View Full Version : Computer help needed!
almo75
07-15-2008, 11:45 AM
I had a buddy of mine ask me to build him a rack mountable computer to act as a digital jukebox in his barn. In the pile of parts brought to me there is a SATA HD and no floppy drive. Won't I need to put drivers on a floppy and hit F6 at the right time to recognize the SATA hard drive? I have not messed with SATA drives for a few years now and had a heck of a time on my last attempt. Is this something that still needs to be done? He wants Media Center as the O/S. The motherboard is an Intel D945GCPE if that makes a difference.
Thanks for any help you can throw my way.
Seems strange to ask this here but with the diversity of people I figured it was worth a shot.
Reefscape
07-15-2008, 11:50 AM
You wont need to install drivers for SATA on install of Windows...You only use the F6 install option if its a SCSi device or a raid array....So, no need for a floppy drive :)
almo75
07-15-2008, 12:03 PM
Thanks Reef!
Years ago I used to get the blue screen of death half way through loading the O/S. I will give it go.
excuzzzeme
07-15-2008, 6:47 PM
As long as you have a CD drive your all set!
Mgamer20o0
07-15-2008, 7:57 PM
lol how many years ago? lol get with the program sata is the way to go now
247Plants
07-16-2008, 2:07 AM
Smash it all with a hammer!
Down with technology!
The Zigman
07-16-2008, 2:16 AM
SATA is the way!
I use a thumb drive and CDR...
I'm building a dual core dual processor xeon 3.8 GHZ right now...
247Plants
07-16-2008, 2:19 AM
Smash it all with a hammer!
Down with technology!
------------------------
Draal5
07-16-2008, 2:29 AM
That takes me back when sata's first became widely available yes you did need a floppy which was just about the time floppy drives not usually included on new computers. but that was the good old days when you would need that hammer because its better than this:wall:.
But no and thank god no more floppies are needed
Preeths
07-16-2008, 4:16 AM
Plug in the hard ware and you should be able to boot from the CD. You have to partition the HDD before installing the OS. I have found that installing all the S/W you need on a computer takes hours of boring work(done this for so many friends i have lost count) especially when done for free....I should be calling in all those favors when i need to clean all my tanks.
Reefscape
07-16-2008, 4:33 AM
Plug in the hard ware and you should be able to boot from the CD. You have to partition the HDD before installing the OS. I have found that installing all the S/W you need on a computer takes hours of boring work(done this for so many friends i have lost count) especially when done for free....I should be calling in all those favors when i need to clean all my tanks.
You dont actually....The OS itself will automatically create the partition, and format it...
YOu may need to setup the hdd some hard drives come not set up. if so you will need to download 'seagate disk manager' and install it on a computer that has windows already on it. Connect the hdd to the computer and run through the steps of setting up a new sata drive in the program you downloaded. it will detect the sata drive and set it up ready for partitioning and formatting. YOu can then remove the hdd, put it in the rack mount and format/partition it and install windows on it. all via the windows installation process if you boot from the CD.
Now adays most hard drives come pre set up. but some dont. so if your having trouble and its not installing you might have to do this.
1oooop
07-16-2008, 7:46 AM
or you can stream digital audio from another computer, like me, especially when my room gets too hot because of comp. it's quite easy. first, you configure a drive for sharing
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=56157&d=1216207979http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=56158&d=1216207979http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=56159&d=1216207979http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=56160&d=1216208786http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=56161&d=1216208786
almo75
07-16-2008, 9:45 AM
Went as smooth as could be. I had not tried SATA for about 4 years at a guess.
Luckily I am able to go home at lunch so I started the formatting then and by the time I got home after work the rest was pretty quick.
Thanks for all the advise!
Reefscape
07-16-2008, 9:51 AM
Great stuff mate....glad you got it sorted...