I have an MSI K9NSLI Platinum motherboard with a brand new Seagate
ST3250410AS 250GB SATA drive attached as the third master drive. The
primary master has an old school ATAPI DVDRW. Keep in mind there is no
way I can change a setting in the BIOS (or I don't know how to do it) so
that the SATA device is the primary master drive, so these are permanent
settings; the primary master and slave drives connect to the IDE
connector on my mobo. Now, I’ve tried and tried and tried, but I can’t
do a clean install nor an upgrade of Windows Vista Home Premium x86
(from DVD) on that SATA drive when it is hooked up alone (as the third
master drive).

But here’s the kicker. If I plug in my old regular ATA IDE drive as the
primary master drive, the DVDRW as the primary slave, and leave the SATA
drive as the third master drive, I can install Vista with no problems
onto the SATA drive. I just have to leave my old regular ATA IDE drive
plugged in as the primary master. If I try to disconnect my old regular
ATA IDE drive but leave the SATA drive plugged in by itself, Windows
Vista won’t boot.

What is the deal here? How come I can have the SATA by itself as the
third master and install WINDOWS XP with no problems and have a workable
system, but VISTA doesn’t install. I just paid over $250 for Vista and
I have to use this kind of setup to get Windows Vista to work on a SATA
drive by itself? This is lame. I want to take that old IDE hard drive
out of the box.

Here are my install screens:

First screen: “Windows is loading files...” bar goes to 100% and the
screen advances

Second screen: Black screen with moving green bar and Copyright
Microsoft Corporation on bottom. The green bar just keeps moving on
forever and doesn’t go to the next screen (which would be the colorful
“Install Windows” dialog box where you choose the language,
time/currency, and keyboard, etc.)

Thanks in advance.

Youve read the mobo manual with regard using a sata drive as boot device?
This may involve connecting the sata to a specific controller port &
adjusting bios settings.

In general terms there is no Sata master setting all sata drives are
'master'

You could allways disconnect all drives, other than the new sata & dvd then
install, if it doesnt then you have a bios setting or sata connected to
wrong port problem

"Marshall Lymer" wrote in message
news:Kgayj.23811$pM4.788@pd7urf1no...
I have an MSI K9NSLI Platinum motherboard with a brand new Seagate
ST3250410AS 250GB SATA drive attached as the third master drive. The
primary master has an old school ATAPI DVDRW. Keep in mind there is no way
I can change a setting in the BIOS (or I don't know how to do it) so that
the SATA device is the primary master drive, so these are permanent
settings; the primary master and slave drives connect to the IDE connector
on my mobo. Now, I’ve tried and tried and tried, but I can’t do a clean
install nor an upgrade of Windows Vista Home Premium x86 (from DVD) on that
SATA drive when it is hooked up alone (as the third master drive).

But here’s the kicker. If I plug in my old regular ATA IDE drive as the
primary master drive, the DVDRW as the primary slave, and leave the SATA
drive as the third master drive, I can install Vista with no problems onto
the SATA drive. I just have to leave my old regular ATA IDE drive plugged
in as the primary master. If I try to disconnect my old regular ATA IDE
drive but leave the SATA drive plugged in by itself, Windows Vista won’t
boot.

What is the deal here? How come I can have the SATA by itself as the
third master and install WINDOWS XP with no problems and have a workable
system, but VISTA doesn’t install. I just paid over $250 for Vista and I
have to use this kind of setup to get Windows Vista to work on a SATA
drive by itself? This is lame. I want to take that old IDE hard drive
out of the box.

Here are my install screens:

First screen: “Windows is loading files...” bar goes to 100% and the
screen advances

Second screen: Black screen with moving green bar and Copyright Microsoft
Corporation on bottom. The green bar just keeps moving on forever and
doesn’t go to the next screen (which would be the colorful “Install
Windows” dialog box where you choose the language, time/currency, and
keyboard, etc.)

Thanks in advance.

