Dell XPS XP Install Locks Up

[Blizzard596]

I've got a Dell XPS 400 that I'm trying to install XP from the original Dell CD onto a new SATA HD but every time I get to the screen to "set up Windows now, press enter", everything seems to lock up. I'm not sure if the PC is actually locked up or just the keyboard but I get stuck at that point.

Any ideas?

 

[SHAWN]

Have you pressed F6 before the install starts to load the SATA controller driver? It could be possible that its stuck searching for a drive to install Windows onto.

 

[Blizzard596]

Yes, the first time I tried it, I didn't press F6 and it just didn't detect the drive but it did at least get past the "press ENTER" screen. Next, I used F6 to install the SATA drivers and since then it's been locking up every time, regardless of whether I install the drivers or skip it.

 

[SHAWN]

Try connecting your drive into another SATA port on the board. Where did you get the SATA driver from?

 

[Blizzard596]

I'll try another connector. I downloaded the driver from Dell.

 

[Blizzard596]

Well I tried another connector with no change. The problem is occurring right before the setup screen is displayed, when the status bar reads "Setup is starting Windows". During that time, the keyboard lights go off and then never come back on.

 

[Blizzard596]

Ah problem solved. In the BIOS, I changed the default SATA Operation mode from "RAID Autodetect/AHCI" to "RAID Autodetect/ATA" and now everything is working fine.