2k3 wont find my disc

jfre5h · 08-12-2009, 01:12 PM

Hey everyone,
Im having an issue here loading Win 2k3 ent. edition. Im trying to load it on a work station, and i know it can be done. Anyway Windows keeps telling me it cant find a hard disc. BIOS lets me know its there, but windows cant find it while im trying to install. Any ideas?
Thanks in advance,
Joe

**TheOutcaste** · 08-12-2009, 02:53 PM

Welcome to TSF!

If the hard drive is a SATA drive, you will need to provide the SATA drivers on a floppy by pressing F6 when prompted at the start of Setup, or by slipstreaming them into a new CD, same as for XP.
You may be able to set the drive controller to ATA mode instead of AHCI mode in the BIOS, which makes the SATA drives appear as IDE drives. You do use some of the SATA features, which usually aren't noticeable on a workstation, but may be noticeable on a server

jfre5h · 08-12-2009, 03:46 PM

Yeah thats kinda what i thought the problem was. Thank you so much for your quick response !!!! This is a great forum!

jfre5h · 08-13-2009, 08:02 AM

Do you guys know where i can get the 64 bit SATA driver for a Western Digital WD Caviar SE16. The WD site isnt helping and the DELL site doesnt have them.
Thanks everyone

**simpswr** · 08-13-2009, 08:13 AM

You need the driver for the SATA controller . . not the drive

08-12-2009, 01:12 PM	#1 (permalink)
jfre5h Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 3 OS: XP, Vist, Server 2k3, RedHat, Solaris	2k3 wont find my disc Hey everyone, Im having an issue here loading Win 2k3 ent. edition. Im trying to load it on a work station, and i know it can be done. Anyway Windows keeps telling me it cant find a hard disc. BIOS lets me know its there, but windows cant find it while im trying to install. Any ideas? Thanks in advance, Joe

08-12-2009, 02:53 PM	#2 (permalink)
TheOutcaste TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 815 OS: MS-Dos 6.22 - Win7	Re: 2k3 wont find my disc Welcome to TSF! If the hard drive is a SATA drive, you will need to provide the SATA drivers on a floppy by pressing F6 when prompted at the start of Setup, or by slipstreaming them into a new CD, same as for XP. You may be able to set the drive controller to ATA mode instead of AHCI mode in the BIOS, which makes the SATA drives appear as IDE drives. You do use some of the SATA features, which usually aren't noticeable on a workstation, but may be noticeable on a server __________________ Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience Of course I know all the answers; I just don't always match the answers to the right questions. Rated R for Violence -- When your PC flies through a window, that's violent, right?

08-12-2009, 03:46 PM	#3 (permalink)
jfre5h Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 3 OS: XP, Vist, Server 2k3, RedHat, Solaris	Re: 2k3 wont find my disc Yeah thats kinda what i thought the problem was. Thank you so much for your quick response !!!! This is a great forum!

08-13-2009, 08:02 AM	#4 (permalink)
jfre5h Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 3 OS: XP, Vist, Server 2k3, RedHat, Solaris	Re: 2k3 wont find my disc Do you guys know where i can get the 64 bit SATA driver for a Western Digital WD Caviar SE16. The WD site isnt helping and the DELL site doesnt have them. Thanks everyone

08-13-2009, 08:13 AM	#5 (permalink)
simpswr Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: May 2007 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 12,210 OS: XP, Vista, Win 7	Re: 2k3 wont find my disc You need the driver for the SATA controller . . not the drive __________________ Rich MemTest86 \| BenchTest \| Virus/Trojan/Spyware Help How to post a Screen Shot \| PC running slow?