You need to go into your BIOS and set the boot priority to have the SATA
drive first hard drive in boot order. Read your manual for how to enter
your BIOS

"Marshall Lymer" wrote in message
news:Kgayj.23811$pM4.788@pd7urf1no...
I have an MSI K9NSLI Platinum motherboard with a brand new Seagate
ST3250410AS 250GB SATA drive attached as the third master drive. The
primary master has an old school ATAPI DVDRW. Keep in mind there is no way
I can change a setting in the BIOS (or I don't know how to do it) so that
the SATA device is the primary master drive, so these are permanent
settings; the primary master and slave drives connect to the IDE connector
on my mobo. Now, I’ve tried and tried and tried, but I can’t do a clean
install nor an upgrade of Windows Vista Home Premium x86 (from DVD) on that
SATA drive when it is hooked up alone (as the third master drive).

But here’s the kicker. If I plug in my old regular ATA IDE drive as the
primary master drive, the DVDRW as the primary slave, and leave the SATA
drive as the third master drive, I can install Vista with no problems onto
the SATA drive. I just have to leave my old regular ATA IDE drive plugged
in as the primary master. If I try to disconnect my old regular ATA IDE
drive but leave the SATA drive plugged in by itself, Windows Vista won’t
boot.

What is the deal here? How come I can have the SATA by itself as the
third master and install WINDOWS XP with no problems and have a workable
system, but VISTA doesn’t install. I just paid over $250 for Vista and I
have to use this kind of setup to get Windows Vista to work on a SATA
drive by itself? This is lame. I want to take that old IDE hard drive
out of the box.

Here are my install screens:

First screen: “Windows is loading files...” bar goes to 100% and the
screen advances

Second screen: Black screen with moving green bar and Copyright Microsoft
Corporation on bottom. The green bar just keeps moving on forever and
doesn’t go to the next screen (which would be the colorful “Install
Windows” dialog box where you choose the language, time/currency, and
keyboard, etc.)

Thanks in advance.

Thanks for the advice, but for my motherboard, there is no way to change
the boot priority.

I made a mistake buying Vista that's for sure.

John Barnes wrote:
You need to go into your BIOS and set the boot priority to have the SATA
drive first hard drive in boot order. Read your manual for how to enter
your BIOS

"Marshall Lymer" wrote in message
news:Kgayj.23811$pM4.788@pd7urf1no...
I have an MSI K9NSLI Platinum motherboard with a brand new Seagate
ST3250410AS 250GB SATA drive attached as the third master drive. The
primary master has an old school ATAPI DVDRW. Keep in mind there is
no way I can change a setting in the BIOS (or I don't know how to do
it) so that the SATA device is the primary master drive, so these are
permanent settings; the primary master and slave drives connect to the
IDE connector on my mobo. Now, I’ve tried and tried and tried, but I
can’t do a clean install nor an upgrade of Windows Vista Home Premium
x86 (from DVD) on that SATA drive when it is hooked up alone (as the
third master drive).

But here’s the kicker. If I plug in my old regular ATA IDE drive as
the primary master drive, the DVDRW as the primary slave, and leave
the SATA drive as the third master drive, I can install Vista with no
problems onto the SATA drive. I just have to leave my old regular ATA
IDE drive plugged in as the primary master. If I try to disconnect my
old regular ATA IDE drive but leave the SATA drive plugged in by
itself, Windows Vista won’t boot.

What is the deal here? How come I can have the SATA by itself as the
third master and install WINDOWS XP with no problems and have a
workable system, but VISTA doesn’t install. I just paid over $250 for
Vista and I have to use this kind of setup to get Windows Vista to
work on a SATA drive by itself? This is lame. I want to take that
old IDE hard drive out of the box.

Here are my install screens:

First screen: “Windows is loading files...” bar goes to 100% and the
screen advances

Second screen: Black screen with moving green bar and Copyright
Microsoft Corporation on bottom. The green bar just keeps moving on
forever and doesn’t go to the next screen (which would be the colorful
“Install Windows” dialog box where you choose the language,
time/currency, and keyboard, etc.)

Thanks in advance.

There is no chance that you are correct. Don't know why you can't find it
in the manual or by browsing thru the BIOS but I assure you that there is no
post 1999 BIOS where you can't change the boot priority, and any MOBO that
supports SATA surely does. 99% of the BIOS's that support SATA also support
boot time priority changes. LOOK FOR IT

"Marshall Lymer" wrote in message
news:Awkyj.29598$w94.4767@pd7urf2no...
Thanks for the advice, but for my motherboard, there is no way to change
the boot priority.

