[g0dM@n]

Here's the specs for my 2nd rig that I upgraded:

DFI LANPARTY 875P-T (Socket T LGA775) -03/25/05 bios date
3.4 LGA775 (I believe 550)
2x512 OCZ Value (UTT) (orange DIMMs)
Leadtek Geforce 6800 LE 128mb
200gb Western Digi SATA 7200 8mb
NEC 3540 16x DVD Burner
Generic Floppy
Fortron FSP530-GNA with 20 to 24-pin adapter

My PSU was always around 12.1v and stable. EVERYTHING IS RUNNING STOCK, EVEN WITH OPTIMIZED DEFAULTS LOADED. Only thing that I changed in bios was to load CD first (for XP install).

Now, I tried full formats and quick formats, and that didn't affect anything. I also tried downloaded a raid driver, thinking that maybe I had to load a F6 driver in XP install. I got this motheboard BARE with no accessories from the classies here. I do not have anything, but the new Raid floppy that I created... maybe I'm using the wrong raid driver, but I'm now hopeless.

Here at the DFI website is where I downloaded the raid driver (2nd one from bottom), and then created the floppy.

I even tried changing the SATA cable. Now I will try SATA port #2, but I doubt that'll help.

Any suggestions may just save me this mobo from being blown up by me.

[g0dM@n]

Ooops... some people asked me on AIM, but here is the problem from start to finish:

I powered it all up, booted from CD into Windows DOS setup, and then I formatted my C: partition as a full NTFS format. It then prepared the setup files and rebooted when it was complete. Then when it tried to load from there into the Windows Installation Setup Part 2 (which we all know) it would just give me the error that you see in the topic of this thread:

ERROR LOADING OPERATION SYSTEM

I tried the raid driver I found on the DFI website, but maybe it was the wrong one; again, you can check this in my first post where I got it. I tried SATA port 2 (no luck), and also I tried playing with the raid settings in BIOS with no luck.

I have spent nearly 3 hours on it now and keep getting stuck at the same spot. With or without the F6 Install option I get the same problem.

[thegreek]

bad installation disc maybe?

[dicecca112]

not to ask the real stupid question but did you set it to boot from the Drive, and didn't leave it on Boot For Cd only option?

[g0dM@n]

I changed the 1st boot device from FLOPPY to CD-ROM.

I just installed winXP with zero issues on a 40gb 5400rpm IDE. No, I'm not going to use that 40gb IDE at all in the system. It was from another system that had to be formatted anyways, so I used it for testing.

Looks like that means my XP cd is fine, as well as everything else. This just must be a SATA issue. Considering that I can format and read the SATA drive I'm also going to assume that the hdd is fine. That hdd was working all the way up until I traded my 2.8e last week.

All that I changed is the mobo and cpu from a 2.8e on an abit ic7-g maxII to a 3.4 socket T 550 on a DFI 875p-t.

I strongly believe that it's a communication issue between the hdd and the sata port on the board.

[lilxvietxboi]

Try a different SATA port? Or get a PCI SATA controller(If you really want to use SATA)? SATA->IDE Cable(I think these exist)?

[g0dM@n]

I already said that I tried a different SATA port, as well as a different cable. I also don't think that I should have to buy a SATA controller... DFI will have to pay for that if that was the case. And lastly, I doubt there is a SATA->IDE adapter. If there was, I wouldn't even use that.

I have IDE hard drives. I DO NOT WANT TO USE IDE WHEN I HAVE SATA. I'm not going to downgrade b/c DFI's board cannot do this right.

P.S. I've had sata problems with other sata hard drives in the past on other mobos, so sata problems aren't a new thing to me. I just can't figure this stupid one out.

[KillrBuckeye]

There are no IDE HDDs attached? If there are, you should definitely detach them when installing the OS on a SATA drive. Are you 100% sure that you have the BIOS settings such that it will boot from the SATA drive? With my motherboard, it was necessary for me to specify the SATA HDD as the primary drive before it would let me boot from that drive. By default, it would only try to boot from the IDE devices. Also, I had to set the SATA mode to "IDE mode" instead of the default "RAID mode".

