drive (set first boot to CDrom in the bios)
Press F6 to load third party drivers (make sure the floppy with the SATA driver is in the drive) hopefully it will give you a choice and install.
It should now go through to detect your hard drive and therefore you will then be able to install XP.
Martin

Start by questioning and soon you will be anwering.
So please take but remember to return and give when you can.

 

[atmlord]

I just checked for my board (MS6570) on MSI and the only ATA serial controllers I can find are those of RAID nothing on SATA.

 

[wolluf]

http://www.msi.com.tw/program/support/download/dld/spt_dld_detail.php?UID=393&kind=1

Promise PDC20376 Serial-ATA RAID Utility

Download & read the makedisk.txt file?

I think you'll find the drivers are for SATA and RAID.

 

[atmlord]

I love you all, thanks for the help, its working now thank to all of you. thanks guys