Precision 380 - AHCI/SATA problems installing Windows XP/Server 2003

Question

System arrived with WinXP pre-loaded, with hard drive in single partition.   I Wanted to install WinXP x64; downloaded proper drivers for AHCI/RAID to floppy (Intel chipset ID utility reports back as 955x Express; Memory controller 82955x; and I/O 82801GH - ICH7DH)   Proceeded w/ install; deleted all partitions (including diagnostic) on hard drive and re-partitioned as 2 NTFS partions (10 GB & 28GB). Only BIOS setting changed were to add floppy drive.   Booted from CD; at beginning of install hit the F6 routine to load the AHCI driver (which it loaded iastor.sys) after selecting the ICH7DR AHCI driver (there was not a DH option - this was the latest version available)   Windows setup proceeded to load all the files and reboot; BIOS was set to boot from hard drive. After a few seconds, error message appeared that 'Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem'   Tried to install the following OS with the BIOS setting on the hard drives (using what was thought to be the correct AHCI driver from Intel Matrix Manager for each OS):   Win XP x64                AHCI  failed Win XP x64                RAID  failed Win XP x64                IDE  failed   Win XP SP2               AHCI  failed Win XP SP2               RAID  failed Win XP SP2               IDE  success   Win 2K3 server stnd   AHCI  failed Win 2K3 server stnd   RAID  failed Win 2K3 server stnd   IDE  failed The diagnostic disk shipped w/ the system had AHCI drivers - but at the F6 option, only came up with ICH6 options. I tried using this driver and it too failed.   The system originally was running Win XP SP2 with BIOS in AHCI mode - I can't get it to load in any other mode than IDE.   Suggestions?

ras_austin · Answer

problem solved - after lengthy calls w/ tech support, had to jumper the BIOS to reset. AHCI drives recognized after re-installing.

belko · Answer

How exactly it was solved, I have the same problem an I am not able to use the controller in other then XP SP2 IDE mode. Help, please

ras_austin · Answer

you need to jumper the RTCRST to reset the BIOS. It's located near the SATA connections on the motherboard, next to the RAID chip. see the last page of this document for a picture:

Storage, Drives & Media

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