[damker]

Could you please help me?
I want to install an additional SATA drive. I've already got two ATA drives. I installed it but my system only sees it as a CD drive. Some drivers are probably needed?
Could you advise procedure and required drivers?
My system is Intel.
Thanks.

 

[JohnWill]

Here's where a make/model of the MB would be REAL handy.

Is the SATA on-board or an expansion SATA controller? Did either the MB or the controller come with an installation CD? That's where the drivers are.

 

[griffinspc]

I think it's in his machine specs JohnWill. QDI P4I865B

 

[bigbear]

That is a bit odd, I have never seen a sata drive recognized as a pata device!!
Are you sure it is a Sata drive you are installing?
Can you post make and model of your mobo

 

[Rich-M]

You need the sata driver most likely installed into Windows from motherbaord cd..then right click My Computer choose "Manage" and then "Disk Management" and format and partition the drive there.

 

[JohnWill]

Some Intel chipsets emulate PATA devices for SATA drives. I have a system with SATA ports and an Intel chipset, no SATA drivers are required, and they are listed in Device Manager as IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers.

 

[damker]

Dear Friends,
Season's greetings first.
I appreciate your answers. You are the experts anyway. As I don't know if I can upload pics I am inserting snapshots of my motherboard and SATA hdd I wish to install. Pls bear in mind there are two more drives installed (not SATA, but PATA? I think). The pics are here:
1. Hdd-interface: http://www.syllapofthem.com/hdd-interface.jpg
2. Hdd: http://www.syllapofthem.com/hdd.jpg
3. Hdd flip side: http://www.syllapofthem.com/hddflip.jpg
4. Motherboard 1: http://www.syllapofthem.com/DSCI0002.JPG
5. Motherboard 2: http://www.syllapofthem.com/DSCI0005.JPG
Looking forward to your help. I hope the detail are sufficient for you to help me.
Have a blissful new year with health, happiness and peace of mind.
Cheers.
Damian.

 

[bigbear]

Some Intel chipsets emulate PATA devices for SATA drives. I have a system with SATA ports and an Intel chipset, no SATA drivers are required, and they are listed in Device Manager as IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers.

Thanks for the update Johnwill, have never come across that. Learning all the time.
Damker
Without knowing you mobo specs it is differcult to to work out if you need sata drivers or not I suspect you probably will.
Sorry to question whether it was sata or pata, one has to check sometimes and it is without doubt a sata drive.
One other thing you will need to look out for is to set the jumper to the correct transfer rates for your mobo.
150mb / 300mb again depending on your mobo specs

 

[JohnWill]

If you plug the SATA drive into the machine and it's recognized in Device Manager, partition and format it.

 

[damker]

Dear Friends hi!
Referring to my problem as regards the installation of a newly purchased Western Digital 500gb SATA drive here's how it was resolved:
1. I entered SETUP pressing DEL
2. Went to INTEGRATED PERIPHERALS>On Chip Serial ATA (There are five options there: i)Disabled, ii)Auto: BIOS auto enable SATA function, iii)Combined Mode: Support up to four HDD's, iv)Enhanced Mode: Support up to six HDD's and only support Win2K and WinXP, v)SATA Only: Only support SATA HDD.
3. Since I have two more PATA hdd's with a prospect of adding more, if need be, I opted for "Enhanced Mode" (I hope I was prudent here).

The "Device Manager" saw the drive and I partitioned and formatted accordingly, as you, dear friends, instructed me.

I just wished to share this simple procedure, as I have realised by now that such small details make the life of thousands of computer users a nightmare sometimes.

I wish you all a very Happy New Year with health and peace of mind and soul.

Cheers to all from
Damian.

 

[Rich-M]

Great and another happy ending!!!

 

[JohnWill]

Note that this is easy with the Intel chipset, but not so easy with many other SATA chipsets.

 

[damker]

John, hi!
You mean that on other chipsets people would have to follow another procedure. Would that have to do with SATA RAID drivers that had been popping up while trying to resolve my problem?
Thanks.
Damian.

 

[Rich-M]

John Will remember to explain that is only with recent 915 and above chipsets. There are some 965's and 975's also but not all and Nvidia Nforce3 and above, same story as with ATi chipsets (which are all newer and included).
JW is referring to others where you need to press F6 and insert floppy during setup to install XP to sata drives.