I made a mistake buying Vista that's for sure.

John Barnes wrote:
You need to go into your BIOS and set the boot priority to have the SATA
drive first hard drive in boot order. Read your manual for how to enter
your BIOS

"Marshall Lymer" wrote in message
news:Kgayj.23811$pM4.788@pd7urf1no...
I have an MSI K9NSLI Platinum motherboard with a brand new Seagate
ST3250410AS 250GB SATA drive attached as the third master drive. The
primary master has an old school ATAPI DVDRW. Keep in mind there is no
way I can change a setting in the BIOS (or I don't know how to do it) so
that the SATA device is the primary master drive, so these are permanent
settings; the primary master and slave drives connect to the IDE
connector on my mobo. Now, I’ve tried and tried and tried, but I can’t
do a clean install nor an upgrade of Windows Vista Home Premium x86
(from DVD) on that SATA drive when it is hooked up alone (as the third
master drive).

But here’s the kicker. If I plug in my old regular ATA IDE drive as the
primary master drive, the DVDRW as the primary slave, and leave the SATA
drive as the third master drive, I can install Vista with no problems
onto the SATA drive. I just have to leave my old regular ATA IDE drive
plugged in as the primary master. If I try to disconnect my old regular
ATA IDE drive but leave the SATA drive plugged in by itself, Windows
Vista won’t boot.

What is the deal here? How come I can have the SATA by itself as the
third master and install WINDOWS XP with no problems and have a workable
system, but VISTA doesn’t install. I just paid over $250 for Vista and
I have to use this kind of setup to get Windows Vista to work on a SATA
drive by itself? This is lame. I want to take that old IDE hard drive
out of the box.

Here are my install screens:

First screen: “Windows is loading files...” bar goes to 100% and the
screen advances

Second screen: Black screen with moving green bar and Copyright
Microsoft Corporation on bottom. The green bar just keeps moving on
forever and doesn’t go to the next screen (which would be the colorful
“Install Windows” dialog box where you choose the language,
time/currency, and keyboard, etc.)

Thanks in advance.

You are correct; I think I'm going off on a tangent with this problem. I
shouldn't have stated in my last post that I couldn't change the boot
priority, because you can. That was my mistake. But even when you
change the boot priority in the BIOS, the old ATA IDE drive will still
show up as the primary master and my new SATA drive will still be the
third master drive.

I am starting to think that concentrating on the primary and third
master drive concept has nothing to do with my problems installing Vista
on the SATA drive by itself.

And it still doesn't change the fact that I can't install Vista UNLESS I
keep that old ATA IDE drive plugged in as the primary master on that IDE
port and the SATA drive plugged in as the third master drive.

I just want to get rid of that old ATA IDE drive and do a clean install
on my new SATA drive. How come Windows XP will do a clean install with
this kind of setup?


John Barnes wrote:
There is no chance that you are correct. Don't know why you can't find
it in the manual or by browsing thru the BIOS but I assure you that
there is no post 1999 BIOS where you can't change the boot priority, and
any MOBO that supports SATA surely does. 99% of the BIOS's that support
SATA also support boot time priority changes. LOOK FOR IT

"Marshall Lymer" wrote in message
news:Awkyj.29598$w94.4767@pd7urf2no...
Thanks for the advice, but for my motherboard, there is no way to
change the boot priority.

I made a mistake buying Vista that's for sure.

John Barnes wrote:
You need to go into your BIOS and set the boot priority to have the
SATA drive first hard drive in boot order. Read your manual for how
to enter your BIOS

"Marshall Lymer" wrote in message
news:Kgayj.23811$pM4.788@pd7urf1no...
I have an MSI K9NSLI Platinum motherboard with a brand new Seagate
ST3250410AS 250GB SATA drive attached as the third master drive.
The primary master has an old school ATAPI DVDRW. Keep in mind
there is no way I can change a setting in the BIOS (or I don't know
how to do it) so that the SATA device is the primary master drive,
so these are permanent settings; the primary master and slave drives
connect to the IDE connector on my mobo. Now, I’ve tried and tried
and tried, but I can’t do a clean install nor an upgrade of Windows
Vista Home Premium x86 (from DVD) on that SATA drive when it is
hooked up alone (as the third master drive).

