Help needed, New to SATA boot drive.

[zinc]

Hi

Before I order a Seagate ST3160811AS 160GB 7200.9 SATA II drive for a family member I would like some advice please.

The drive will be the only drive in the system and will be connected to a MSI K8N Neo4-F (PCB VER 1) motherboard as the boot drive.

I'm used to using a ATA 160Gb HD, using Seagate DiscWizard and formating the drive so Windows XP SP2 can see the drive size correct.

What do I do with the SATA II drive?

I can't make any sense from what I have read.

 

[FarFarAway]

I dont get whay you mean.

Install the drive, use Seagate tolls to enable SATA II (300), then use Windows Drive management tools to format it into partitions

 

[zinc]

I am completely new to using SATA drives.

When you say use Seagate tolls to enable SATA II (300). I have not heard of this is it the same as Seagate Discwizard?

Can you talk me through it on how to use this software and what it is so I can understand what it does please?

Then after that I just use Windows XP cd to partition and format like I already do?

 

[FarFarAway]

Seagqate make a bootable disc that lets you enable SATA 300 IF the disc isn't pre-enabled (sometimes they are).

Other than that - XP SP2 should recognise the disc and you should be able to partition it in any way you liked using the disc management in XP

 

[zinc]

It will be an OEM drive and won't come with the bootable disc. Can I download it off there site?

I have looked for it but can't find it.

The other thing I'm worried about is is whether the motherboard above supports SATA booting I can't find that out any where. Do you know this board and does it boot SATA?

 

[FarFarAway]

Why wouldn't a K8N mobo support booting from SATA?? That's just fugging ridiculous!

As for the disc - it's there, but hidden. I'll look later

 

[WC Annihilus]

Course it'll boot SATA. Any board that has a SATA port can boot SATA

Edit: bah, you beat me

Anyways, for the disk, you could just check Seagate's downloads section and see if it's there:

http://seagate.com/support/disc/utils.html

 

[zinc]

Just had a look in downloads from that link. There is one there called Seatools is that the one?

I'd just thought I would check with you about the board because once its bought thats it and its not my money its someone else's.

There is one last question though. Do you think this memory would match the motherboard OK, Crucial 1GB kit (512MBx2) DDR PC3200 CT2KIT6464Z40B?

On the MSI site it doesn't list it anywhere, there not going to overclock with it.

 

[FarFarAway]

Usually you should be ok, but MSI's can be picky with memory. The MSI forums have an approved RAM list afaik

 

[zinc]

Had a look on there list for the board but this memory isn't listed.

This is listed on there site Kingston 1GB DDR PC3200 KVR400X64C3AK2/1G but its a bit more expensive. Do you know if its a reliable memory?

 

[zinc]

Just ordered some Kingston 1GB DDR PC3200 KVR400X64C3AK2/1G as its listed on the MSI site for the board.

Let me know when you find that link.

Thanks all for your help.