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Install Windows XP on RAID-SCSI-SATA without a floppy drive

Last Updated: 6/7/09

Here are three possible ways to install windows onto a RAID / SCSI / SATA hard drive setup if you don't have a built in floppy drive.

1) Find a floppy drive and connect temporarily. This solution seems obvious, but it sometimes gets over looked. With a new enough BIOS on your computer, an external USB floppy drive might even work.

2) Use nLite to integrate your SATA / SCSI / RAID drivers into your Windows CD and then burn the new cd and install windows (This is my favorite option) (http://www.nliteos.com/)

3) Check your BIOS for ATA compatiblity mode. Some SATA controllers will let you talk to your Hard Drives in a slower, but more compatible IDE (a.k.a. PATA) mode. You can install windows normally then install SATA drivers form CD, go back to BIOS turn SATA back on and reboot. (Just make sure you install the SATA drivers before you turn SATA mode back on or else your computer won't boot!!!)





Keywords: RAID SCSI SATA Adaptec Dell HP windows xp windows vista hardware motherboard integrated