Installing SATA Drivers


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  Step 1:  Enabling SATA Host in BIOS

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ADVANCED TUTORIAL: This is an advanced tutorial. The following steps should only be performed by an advanced user. Improper or accidental changes to the system BIOS could permanently damage your system.

If your system has an onboard Serial ATA (SATA) host adapter, you need to enable it before you can use SATA devices connected to it. Open the Onboard Peripherals, Integrated Peripherals or PCI Controllers menu to locate this menu option (see figure). If your system lacks a Serial ATA host adapter, you can install one.
  Step 2:  Enabling SATA RAID

If your system supports SATA RAID, you might enable it with a separate menu item. On some systems, you might need to run a setup program to enable and configure RAID functions. See your system or host adapter documentation for details.
  Step 3:  Installing Third-Party Drivers-1

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If you are installing Windows XP on a system which uses a Serial ATA hard disk, you might need to install a third-party driver disk early in the installation process. Watch for a prompt at the bottom of the screen which reads "Press F6 if you need to install a third party SCSI or RAID driverà" Press the F6 key when prompted (see figure).
  Step 4:  Installing Third-Party Drivers-2

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Windows XP will prompt you for a driver floppy disk (not a CD) if you press F6 to indicate you are installing one (Step 3). Press S when prompted (see figure) to specify an additional device. Insert the floppy disk into Drive A: and press Enter to install it when prompted. If more than one driver is listed, select the one for your hardware and version of Windows. Press Enter. Windows refers to all third-party drivers as SCSI drivers.
  Step 5:  Installing Third-Party Drivers-3

Repeat the process listed in Step 4 for any additional drivers. Press ENTER when prompted to indicate you're finished installing drivers. Windows XP's setup program will use the driver you installed to access your SATA drive and host adapter.
  Step 6:  Using New Hardware Wizard

If you installed a Serial ATA host adapter and drive on an existing Windows XP installation, the New Hardware Wizard starts when you restart your system to locate a suitable driver. See the tutorial "Installing Other Drivers" for details.