But here’s the kicker. If I plug in my old regular ATA IDE drive as
the primary master drive, the DVDRW as the primary slave, and leave
the SATA drive as the third master drive, I can install Vista with
no problems onto the SATA drive. I just have to leave my old
regular ATA IDE drive plugged in as the primary master. If I try to
disconnect my old regular ATA IDE drive but leave the SATA drive
plugged in by itself, Windows Vista won’t boot.

What is the deal here? How come I can have the SATA by itself as
the third master and install WINDOWS XP with no problems and have a
workable system, but VISTA doesn’t install. I just paid over $250
for Vista and I have to use this kind of setup to get Windows Vista
to work on a SATA drive by itself? This is lame. I want to take
that old IDE hard drive out of the box.

Here are my install screens:

First screen: “Windows is loading files...” bar goes to 100% and the
screen advances

Second screen: Black screen with moving green bar and Copyright
Microsoft Corporation on bottom. The green bar just keeps moving on
forever and doesn’t go to the next screen (which would be the
colorful “Install Windows” dialog box where you choose the language,
time/currency, and keyboard, etc.)

Thanks in advance.

Some BIOS's have a two step priority system. First you select the order of
priority of major categories, i.e. floppy DVD hd etc. Then separately you
set the priority of the HD within that category i.e. IDE SATA1 etc. What
shows up on the splash screen when you go thru POST makes no difference.
You need to enter the BIOS using whatever key it says at the bottom of the
POST screens, often the delete key, when you enter the bios, usually the
main categories are across the top and you need to scroll over the the boot
priority, then enter. Within that section you would generally set up the
DVD drive as first boot and the HD as second boot. Following that, you
would go to the HD priority section and set up the drives in order, in your
case you want the SATA drive as first and if you leave the IDE attached (I
would recommend disconnecting the plug) set it up second. Save the changes
and boot to the DVD. Follow the setup instructions. Have the SATA
controller drivers ready on a thumb drive or floppy so you can install them
where it says 'Load Drivers' on the page where you select where to install
Vista.


"Marshall Lymer" wrote in message
news:e2oyj.31763$w94.20470@pd7urf2no...
You are correct; I think I'm going off on a tangent with this problem. I
shouldn't have stated in my last post that I couldn't change the boot
priority, because you can. That was my mistake. But even when you change
the boot priority in the BIOS, the old ATA IDE drive will still show up as
the primary master and my new SATA drive will still be the third master
drive.

I am starting to think that concentrating on the primary and third master
drive concept has nothing to do with my problems installing Vista on the
SATA drive by itself.

And it still doesn't change the fact that I can't install Vista UNLESS I
keep that old ATA IDE drive plugged in as the primary master on that IDE
port and the SATA drive plugged in as the third master drive.

I just want to get rid of that old ATA IDE drive and do a clean install on
my new SATA drive. How come Windows XP will do a clean install with this
kind of setup?


John Barnes wrote:
There is no chance that you are correct. Don't know why you can't find
it in the manual or by browsing thru the BIOS but I assure you that there
is no post 1999 BIOS where you can't change the boot priority, and any
MOBO that supports SATA surely does. 99% of the BIOS's that support SATA
also support boot time priority changes. LOOK FOR IT

"Marshall Lymer" wrote in message
news:Awkyj.29598$w94.4767@pd7urf2no...
Thanks for the advice, but for my motherboard, there is no way to change
the boot priority.

I made a mistake buying Vista that's for sure.

John Barnes wrote:
You need to go into your BIOS and set the boot priority to have the
SATA drive first hard drive in boot order. Read your manual for how to
enter your BIOS

"Marshall Lymer" wrote in message
news:Kgayj.23811$pM4.788@pd7urf1no...
I have an MSI K9NSLI Platinum motherboard with a brand new Seagate
ST3250410AS 250GB SATA drive attached as the third master drive. The
primary master has an old school ATAPI DVDRW. Keep in mind there is
no way I can change a setting in the BIOS (or I don't know how to do
it) so that the SATA device is the primary master drive, so these are
permanent settings; the primary master and slave drives connect to the
IDE connector on my mobo. Now, I’ve tried and tried and tried, but I
can’t do a clean install nor an upgrade of Windows Vista Home Premium
x86 (from DVD) on that SATA drive when it is hooked up alone (as the
third master drive).

