Formatting Dell Optiplex 980 Desktop to Dell Windows XP Pro Reinstallation Disc

Sorry, but the above post confused me a bit and I needed a little time to think and research.

I could not find an "ATAPI" setting for BIOS.  I almost think speedstep may have been trying to type "AHCI" and spell check took over.  I also looked to see if an older version (Legacy) BIOS had it and could not find.

BIOS should be set to AHCI.  I'm pretty sure for XP, it needs to be set to Legacy and not UEFI.  See images:

As for boot sequence, if you power on with CD inserted, it should automatically load from CD.  You'll likely get "Press any key to boot from CD/DVD..."

I'm thinking drivers cab file should be loaded after XP is loaded rather than trying to inject in loading XP.  Cab file can be put in My Documents folder or Downloads folder if XP has one (I don't remember if it has Downloads folder).  Download 7zip and put in same file.  You'll have to right click on it to install it before use.  Then right click on cab folder to open with 7zip.

@speedstep - I'd also like you to review this in case of any error.  For example, what if 7zip doesn't work with XP.  Or if cab file must be injected into loading XP with loading, or am I reading that wrong that @WWII Researcher means to boot and use F6 after loading XP and booting it?  Clarification always appreciated.

Hello bradthetechnut and thank you for taking the time to research this ...

"Press any key to boot from CD/DVD"  Yes Yes thanx I can do that in my sleep LOL

It makes sense to load the Cab Drivers AFTER the OS has been installed. But also thank you for asking  speedstep for clarification.

"Cab file can be put in My Documents folder" Which documents folder? I think (as with later OS) there are #2 documents folders: My Documents or Public Documents? (or does it matter)?

I almost think speedstep may have been trying to type "AHCI"  Hopefully we'll get a clarification from speedstep

Of course this machine will never go online, (except for maybe activation of OS)? All of this hassle is merely to be able to use a simple Casio Disc Maker software program. Sadly (as usual), manufacturers continue to make things difficult for professionals by making certain things obsolete. Some filmmakers still use DVD's and CD's for duplication and need a way to professionally label their discs (cheaply). I appreciate your help ... (thank you)

Mike

Tah dah, found XP Start Menu image.  Shortcuts of folders can also be placed on desktop.  Is "My Recent Documents" what you meant by #2 Documents folder?  Not a folder, it'll just show you recent docs you had opened.

In Win10, in "This PC" ("My Computer" in XP), besides showing the drives, it shows folders.  If they don't show, you may find an arrow to show drop-down.  That's where I find Documents and other folders and put shortcuts on my desktop.  Downloads folder is also there.  If XP doesn't have that, then they should be in the Start menu.

As for Public Documents folder, I've never had a need to use that.

""Cab file can be put in My Documents folder" Which documents folder?" - There is only one My Documents folder.  In later OS, I think it's just called Documents.

C:\USERS\username\documents  WHICH IS CALLED MY documents IN XP.

CAB file is moved there then extracted via 7zip.

Right click the cab in the documents folder and 7zip Extract here.

Then tell device manager to find drivers on my pc instead of the internet.

"shortcut" on your Desktop that points to My Documents. Usually, that only takes up about 1 or 2 KB of space on your hard drive.

The default location for My Documents in Windows XP is
C:\Documents and Settings\ \ My Documents

it changes when your login changes

F6 floppy not recognized kb 916196 

@WWII Researcher - In addition to what speedstep said, remember after 7zip is in My Documents folder, the step of right clicking on 7zip to install it before right clicking on cab file.

@WWII Researcher,

So in correcting what I said, use ATA and not AHCI.

I was right about BIOS needs to be set to Legacy and not UEFI.

"MBR" means HDD needs to ne formatted to MBR partition scheme if not already, and not GPT.

Remember in case needed, this is just for XP.

So XP doesn' have the folders drop-down in My Computer, or list of folders I was thinking of, but an image I did find follows  How icons are rearranged depend on what's chose in the View option at the top of the window.

Remember when on an IDE (and not SATA) PC, one could just throw in the XP CD and away it went?

"...needs to be formatted..." is what I meant to say.

@bradthetechnut 

@WWII Researcher 

ATA = ATAPI   SATA OPERATION REQUIRED.

AHCI requires F6 mass storage drivers.

Legacy MBR  is required to load and boot XP.

ATA = ATAPI

As speedstep points SATA needs to be changed to 'ATA'

Since this is a new drive, this will be done 'after' the OS is installed? Correct?

@WWII Researcher 

@bradthetechnut 

SATA Operation ATA is PRE INSTALL bios setting.  You can't change this or you are back to STOP 7B inaccessible boot device.

You change sata operation to ATA then F12 boot from the XP CD then INSTALL XP.

Thanks for the clarification.  Though I wasn't expecting that.  Reason being is when I did a Win7 load* in recent history, I downloaded 7zip and put it in the downloads folder with the drivers cab file.  Then right clicked on it to install.  It must've been the way I downloaded it or something.  This is not to say it doesn't your way.  I'm sure you have much more 7zip experience than I do.  May be I clicked on download instead of install?

*Thought I was going to have Win7 on one bootable drive and Win10 on the other.  But some Win7 things don't work worth a darn without the updates.