Setup cannot detect sata hard disk drive

ladyvol1 · #1 (**permalink**) 02-10-2010, 09:12 AM

I have a custom built pc with new intel board installed with sata drives connected. I try to install windows xp, it says it can not detect any hard disk drive to install. Tells me to press F3 to quit. Could someone please give me an easy solution to fix this!

ua549 · #2 (**permalink**) 02-11-2010, 07:15 AM

The early versions of Windows XP do not support SATA drives. A driver must be loaded from floppy during an early part of the installation process. IIRC SATA support was added in service pack 2.

ladyvol1 · #3 (**permalink**) 02-11-2010, 07:58 AM

What do you do if you do not have access to floppy?

ua549 · #4 (**permalink**) 02-11-2010, 02:38 PM

Start with Windows XP SP 2 installation media or a newer OS such as Windows 7.

A floppy drive costs less than $10.

JPnyc · #5 (**permalink**) 02-12-2010, 12:55 PM

Surely there must be a way to load it from some other medium other than floppy, no?

ua549 · #6 (**permalink**) 02-12-2010, 05:22 PM

One can slip stream the driver into the installation media. Only floppy input is accepted during the installation process. Windows XP is an ancient OS first released in August 2001 when every PC was delivered with a floppy and before the advent of SATA devices.