But here’s the kicker. If I plug in my old regular ATA IDE drive as
the primary master drive, the DVDRW as the primary slave, and leave
the SATA drive as the third master drive, I can install Vista with no
problems onto the SATA drive. I just have to leave my old regular ATA
IDE drive plugged in as the primary master. If I try to disconnect my
old regular ATA IDE drive but leave the SATA drive plugged in by
itself, Windows Vista won’t boot.

What is the deal here? How come I can have the SATA by itself as the
third master and install WINDOWS XP with no problems and have a
workable system, but VISTA doesn’t install. I just paid over $250 for
Vista and I have to use this kind of setup to get Windows Vista to
work on a SATA drive by itself? This is lame. I want to take that
old IDE hard drive out of the box.

Here are my install screens:

First screen: “Windows is loading files...” bar goes to 100% and the
screen advances

Second screen: Black screen with moving green bar and Copyright
Microsoft Corporation on bottom. The green bar just keeps moving on
forever and doesn’t go to the next screen (which would be the colorful
“Install Windows” dialog box where you choose the language,
time/currency, and keyboard, etc.)

Thanks in advance.

Thanks for your help John. I appreciate your input and would like to
resolve this problem soon. But take a look at the screen where I get stuck:

http://www.blackviper.com/Articles/O.../image1_2.html

That's only the second screen in the Vista install process and I can
never get to the page where it asks me to 'Load Drivers.'

This Vista install should be straight forward but it isn't. I've tried
everything in the BIOS and even upgraded my BIOS to the latest drivers
from MSI, but still no dice.

John Barnes wrote:
Some BIOS's have a two step priority system. First you select the order
of priority of major categories, i.e. floppy DVD hd etc. Then
separately you set the priority of the HD within that category i.e. IDE
SATA1 etc. What shows up on the splash screen when you go thru POST
makes no difference. You need to enter the BIOS using whatever key it
says at the bottom of the POST screens, often the delete key, when you
enter the bios, usually the main categories are across the top and you
need to scroll over the the boot priority, then enter. Within that
section you would generally set up the DVD drive as first boot and the
HD as second boot. Following that, you would go to the HD priority
section and set up the drives in order, in your case you want the SATA
drive as first and if you leave the IDE attached (I would recommend
disconnecting the plug) set it up second. Save the changes and boot to
the DVD. Follow the setup instructions. Have the SATA controller
drivers ready on a thumb drive or floppy so you can install them where
it says 'Load Drivers' on the page where you select where to install Vista.


"Marshall Lymer" wrote in message
news:e2oyj.31763$w94.20470@pd7urf2no...
You are correct; I think I'm going off on a tangent with this problem.
I shouldn't have stated in my last post that I couldn't change the
boot priority, because you can. That was my mistake. But even when
you change the boot priority in the BIOS, the old ATA IDE drive will
still show up as the primary master and my new SATA drive will still
be the third master drive.

I am starting to think that concentrating on the primary and third
master drive concept has nothing to do with my problems installing
Vista on the SATA drive by itself.

And it still doesn't change the fact that I can't install Vista UNLESS
I keep that old ATA IDE drive plugged in as the primary master on that
IDE port and the SATA drive plugged in as the third master drive.

I just want to get rid of that old ATA IDE drive and do a clean
install on my new SATA drive. How come Windows XP will do a clean
install with this kind of setup?


John Barnes wrote:
There is no chance that you are correct. Don't know why you can't
find it in the manual or by browsing thru the BIOS but I assure you
that there is no post 1999 BIOS where you can't change the boot
priority, and any MOBO that supports SATA surely does. 99% of the
BIOS's that support SATA also support boot time priority changes.
LOOK FOR IT

"Marshall Lymer" wrote in message
news:Awkyj.29598$w94.4767@pd7urf2no...
Thanks for the advice, but for my motherboard, there is no way to
change the boot priority.

