installing win/xp pro 32 on msi board bios:pm8m3-v model:ms-7211

[moshe-a]

Hi Guys,

msi board
bios:pm8m3-v
model:ms-7211 v1.0

win/xp 32 home is install
intel p4 2.66ghz
1024mb ram
WD 80gb sata hard disk with only 1 partition (c:)

it's my friend machine (old machine back from 2005/2006)

the system was behaving weird...
does not open IE6 at all
does not close at shutdown and some speed problems
so we decide to format it and install a fresh win/xp

the disk had some 25gb free space so i use pqmagic 8.0
to define a second partition to move some data to disk D:
but the pqmagic fail to do the job and now the win xp
does not startup at all.

disregard the data it's not so important.

i put win/xp pro setup in dvd drive to start installing the system
but the setup stopped at 'can not find any disk to install'

again be aware the system had a win xp home installed
by the lab who sold this machine (they are gone now out of buisness)

i must reinstall win /xp now

what should i do?

1. do i need sata driver (like F6) for the setup?
where can i get this driver?
i have search the net but could not find the driver
please attach a exect link.

2.  or do i have to update the bios?
as i understand the bios update will add the sata support
i have search the net and found the live bios update
but how can i use it due to the system is not working
i may need the manual bios update but cound not find it
please attach exect link

i prefer the first option but will have the second if the first is not available.

please need urgent help
thanks in advance
Moshe

[Jack t.N.]

Does your install CD include at least Service Pack II?

[moshe-a]

yes, it sp2

[Jack t.N.]

Is the SATA Controller set to RAID Mode in BIOS by any chance?

[moshe-a]

Hi

i didn't set that

as i said a win xp home is installed on this system
after i used the pqmagic it is fail to startup but the sata disk is there
and recognize, but not to the 'win xp setup' cd

when i boot i see a message to enter to 'disk mamagment setup' by pressing TAB key
i enter there and see that the sata disk is there (but sata is not recocnized by the AwardBios setup)

Moshe

[Jack t.N.]

the disk had some 25gb free space so i use pqmagic 8.0
to define a second partition to move some data to disk D:
but the pqmagic fail to do the job and now the win xp
does not startup at all.

If the re-partitioning operation failed, you neither have a driver problem nor do you have a BIOS Problem.  It looks like the unsuccessful procedure has left you with either a messed up MBR (Master Boot Record) and/or with incomplete/unuseable partition tables.  In that case Windows XP Setup may simply not find a suitable device for installation because your hard drive or the information it communicates about its partition structure is pretty much corrupted.

when i boot i see a message to enter to 'disk mamagment setup' by pressing TAB key
i enter there and see that the sata disk is there

Can you reformat/repartition the hard drive from there?

but sata is not recocnized by the AwardBios setup

There absolutely no device listed or the drive does not show up as a bootable device?

[moshe-a]

Jack,

thank you very much for your help

i took some screen snapshot but did not found the way to upload them here?

how?

Moshe

[Jack t.N.]

You need to host them elsewhere (this is a good site: photobucket.com) and include the links in your post(s).

[moshe-a]

Jack,

this is the first screen




this is the second - as you can see the disk is recognized but it is not in the bios
(the bios setup only shows IDE devices)




the third screen, win xp is trying to load but after 5 seconds it boot again
do not mind that i want to reformat it




when is press the TAB i enter to the sata raid setup, i see the sata disk but
i can not touch/modify noting here.




Now you have the whole picture.

Moshe

[Jack t.N.]

About RAID:

You said:

i didn't set that

But based on your screenshots, it is easy to say, that it is set.  Unset it.

[moshe-a]

How?

as i said...in the last picture i can not touch or modify anything inside
only the ESC key is working

[Jack t.N.]

There should be an option in BIOS Setup itself.

[moshe-a]

the second picture saids 'none raid define', fine with me

[moshe-a]

i didn't modify the bios at all

how could it be changed???

looking in the bios....

[moshe-a]

found noting...

[Jack t.N.]

Integrated Peripherals -> IDE Devices -> SATA Rom Select = [IDE][RAID]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Nothing there?

[moshe-a]

Jack

There should be an option in BIOS Setup itself.

what would you recommend now?
can not understand why it is not possible to repatition/reformat the disk
if i install a new disk (unpatitioned) it wiil work?

also, does upgrading the bios would solved this?
found some bios update  (but not sure it is the right one)
there is a text file inside (the zip) that saids this

PM8M3-V (MS-7211) V1.4 BIOS Release
-------------------------------------------------

1. This is Award BIOS release

2. This BIOS fixes the following problem of the previous version:
-  Update CPU Microcode.
-  Add new Item for SATA devices in BIOS default setting.

what do think about it?

[moshe-a]

Jack,

i have install another disk (just to verify that the 'pqmagic' is not to be blamed)
and try to install XP and as you can see in the new picture
i'm getting the same message

maybe i need some driver from msi to solve this?

manufactuer-supplied diagnostic or setup program???



moshe

[Jack t.N.]

moshe, did you check this in BIOS Setup:

Integrated Peripherals -> IDE Devices -> SATA Rom Select = [IDE][RAID]

I have had a look into your BIOS Version and the option is there.  You need to make sure that it is set to [IDE] because at the moment it seems to be set to [RAID], otherwise you would not get the RAID Controller Screen after startup.

Please have a look at that option in your BIOS Setup and make triple-sure that it is set to [IDE].

[moshe-a]

Jack,

solved...

my problem (as always) was that simple, sata raid driver for win xp
i have download it from MSI web copy it to 1.44 diskette
run setup again and bingo...

thank you very much for your help

Moshe

[Jack t.N.]

moshe, I could have told you that SATA RAID Drivers would solve the problem. However, since you are not using RAID, the problem never were the drivers but the fact that RAID Mode is enabled in BIOS even though you do not need RAID.

You never told me (after I asked you two times) if you have checked this BIOS setting:

Integrated Peripherals -> IDE Devices -> SATA Rom Select = [IDE][RAID]

solved...

You got rid of the symptom, but you never took care of the cause.   

[moshe-a]

Jack,

i did check the bios many time (as you told me) but found noting
that saids SATA or RAID (checked even 50 times)

maybe SATA / RAID is hidden under other definition that i do not recognize

but as you can see i did tell that

found noting...

thanks
moshe