If you want to install Windows XP or configure a RAID array, you may need to change the SATA type in BIOS. here I will introduce some method of SATA settings in BIOS. SATA HDD(hard disk) has been more porpular because of the hight transferring speed and simple installation. If you want to Install a Windows XP in SATA hard disk. we offen need a floppy disk to save the additional driver of SATA/RAID. but the floppy isn't too easy to find. So we can do another method, modify the SATA type to compatible IDE or ATA mode, etc.
Notes: If your computer has installed some operating systems. Changing SATA types may corrupt your systems or need to be repaired again. But when can I change the SATA type?
1. You are prepairing install a new operating systems, for commonly Windows XP. If Windows 7/Vista will be installed. you need nothing changed in BIOS unless the setting has been modified.
2. Or you want to install a RAID.
I will introduce how to install Windows XP at SATA HDD(hard disk) in the coming chapters, here we need to know how to change the SATA type in BIOS. At first we
need to access BIOS, Here is my desktop BIOS, we can find the BIOS is from AWARD software.
In my BIOS, the harddisk settings are in the line of integrated peripherals, different BIOS or different OEM menufactures may have different promise. you can try the Advanced BIOS features setting or Integrated peripherals, or system configuration, etc.
Locale to
Integrated Peripherals and press enter, you may find the SATA configuration.
the above screenshot is the SATA configuration position. There are two items about SATA controller,
Onchip SATA controller and
Onchip SATA Type, Notes: There may be one or more configurations about SATA, we only need to change the
SATA Type. you should not close the SATA controller if you don't know what's will be happened.
Navagete to the
Onchip SATA Type and press
ENTER, we can find these selections:
Native IDE, AHCI, RAID. If you want to install Windows XP, you may need to change to
Native IDE(some called ATA) mode, when you finished installation, you can refresh your SATA drivers in Windows XP and change the SATA type to AHCI mode in BIOS again.
If you want to configure a raid array. set to
RAID similarity. When finished settings, you should press enter to accept it, and
save to CMOS before restart your computer. In my BIOS, I need to exit to the BIOS main menu at first and save it.
when the new status has been saved, you can press CTRL+ALT+DEL to restart your computer, some OEM PCs may need to click the EXIT or Save to CMOS and Exit, the computer will be restart automatically.
Another example screenshot is my DELL notebook BIOS. DELL BIOS is not the same as the desktop BIOS, we can find the
SATA operation behind the
System Configuration. there are only three selections (Disabled, ATA, AHCI). If you want to install Windows XP, here need to be changed as ATA mode.
Notes: If you want to install operating systems, you may need to
change the boot orderto boot from your CD/DVD drive.
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