I made a mistake buying Vista that's for sure.

John Barnes wrote:
You need to go into your BIOS and set the boot priority to have the
SATA drive first hard drive in boot order. Read your manual for
how to enter your BIOS

"Marshall Lymer" wrote in message
news:Kgayj.23811$pM4.788@pd7urf1no...
I have an MSI K9NSLI Platinum motherboard with a brand new Seagate
ST3250410AS 250GB SATA drive attached as the third master drive.
The primary master has an old school ATAPI DVDRW. Keep in mind
there is no way I can change a setting in the BIOS (or I don't
know how to do it) so that the SATA device is the primary master
drive, so these are permanent settings; the primary master and
slave drives connect to the IDE connector on my mobo. Now, I’ve
tried and tried and tried, but I can’t do a clean install nor an
upgrade of Windows Vista Home Premium x86 (from DVD) on that SATA
drive when it is hooked up alone (as the third master drive).

But here’s the kicker. If I plug in my old regular ATA IDE drive
as the primary master drive, the DVDRW as the primary slave, and
leave the SATA drive as the third master drive, I can install
Vista with no problems onto the SATA drive. I just have to leave
my old regular ATA IDE drive plugged in as the primary master. If
I try to disconnect my old regular ATA IDE drive but leave the
SATA drive plugged in by itself, Windows Vista won’t boot.

What is the deal here? How come I can have the SATA by itself as
the third master and install WINDOWS XP with no problems and have
a workable system, but VISTA doesn’t install. I just paid over
$250 for Vista and I have to use this kind of setup to get Windows
Vista to work on a SATA drive by itself? This is lame. I want to
take that old IDE hard drive out of the box.

Here are my install screens:

First screen: “Windows is loading files...” bar goes to 100% and
the screen advances

Second screen: Black screen with moving green bar and Copyright
Microsoft Corporation on bottom. The green bar just keeps moving
on forever and doesn’t go to the next screen (which would be the
colorful “Install Windows” dialog box where you choose the
language, time/currency, and keyboard, etc.)

Thanks in advance.

There are two settings in the bios to use the sata, first set your bios to
defaults, then ammend
1) Set Sata as boot device
2) Config Sata
All sata drives are master
Disconnect all your ide / card reader devices, leave only the sata & DVD
Boot from the DVD assuming the sata is detected delete any partitions, clean
install
If you wish to use raid MSI state to install the drivers during the early
part of the Win installation process

"Marshall Lymer" wrote in message
news:z3qyj.32675$w94.5183@pd7urf2no...
Thanks for your help John. I appreciate your input and would like to
resolve this problem soon. But take a look at the screen where I get
stuck:

http://www.blackviper.com/Articles/O.../image1_2.html

That's only the second screen in the Vista install process and I can never
get to the page where it asks me to 'Load Drivers.'

This Vista install should be straight forward but it isn't. I've tried
everything in the BIOS and even upgraded my BIOS to the latest drivers
from MSI, but still no dice.

John Barnes wrote:
Some BIOS's have a two step priority system. First you select the order
of priority of major categories, i.e. floppy DVD hd etc. Then separately
you set the priority of the HD within that category i.e. IDE SATA1 etc.
What shows up on the splash screen when you go thru POST makes no
difference. You need to enter the BIOS using whatever key it says at the
bottom of the POST screens, often the delete key, when you enter the
bios, usually the main categories are across the top and you need to
scroll over the the boot priority, then enter. Within that section you
would generally set up the DVD drive as first boot and the HD as second
boot. Following that, you would go to the HD priority section and set up
the drives in order, in your case you want the SATA drive as first and if
you leave the IDE attached (I would recommend disconnecting the plug) set
it up second. Save the changes and boot to the DVD. Follow the setup
instructions. Have the SATA controller drivers ready on a thumb drive or
floppy so you can install them where it says 'Load Drivers' on the page
where you select where to install Vista.


"Marshall Lymer" wrote in message
news:e2oyj.31763$w94.20470@pd7urf2no...
You are correct; I think I'm going off on a tangent with this problem. I
shouldn't have stated in my last post that I couldn't change the boot
priority, because you can. That was my mistake. But even when you
change the boot priority in the BIOS, the old ATA IDE drive will still
show up as the primary master and my new SATA drive will still be the
third master drive.

