WinXP install doesn't continue after 1st reboot

[KnickNut3]

I'm trying to install Windows XP to my new SATA hard drive. After figuring out the whole F6 thing, I got it to start installing properly. After copying files and the first reboot, however, it tries to reload the install disk and start from the beginning. If I take the disk out, it says that there is nothing to boot from ("BOOT DISK FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK..."). The BIOS is set to boot from both the Serial ATA and the HDD-0 (just in case), but not the CDROM. Right now that HD is the only one installed. If I try to install Windows again (which I have), it asks "are you sure you want to install another operating system to this drive?" so I know the first install actually worked.

Any ideas? Thanks!

Rig:
AthlonXP 2400+
NF7-S V2.0
Seagate 7200.8
9800 Pro

 

[cubby1223]

It's the bios that is not setting up to boot from the sata drive. HDD-0 is usually reserved for the master harddrive attached to the primary ide controller (pata). Check through the bios options again. Also post your motherboard and others here might know how to properly set it up.

EDIT - I see that you've since posted the motherboard model.

 

[timswim78]

In order to get SATA to boot on my computer, I have to set the first boot device to "SCSI" in my BIOS.

 

[WebDude]

Yeah, like he just said. There a few versions of this board, but I'm pretty sure the sata controller you have onboard is the Silicon Image SIL3112A. To the bios, in terms of boot order, that is a "scsi" device. So you have to set the bios to boot from "scsi", not hd0. You also have to have the SI controller enabled in the bios (it probably is, default is endabled). Now the tricky part. I believe this controller functions in 2 different modes -- as a simple sata controller, or as a raid controller. If memory serves me correctly, there are different F6 drivers to use, depending upon whether you want to use it as just sata or as raid. Also, I'm not sure whether the mode has to be toggled to sata from raid, either in the system's bios, or in the SI controller's bios.

Best I can do without a working system in front of me. GL.

 

[KnickNut3]

Thanks. You're pretty close on most of those points, WebDude. I only see one option for the driver, though.

Hmm... SCSI and I still get the same boot disk failure. Tried with SCSI as 2nd option after floppy (with no floppy inserted) and both HDD-0 and Serial ATA as 3rd (not that it matters).

Yeah, I disabled the raid. If they hadn't put Serial ATA as an option I would have probably tried SCSI anyway.

I'm trying a fresh install with the new settings, and I'll also try enabling the RAID controller just to see if that makes it work. I'd appreciate ideas in the meantime.

 

[WebDude]

I'm a bit confused because you say that serial ATA is a boot option. The board I used to have was NF7-S V2.0. That did not have such a boot option (to my recollection). However there are different versions of this board, and the system Abit used to designate them is highly confusing.

"Note: NF7-S2 isn't equivalent to NF7-S or NF7-V2.0. NF7-S2 is an independent motherboard designed to deliver stunning performance and advanced hardware monitoring." from the Abit web site.

Can you determine exactly which version you have? Apparently the NF7-S2 has onboard nvidia sata raid, not the Silicon Image.

 

[KnickNut3]

It's V2.0. Yes, I have a "Serial ATA" option, but neither it nor SCSI works.

I updated the BIOS to the most recent version, and I've tried every single combination of SCSI, Serial ATA, and enabling/disabling the SATA RAID ROM. If the RAID is enabled I get a message that "Windows could not start because there is not a proper configuration" or something, and when it's disabled I get the "BOOT DISK FAILURE."

Thanks again...

 

[WebDude]

?Serial ATA Controller? should be enabled in the BIOS menu of ?Onboard PCI Device? (It probably is.) Also, if you're running just one drive off the controller, "SATA RAID ROM" should be disabled (as you've discovered). As far as boot order goes, you should use the sata option, not the scsi, since you're not running raid.

Otherwise all I can think of is either 1. the F6 driver, or 2. the drive itself. Make sure you have the latest driver from Abit, SiliconImage 3112 SATA Driver Revision v 1.0.0.50. I could find no mention on the web of any compatibility problem of running that Seagate drive off the SI3112a.

Can't think of anything else.

 

[KnickNut3]

Thanks again, Webdude.

Yeah, I've already covered everything you've mentioned. The drive seems fine--I plugged my old drives back in and they booted up to my old install. I then installed the SATA drivers and am now using the SATA drive to store info, but I still can't boot from it.

If I install Windows to a partition on another drive, then move/copy the partition to the SATA drive, then might it work? Probably not since the BIOS isn't choosing to use it to boot from.

Damn... help appreciated.

 

[KnickNut3]

Update: Tried original SATA drivers from my mobo CD, same result.
Changed the port I plugged the SATA drive into.
Did a check for errors using Partition Magic, said the drive was dismounted properly, so I deleted and reformed it and tried again. It passed after the reinstall without errors, but still won't boot.

Thanks for the help...

 

[KnickNut3]

Bump. At this point, is it not worth the trouble? Should I just put the OS on my ATA100 Barracuda, then put all my Apps/Games/Files on the SATA?

 

[WebDude]

Well I dug out my NF7-S ver.2 mb and hooked it up and ran a single hd off the SI controller. Turns out I was wrong. If you want to boot off the SI controller, you have to have the SATA RAID ROM enabled, even if you're not running raid. You need to activate the SI 3112a bios if you want to boot off of it. (Of course this is not specified in the Abit manual, which typically sucks.) Hitting F4 to go into the SI bios shows me just a single drive, with no raid array created. You need to do that to make sure the SI controller sees your hd (mine was identified as a WD drive with XXgigs of storage). Once you get that far, then you should be able to continue with booting off the drive.

 

[KnickNut3]

Wow, thanks for going out of your way for me. And you got it to work? What did you set it to boot from, SCSI or Serial ATA?

I've tried enabling the SATA RAID controller. It just gives me a different error message. Oh, well. I'll try one more time, this time with RAID enabled when I start the installation, using the drivers that came off the CD. Wish me luck!

 

[KnickNut3]

Woohoo!

I had to INSTALL WindowsXP with RAID activated. Apparently none of my 8 installs had it activated on install, only after.

WebDude, what's on your Christmas list?