Trouble with SATA driver install on an XPS 410

"but the easiest approach is simply to copy all the extracted files to the diskette.  You then place this diskette in the 3.5" drive on the computer while you are running Windows setup, and press F6 to get to the menu that allows you to load them when required."

Ah. I see it now. OK. Will open the driver file and save to a new folder then save this to a clean floppy.

Question: On the drivers page for this computer there is also a similarly name file under SATA for the "application". Is this also required and can I safely install this after the Windows install along with all the other drivers?

I will be installing other SATA drives so I do need the raid system to work correctly. Part of the reason I went with this machine.

Thanks for the help and the detailed replys from both of you. Will have to try this again in the AM. Scooter, my terrier mix, is waiting for his PM constitution excursion.

Hello Bev:

"To load the SATA driver [ at the F6 prompt ] you need to install them on a floppy and use an internal floppy drive to install them."

Yes, I did that. As I stated, I loaded the same SATA drivers (R158601,EXE) I tried to load prior from within XP to a floppy (I have drive A connected to the MB, correct) but it is not being seen by the Windows installer. Keeps asking me to insert the disc and press ENTER. I assume this is because the driver file maybe self extracting, but I'm not the expert on this.

"Change the SATA operation mode to "RAID Autodetect/ATA" press ESC to save and exit the BIOS."

This is where I came in on this. Had to change to ATA in order for XP to even begin the load. Otherwise it would not even see the HD. Again, I assume because there is no SATA support in XP... or at least the version installer CD I have... XP Pro, SP2.

Any suggestions?

Edit:  Apologies Bev; you got there while I was still researching.

No problem, Jack, that's an excellent answer you posted.    :emotion-21:

Bev.

There are three files in the SATA section of downloads.  The first is the full Intel Matrix Storage Manager that gets loaded along with your other applications after installing Windows.  You may notice that it is 19 MB in size.  You load this along with your other drivers before installing your anti-virus and other applications.  It is the application you will use to manage your disks after everything is up and running, and should have an entry in your Start menu, though you will likely need to go to "All" and "Intel" to find it.  The second is the "drivers only" file that contains the files you need to perform the initial Windows installation.  The third is firmware for specific Samsung hard drives that you need worry about only if one is installed in your computer.

You are very welcome, as I'm sure Bev will agree.  Best of luck to you!

No luck on this so far.

Although I extracted all the files and placed them on a floppy I still get the same request from the windows installer

to insert the "manufacturer supplied hardware support disc into Drive A and press Enter". I know the floppy drive is good as

I had it working under Windows XP. It lights like it's looking for the files.

There is a section in the readme file for this driver that details a much more elaborate process requiring specific files

from the Intel web site to use when installing XP. They refer to ProductID=2101.

Should I proceed with this method. Don't want to mess up my system, here.

Thanks,

George

You didn't place the files in a directory on the disk, right?  They need to be in the root directory of the diskette, and the usual problem is that setup has trouble finding txtsetup.oem.  Take a look at this page from Intel:  Intel Matrix Storage Manager.  Note that the list of required files is this:

Drive A: When prompted, insert the floppy disk containing the following files: IAAHCI.INF, IAAHCI.CAT, IASTOR.INF, IASTOR.CAT, IASTOR.SYS, and TXTSETUP.OEM and press the Enter key.

I'm at the office so I can't review the list as was extracted from the Dell file, but I'm pretty certain all those files were present.  Additional detail can be found at the link I provided.

Hi scooter250.

Since you are having so much trouble with the SATA driver, and you are into it you could try this. It is for people with no Floppy. you will need another Pc to slipstream the driver into a new XP CD.

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows/resolving-setup-did-not-find-any-hard-disk-drives-during-windows-xp-installation/

Sorry to barge in.

Hope it helps.

I did not place them in a folder, if this is what you mean. They are all there as you listed them plus one for version, readme and license.

I have printed out the page you provided and will try this later today.

BTW: My usual procedure with a new-to-me computer is to start from scratch and Fdisk the drive then partition & format in DOS. When I inserted the floppy boot disk I have used in the past from my Windows 98 days would not read it. Any thoughts as to why it would not. Anything different about this XPS410 than my older Dell GX-series machines that make this procedure not possible?

Maybe there is something going on with the floppy drivers, I now wonder? Like I said, it does/did work in XP.

George

If the diskette drive you are using is a standard drive using the internal diskette interface, I don't see why the drive should not read your boot disk.  If it is a USB interface drive, DOS has no drivers that would work with it, and in fact, Windows setup will also have trouble with most USB diskette drives.  Microsoft at one time provided a list of the USB diskette drives that Windows setup can use, but I don't have the link anymore.

I found something about the floppy in the owners manual for the XPS410 and I set the bios to Internal Only. Previously it was set to Read Only.

I still could not get the machine to boot to the floppy even using F12 (boot order) to force it.

I am having other issues with the machine not restarting without repeated power off | power cycles. I get buzzing and errors lights on the front panel and the screen saying Press F1 to continue when I can get it to start up. There is something on the Dell site about a fix/update for the ECU | RCU files but I cannot seem to find where the latest version is. This may not have anything to do with my boot issues but is is not helping me get this thing up and running.

There is a dealer in used computers and parts down the street from my office. Will purchase a used floppy drive of more recent vintage (the one I installed is from an old 386 machine I had lying around...standard internal type... assumed they were still all the same ??) and see if I can get it to read with that newer drive.

As to the slipstream approach suggested. If I have to go that route I guess I have to but I'll keep plugging along with what I know best. Simple is better.

George

I feel so stupid. It was a bad floppy drive. Just swopped one from a Compaq (can I say that, here -) and it booted to my old W95 setup disc. I probably will find it also will find the drivers during XP but I wanted to get back to you all before you spent any more time on this. Will let you know how it all goes down and if anyone has any info on this ECU issue, please let me know. That is job #2.

Don't feel badly; this sort of thing happens to all of us.  I do appreciate the report, though.  I've been scratching my head over this one for the last hour!

With regard to Resource Configuration Utility, this seems to be primarily for de-conflicting interrupts on installed devices.  Unless you have many things installed, I don't see how this could be a problem.  You don't have anything connected to the machine other than keyboard, mouse, and video, right?  If this issue remains a concern for you, the only other thing I can suggest is to remove any PCI expansion cards you have in the machine; except for the video adapter, of course.

Hi JackShack.

Is this the link for the USB diskette drives you reffering to?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/916196/en-us

Hope it helps.