Another thing is that my motherboard had separate SATA and RAID drivers. I assumed that I should use the SATA driver if I was only using 1 SATA HDD, and it seemed to work. I'm not sure what would have happened if I tried loading the RAID driver. Maybe you should try that.

[g0dM@n]

I only attached the IDE after the fact that the SATA wasn't working. I then uninstalled the SATA hdd and installed XP on the IDE to see if that works, and IDE works fine.

I have HARD DRIVE selected as one of the boot devices. There is no SATA option, nor is there a SCSI option. HARD DRIVE is the only option to be able to load from SATA, trust me. Also, if it says "error loading operating system," then that probably means that it can read the HDD anyways.

I have also tried setting it to IDE mode manually, instead of AUTO or RAID. I also tried changing it to ENHANCED MODE, COMBINED MODE, SATA ONLY, and AUTO. I also tried DISABLING IDE HDD Block Mode, and DISABLING IDE DMA transfer Access (whatever that one does).

I also tried DISABLING both on-chip IDE. I'm telling you... I tried a lotta things. If there is a separate SATA driver, then I do not have it. I only see a RAID driver. Whether or not I push F6 and load that driver or not, I end up in the same place. I tried installing windows at least half a dozen times already, with two different WinXP disks. I've ruled out a lotta possibilities already, but no one has found me the right SATA driver to try, unless the RAID one on the DFI website is the correct one here (2nd one from bottom).

[g0dM@n]

Well, I installed windows on a 40gig 5400rpm IDE drive. It worked. I then hooked it up to my sirellel and it worked.

So then I figured that I'd image the 40gig onto the main partition on my 200gig sata. I imaged it and still I got the same error: ERROR LOADING OPERATING SYSTEM

Okay, so then I kept playing with the raid settings in bios. I finally got something:

After setting the SATA MODE in bios to "Raid" I now get the "NTLDR missing" message.

Is this any improvement?

I STILL CAN'T THE DAMN SATA TO FREAKIN' WORK!

[RJARRRPCGP]

(from the 386 and 486 days) That error message can occur if the following is true:

1. The HDD is bigger than the BIOS supports.

2. The BIOS has the wrong HDD parameters.

---------------------------------------------

With new PCs, (manufactered in the 2000s) you shan't be required to specify the number of cylinders, tracks and sectors!!! If you do just to prevent that error from occuring, the BIOS is majorly buggy!!!

Make sure that it's not set to CHS mode. Make sure that it's set to LBA mode!!! It shall be when it's set to "Auto"!

[g0dM@n]

CHS, LBA? :/ No clue what those are, bro... explain to me please.

Btw, I have had it set to AUTO with no help. That was the initial setting I had used.

[clocker2]

OK.
This is just a guess cause I've only worked with the AMD platform LanParty boards, but you may not have to load (viaF6) SATA drivers at all.
Loading the RAID driver might be confusing the OS as it searches for an array that doesn't exist.

Have you already tried doing nothing at the F6 prompt with the SATA drive installed?

[g0dM@n]

Yes, I've tried NOTHING, and I've tried SOMETHING. I said it in another post as well I believe.

If you read my posts, you'll see that I've tried almost everything.

[Xtreme Barton]

just curious .. when NOT loading the xp cd and booting ... does it give you any options for your raid utility ?

[klingens]

What kind of SATA chip is onboard? Who makes it? Go to that manufacturers site and get the latest XP driver, NOT THE RAID ONE!
Then put it on a floppy and install with it (F6)

[Xtreme Barton]

http://www.dfi.com.tw/Support/Downlo...FLAG=A&SITE=NA

have you tried this utility ? version 5.1 at very top of section

English Manual

ICH5R RAID Manual

[Xtreme Barton]

also from the link you gave up top where you got your raid driver

it says (875P INFINITY) NOT THE (LANPARTY 875P-T)

the link i provided above are for the LANPARTY 875P-T

[g0dM@n]

I noticed my mistake... forgot to mention that.

Now that Raid utility download that you showed me, is that also going to create a floppy for me you think?

[Xtreme Barton]

i dont have an intel based board.. so i cant find out for sure what that exe holds in it...

just to double check ...

are you running a raid setup ??

or are you looking for a sata driver ?