I am starting to think that concentrating on the primary and third
master drive concept has nothing to do with my problems installing Vista
on the SATA drive by itself.

And it still doesn't change the fact that I can't install Vista UNLESS I
keep that old ATA IDE drive plugged in as the primary master on that IDE
port and the SATA drive plugged in as the third master drive.

I just want to get rid of that old ATA IDE drive and do a clean install
on my new SATA drive. How come Windows XP will do a clean install with
this kind of setup?


John Barnes wrote:
There is no chance that you are correct. Don't know why you can't find
it in the manual or by browsing thru the BIOS but I assure you that
there is no post 1999 BIOS where you can't change the boot priority,
and any MOBO that supports SATA surely does. 99% of the BIOS's that
support SATA also support boot time priority changes. LOOK FOR IT

"Marshall Lymer" wrote in message
news:Awkyj.29598$w94.4767@pd7urf2no...
Thanks for the advice, but for my motherboard, there is no way to
change the boot priority.

I made a mistake buying Vista that's for sure.

John Barnes wrote:
You need to go into your BIOS and set the boot priority to have the
SATA drive first hard drive in boot order. Read your manual for how
to enter your BIOS

"Marshall Lymer" wrote in message
news:Kgayj.23811$pM4.788@pd7urf1no...
I have an MSI K9NSLI Platinum motherboard with a brand new Seagate
ST3250410AS 250GB SATA drive attached as the third master drive.
The primary master has an old school ATAPI DVDRW. Keep in mind
there is no way I can change a setting in the BIOS (or I don't know
how to do it) so that the SATA device is the primary master drive,
so these are permanent settings; the primary master and slave drives
connect to the IDE connector on my mobo. Now, I’ve tried and tried
and tried, but I can’t do a clean install nor an upgrade of Windows
Vista Home Premium x86 (from DVD) on that SATA drive when it is
hooked up alone (as the third master drive).

But here’s the kicker. If I plug in my old regular ATA IDE drive as
the primary master drive, the DVDRW as the primary slave, and leave
the SATA drive as the third master drive, I can install Vista with
no problems onto the SATA drive. I just have to leave my old
regular ATA IDE drive plugged in as the primary master. If I try to
disconnect my old regular ATA IDE drive but leave the SATA drive
plugged in by itself, Windows Vista won’t boot.

What is the deal here? How come I can have the SATA by itself as
the third master and install WINDOWS XP with no problems and have a
workable system, but VISTA doesn’t install. I just paid over $250
for Vista and I have to use this kind of setup to get Windows Vista
to work on a SATA drive by itself? This is lame. I want to take
that old IDE hard drive out of the box.

Here are my install screens:

First screen: “Windows is loading files...” bar goes to 100% and the
screen advances

Second screen: Black screen with moving green bar and Copyright
Microsoft Corporation on bottom. The green bar just keeps moving on
forever and doesn’t go to the next screen (which would be the
colorful “Install Windows” dialog box where you choose the language,
time/currency, and keyboard, etc.)

Thanks in advance.

If you get to the page where you have the scroll bar, you are way past the
load drivers which is on the page where you select the drive to install
Vista on. If you have Vista installed to the point where you are booting to
it to do an upgrade install, you need to hit F8 during the last part of post
and try safe mode. If you can get into safe mode, the odds are you need to
install the latest video drivers for your card as the point of the scroll
bar is where the video driver is loaded.


"Marshall Lymer" wrote in message
news:z3qyj.32675$w94.5183@pd7urf2no...
Thanks for your help John. I appreciate your input and would like to
resolve this problem soon. But take a look at the screen where I get
stuck:

http://www.blackviper.com/Articles/O.../image1_2.html

That's only the second screen in the Vista install process and I can never
get to the page where it asks me to 'Load Drivers.'

This Vista install should be straight forward but it isn't. I've tried
everything in the BIOS and even upgraded my BIOS to the latest drivers
from MSI, but still no dice.

