Help! problems fomatting my hard drive ='(

[Diablo6.0]

I currently own an X300. Last night when I was trying to boot from CD (to install a fresh clean version of XP PRo_, it loaded up to XP screen, but couldn't detect any hard drives? Yet if I just boot it up normal, it runs Vista Business just fine.

Could this be due to my hardware or is it something to do with the preloaded software "SW_PRELOAD" on the hard drive? how do I completely reformat my hard drive clean?

Help appreciated,
Thanks

[Marin85]

What is the SSD model? Go to BIOS and try changing AHCI to compatibility or the other way around (depending on the current setting). Did you try loading an HD driver before starting the XP installer (right after XP has loaded its files into RAM to start the installation wizard, you should be presented a few options to load specific drivers, if I remember correctly).

[GomJabbar]

You need the following. Read the installation instructions for XP.

Intel Matrix Storage Manager Driver for Windows XP, Vista (32bit) - ThinkPad

[Marin85]

You need the following. Read the installation instructions for XP.

Intel Matrix Storage Manager Driver for Windows XP, Vista (32bit) - ThinkPad

Ah, yes, I was just wondering what I forgot to mention when talking about AHCI If the SSD is the default one that is shipped with X300 (Samsung?), it has to run in AHCI mode and the IMS driver apply here. However, if the X300 has been bought from a reseller and configured with some other SSD model like the ones from OCZ, it should operate in compatibility mode. For different SSD brands this should be checked on the manufacturer website for more detailed instructions/specs (I guess, this last part is rather for the record/completeness).

Cheers,

Marin

[Diablo6.0]

Ah, yes, I was just wondering what I forgot to mention when talking about AHCI If the SSD is the default one that is shipped with X300 (Samsung?), it has to run in AHCI mode and the IMS driver apply here. However, if the X300 has been bought from a reseller and configured with some other SSD model like the ones from OCZ, it should operate in compatibility mode. For different SSD brands this should be checked on the manufacturer website for more detailed instructions/specs (I guess, this last part is rather for the record/completeness).

Cheers,

Marin

Thanks for the help guys, a little confused about the computer terms provided. Yes my Hard drive is a samsung one! I'll do some more research.

[Marin85]

Oh, then, what GomJabbar suggested, it the right way for you to go. (BTW, since there has been already an install of XP (the one from Lenovo) on this machine, I assume that it´s running in AHCI mode, so I don´t think you need to bother with that one anymore. BTW, you can find this AHCI/compatibility thing in BIOS -> setup -> Hard Disk in case you ever have to deal with it for whatever reasons.)

Good luck

Marin

[Diablo6.0]

Oh, then, what GomJabbar suggested, it the right way for you to go. (BTW, since there has been already an install of XP (the one from Lenovo) on this machine, I assume that it´s running in AHCI mode, so I don´t think you need to bother with that one anymore. BTW, you can find this AHCI/compatibility thing in BIOS -> setup -> Hard Disk in case you ever have to deal with it for whatever reasons.)

Good luck

Marin

Thanks Marin, yes I had to change to compatibility settings via BIOS. In the process of installing drivers atm. Machine has Vista Business, not XP preloaded.

[Marin85]

That surprises me a bit. My understanding was that you should keep tha AHCI mode and install the IMS driver from the link GomJabbar provided (you should load the driver at the very beginning of the installation when the installer asks for additional drivers to load). But I guess in the end this doesn´t really matter since compatibility mode worked out for and (hopefully) you don´t experience any performance or other problems with the SSD.

Cheers,

Marin

[GomJabbar]

There are two methods for XP in that link. The preferred method (if you have a floppy drive), and an alternate method.