Building a new GA-EP45-DS3L machine

[AlpacaHerder]

Originally Posted by Lobster

1) How do I go about formatting and partitioning the SATA drive that will be my main hard drive? It's the Western Digital 640GB noted in OP.

Here are Microsoft's instructions: How to partition and format a hard disk by using Windows XP Setup program. I don't believe that it will be a problem unless you have a XP install disc from before Service Pack 1. If I recall correctly, it could only see 137GB. Before you start, I would remove the other drives completely so they are not accidentally overwritten.

Another option for partitioning is Partition Magic ($$) or a free one like GParted.

I don't have this motherboard yet, but I'm sure someone will jump in if the XP installer has a problem recognizing SATA drives. This might be a reason to do the BIOS update first.

[Lsdmeasap]

Ya, once you start the XP install hit F6 to load your drivers (You may not have to, try once without them and see if you see your drive once you get to the drive selection screen) Then you can quick format the disk and partition it there as well if you like.

For 2x2GB you need to set performance Enhance to standard, set your ram voltages and set MCH voltage to 1.2-1.3 (1.24-1.28 would likely be best)

To update your BIOS, use Qflash and your floppy. Here is a Guide I wrote about that >>>
BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

HD formating does not matter, but you will need to load and apply optimized defaults after you flash and set your SATA and other disk settings all ove ragain keep that in mind

I do advise you do a clean install for sure

If XP does not see your drive you will need to load a driver. First be sure you have no jumpers on the back of your drive, some ship with one. Then start your XP install and you will see at the bottom of the screen "Press F6 to load Drivers" Press that and a few minutes later it will ask for your driver, put it on a floppy and load it. This would be the driver you want for XP (it may not be needed at all as Gigabyte does not offer it on your download page) >>>
Confirm Download

Once you load it, scroll up or down and choose this driver >>>
ICH10D/DO SATA AHCI Controller

And yes, you could set AHCI in the BIOS and use that as well if you wanted

And again your formatting will be done as you install XP. Here is what you would set your BIOS Options to in Integrated Peripherals page >>>>

SATA AHCI Mode (Intel ICH10 Southbridge) .............Disabled or AHCI

SATA Port0-3 Native Mode........... Enabled

Again, please try first without loading a Driver as you may not need to at all.

What you may need to do though is Either on a different system or yours with old OS install or DOS is setup your disk for first use, some disks have to have this done before the Formatting can even be done. This sets up the disk for first use (Sets active and formats it for a Bootable OS). Here would be the tool you need to use if your drive has to have this done >>>


Here is the PDF for setting up a disk and using those tools >>>

Quick Guide
http://www.wdc.com/en/library/sata/2...df?wdc_lang=en

Full Guide
http://www.wdc.com/en/library/sata/2...df?wdc_lang=en

And here is the tools >>>

Data Lifeguard Tools 11.2 for Windows

Windows Version
http://support.wdc.com/product/downl...&sid=1&lang=en

DOS CD ISO >>
http://support.wdc.com/product/downl...sid=53&lang=en

Floppy >>>
http://support.wdc.com/product/downl...sid=23&lang=en

[Lobster]

Thanks again for all your help. I'm at work so I don't have my build in front of me, but when you say:

For 2x2GB you need to set performance Enhance to standard, set your ram voltages and set MCH voltage to 1.2-1.3 (1.24-1.28 would likely be best)

To what do I set my RAM voltages? Voltages are scary and I don't want to get them wrong! :(

[Lsdmeasap]

You set your ram voltage to what you see on the sticker 1.9V

You set MCH voltage to 1.28 and then try lower later when you get time. Stock may work but not likely

Dont be scared, only pumping LARGE amounts into things will break them

[Lobster]

You set MCH voltage to 1.28 and then try lower later when you get time. Stock may work but not likely

How will I know that I should try lower, and how will I know when I've hit the sweet spot? Stability?

[Lobster]

OK, just started formatting my drive for the XP install. It recognized the drive with no problems, though it did force me to leave 8MB unpartitioned (I could've put an MP3 there! :( ).

The first keyboard I used didn't have functional uh...function keys so I had to quit out of Windows install and when I did that it started hanging at Verifying DMI pool, since Windows apparently changed the boot order or put some nonsense on the drive. Dipped my toe in the BIOS to get that straightened out. I figure once XP is installed I'll format the other partition, then I'll cross my fingers and flash the BIOS.

Then the REAL fun begins, heh. Please try not to leave out any steps, by the way. I'm not a total novice but this IS the first time I'll be messing with voltages and manually setting BIOS options so I'd rather you tell me something I already know than risk a guess at something I don't.

By the way AlpacaHerder, sorry if it seemed like I ignored you. I have a copy of Partition Magic around here somewhere and I'll use it if I need to tweak my partition sizes. Seems a little risky is all. If the XP setup hadn't worked I would have installed Partition Magic on the old drive and formatted the new one that way.

[AlpacaHerder]

Originally Posted by Lobster

By the way AlpacaHerder, sorry if it seemed like I ignored you. I have a copy of Partition Magic around here somewhere and I'll use it if I need to tweak my partition sizes. Seems a little risky is all. If the XP setup hadn't worked I would have installed Partition Magic on the old drive and formatted the new one that way.

No problem. I just wanted to make sure you had other options in case the XP partitioner didn't work during setup.

Good luck with the build

[Lsdmeasap]

For lowering voltage you just have to try one notch lower at a time and test as you go, that is the only way to know what is too low.

Partition magic is great, and safe to use for sure. Be sure you make the disk or floppy it ask you to make when you install it. That way if you have a issue, the recovery program will undue all changes.

I have never had a issue with it, but be SURE if you change the size of C that you move the disk FROM THE RIGHT SIDE ONLY. Do not move the partition from the left

Sounds like you may need to use a PS/2 keyboard and or do a clean install again since you exited out before the install was done. Windows install will not change any boot orders or anything in the BIOS

[Lobster]

For lowering voltage you just have to try one notch lower at a time and test as you go, that is the only way to know what is too low.

But how would I test it and how would I know it's too low?

Sounds like you may need to use a PS/2 keyboard and or do a clean install again since you exited out before the install was done. Windows install will not change any boot orders or anything in the BIOS

Well, Windows didn't install the first time because I cancelled it and after I went into the BIOS and changed the boot order it worked (installed) fine. I haven't tried booting directly from the harddrive yet. Once I had XP installed I formatted the other partition on the drive and had no problems with that even though I didn't mess around with WD's tools yet.

Going to start today's work on it by flashing the BIOS.

[Lobster]

Hit a little snag. My floppy drives work. My floppy DISCS, not so much. They're all quite old and appear to have expired. Testing them on multiple drives, they seem unable to reliably hold data. One of them refused to "keep" a MS-DOS boot formatting at all. Another one was all right but when I actually used it to boot it said COMMAND.EXE was corrupt or missing and wouldn't let me do anything. Given how unreliable these things are, even if I managed to get one to work I would NOT trust them with something as important as a BIOS image!

I have a USB drive I can use but unfortunately it's at work at the moment. Looks like the BIOS will have to wait till tomorrow.

I know I shouldn't put in the other DIMM yet since even if I get it working I'll need to redo it after I flash, but there are still some other components I haven't installed yet (Sound Card, for instance), the case is totally open and my hard drive enclosure is sitting on the table beside it (on a flat, clean, stable, non-staticky surface, of course). Think there'd be any harm in putting things back together so the night isn't entirely wasted?