John Barnes wrote:
Some BIOS's have a two step priority system. First you select the order
of priority of major categories, i.e. floppy DVD hd etc. Then separately
you set the priority of the HD within that category i.e. IDE SATA1 etc.
What shows up on the splash screen when you go thru POST makes no
difference. You need to enter the BIOS using whatever key it says at the
bottom of the POST screens, often the delete key, when you enter the
bios, usually the main categories are across the top and you need to
scroll over the the boot priority, then enter. Within that section you
would generally set up the DVD drive as first boot and the HD as second
boot. Following that, you would go to the HD priority section and set up
the drives in order, in your case you want the SATA drive as first and if
you leave the IDE attached (I would recommend disconnecting the plug) set
it up second. Save the changes and boot to the DVD. Follow the setup
instructions. Have the SATA controller drivers ready on a thumb drive or
floppy so you can install them where it says 'Load Drivers' on the page
where you select where to install Vista.


"Marshall Lymer" wrote in message
news:e2oyj.31763$w94.20470@pd7urf2no...
You are correct; I think I'm going off on a tangent with this problem. I
shouldn't have stated in my last post that I couldn't change the boot
priority, because you can. That was my mistake. But even when you
change the boot priority in the BIOS, the old ATA IDE drive will still
show up as the primary master and my new SATA drive will still be the
third master drive.

I am starting to think that concentrating on the primary and third
master drive concept has nothing to do with my problems installing Vista
on the SATA drive by itself.

And it still doesn't change the fact that I can't install Vista UNLESS I
keep that old ATA IDE drive plugged in as the primary master on that IDE
port and the SATA drive plugged in as the third master drive.

I just want to get rid of that old ATA IDE drive and do a clean install
on my new SATA drive. How come Windows XP will do a clean install with
this kind of setup?


John Barnes wrote:
There is no chance that you are correct. Don't know why you can't find
it in the manual or by browsing thru the BIOS but I assure you that
there is no post 1999 BIOS where you can't change the boot priority,
and any MOBO that supports SATA surely does. 99% of the BIOS's that
support SATA also support boot time priority changes. LOOK FOR IT

"Marshall Lymer" wrote in message
news:Awkyj.29598$w94.4767@pd7urf2no...
Thanks for the advice, but for my motherboard, there is no way to
change the boot priority.

I made a mistake buying Vista that's for sure.

John Barnes wrote:
You need to go into your BIOS and set the boot priority to have the
SATA drive first hard drive in boot order. Read your manual for how
to enter your BIOS

"Marshall Lymer" wrote in message
news:Kgayj.23811$pM4.788@pd7urf1no...
I have an MSI K9NSLI Platinum motherboard with a brand new Seagate
ST3250410AS 250GB SATA drive attached as the third master drive.
The primary master has an old school ATAPI DVDRW. Keep in mind
there is no way I can change a setting in the BIOS (or I don't know
how to do it) so that the SATA device is the primary master drive,
so these are permanent settings; the primary master and slave drives
connect to the IDE connector on my mobo. Now, I’ve tried and tried
and tried, but I can’t do a clean install nor an upgrade of Windows
Vista Home Premium x86 (from DVD) on that SATA drive when it is
hooked up alone (as the third master drive).

But here’s the kicker. If I plug in my old regular ATA IDE drive as
the primary master drive, the DVDRW as the primary slave, and leave
the SATA drive as the third master drive, I can install Vista with
no problems onto the SATA drive. I just have to leave my old
regular ATA IDE drive plugged in as the primary master. If I try to
disconnect my old regular ATA IDE drive but leave the SATA drive
plugged in by itself, Windows Vista won’t boot.

What is the deal here? How come I can have the SATA by itself as
the third master and install WINDOWS XP with no problems and have a
workable system, but VISTA doesn’t install. I just paid over $250
for Vista and I have to use this kind of setup to get Windows Vista
to work on a SATA drive by itself? This is lame. I want to take
that old IDE hard drive out of the box.

Here are my install screens:

First screen: “Windows is loading files...” bar goes to 100% and the
screen advances

Second screen: Black screen with moving green bar and Copyright
Microsoft Corporation on bottom. The green bar just keeps moving on
forever and doesn’t go to the next screen (which would be the
colorful “Install Windows” dialog box where you choose the language,
time/currency, and keyboard, etc.)

Thanks in advance.