Help with simple SATA question: XP will not recognize the drive as a new installation

[Noel 4,494]

Sam & anyone. . . HELP!#$*^#$(@^I am trying to install XP on the SATA, and tho it shows up in the BIOS, AND shows up in Device Manager, it does not show up in Explorer. I went ahead just to test out the new rig and installed XP on my cheetah 73gb no problem. When I go to Disk Management, it does not appear there. I also disconnect my cheetah XP install so all I had was a virgin .11 showing up in the BIOS, but when I try to install a new XP install on it, it does not show up as a drive to install to.From the ASUS P5E manual, I can't tell if I should be set up in the BIOS, for NON-raid, as IDE or AHCI. I tried making a floppy and loading drivers ("S") for AHCI after changing the .11 to ACHI in the BIOS, but still XP install does not show it has a drive to install XP to. And this is with the SATA as the ONLY HDD showing up in the BIOS since the SCSI's were disconnected.Either there is something wrong with this .11 drive, or I am missing something in how to set this thing up for a simple SATA drive, no raid.Thoughts? The hardware's been fine so far, but this simple install to a SATA drive has taken HOURS of trial and error!.Help!!!Thanks Sam and whomever else can chime in . . .

[ABE 0]

Noel,I have 4 SATA II drives (2maxtor,seagate,WD) and 2 SATA dvd burners.....no problems.XP is running in 3, the 4th has XP and Vista 64. I repeat I had no problem with any one of them. I have an Abit IP35 which has 6 SATA inputs...........as you can see I am using them all......Disk management of course shows them all.Did you boot up with the XP CD and let it find the drive for you? I believe that's what I did in each instance of XP installation.Abe

[Noel 4,494]

Thanks Abe. I've done every possible sequence I can imagine to get this to work correctly. Yes, I booted up with the XP CD and by the time it is ready to "examine your drives" etc, or look for a prior installation of Windows . . ., no SATA drive appears. Again, it is showing up in the BIOS. Even more bizarre, it shows up under Device Manager HDD's section. But, then no drive in Explorer. Further, when I go to Disk Management, it is not their either. Abe, for running non-raid installations, for example for my single SATA drive, are any drivers needed? I know the AHCI and RAID modes require you to load them during an installation with a floppy disk made of the ASUS Make Disk utility, but I don't know about plain SATA. Also, in the BIOS, I have the SATA set up as Enhanced/IDE, versus RAID or AHCI. Do I use this Enhanced/IDE set up for SATA? At this point I have to wonder if the drive isn't working, or if I need a driver. The p5E's manual leaves me with a few questions as I've never used SATA. I installed XP in a SCSI and all's fine in teh machine. At this point I'm thinking the drive is hosed, or again I'm missing something. It's a brand new Seagate 3.0GB/sec drive, for which the P5E is supposed to accomodate. And, it's in the BIOS. Stumped . . .

[ABE 0]

Noel,A couple of things to mention and a POSSIBLE solurion.I want to mention, just for the #### of it, that I have been using SCSI for a long time.....ever since the ATARI days....I am very new with SATA.......and like I said had NO trouble with it.Now the possible solution....On a few occasions I used a utility called TWEAK UI for WINDOWS v. 2.10. Runn it, under my computer/Drives:it shows the ALPHABET A-Z......possibly the boxes are NOT checked off. So check off a few like C,D,E..and see if that works. It did with me at least a few times where the drive letter....like you.....did not appear. And that worked.........Let me know.If that does not work......EXCHANGE your drive with another one - possibly a different brand.Abe

[Noel 4,494]

Thanks Abe, I have a 2nd drive of the same exact model that should be here tomorrow. I decided to try a raid 0 installation and so ordered a 2nd copy. I will be able to see if they both behave the same or not. Problem is, I was so new to SATA that I just kinda figured I must be doing something wrong. I'm thinking it's something amiss with the drive hardware wise. The fact that Device Mgr saw it, and recognized it to be a Drive was hopeful, but never could get it to show up in Disk Management so I could format it etc. I hope to heck the new one installs, then I'll have to assume this one, was another one of those God awful red herrings that has you wondering if it's you or what!I'll keep you posted by tomorrow evening.

[Emile 28]

Hello I have the same problem with my eSATA drive. I have a dual Boot : XP was running , installed a ESATA for Vista and :in XP in device manager the drive is "visible" in Windows Explorer the drive is NOT visible.in Vista all drives are visible...Vista is installed on the eSATA.Thanks for helping to solve ...

[ABE 0]

Noel, just do a search and download that TWEAK file I mentioned to you. I bet it will work...Like I said that program helped me when nothing else did. It is WORTH a TRY!!Abe

[Emile 28]

Hi,I found a solution working for me on an other site :"it needs a new drive letter. Try this, go to control panel -- administraive tools -- computer management -- disk managementFind the drive and right click on it. select to change the drive letter or to give a drive letter"I gived a drive letter and all is OK now .Have a nice day.