Is there any way to add drivers to the XP installation so I could finally get rid of the goddamn legacy 3.5" floppy drive? I'm trying to install XP on a serial ata hdd but it won't be recognised unless I give the drivers on a floppy disk(not even a USB floppy will do). I want to get rid of the floppy disk for good but Microsoft still seems to actively support it since drivers can't be input any other way!

Nope

You can add cmd line installations with intel drivers and such, but you have to newer SATA and SCSI controllers via floppy

Actually there is a way, but you have to have access to the OEM Pre-Install kits for XP. Since I'm a system builder I do but I can only use them at the shop

I've done this along with slip-streaming the service packs for both Win 2K and XP. You can create an OEM folder for extra drivers and use the F5 key to load these during the initial setup.

I'm not sure you can do this same kind of thing with either the retail or the upgrade versions but perhaps you can.

You can, and you do not need the OPK. I don't have a link off-hand, but you need to create a custom CD/images with an 'OEM' folder below \i386.

Here are a few links to get you started...

If you require an updated OEM driver to support an existing controller that is natively supported by Windows but is not detected during setup, you must replace the Windows driver for the controller with the new OEM driver. You can find the Windows driver for the controller on one of the six Windows Setup boot disks or in the temporary installation folder ($WIN_NT$.~BT). This replacement allows Windows to use the updated OEM driver during text-mode setup, but you must copy the same updated OEM driver to the System32\Drivers folder of the final Windows installation before the installation continues into graphics-mode setup.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=%2Fdirectory%2Fworldwide%2Fen-gb%2Fdefault.aspx%3Fscid%3Dkb%3Ben-gb%3B314859%26amp%3Bln%3Den-gb


This link is probably more useful in your situation:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314479

Thanks! This was just what I needed.

EDIT: Seems like this was useless information after all The latter link points to a document which describes how to add OEM drivers in the GUI phase, but I need to add them in the text setup phase! The former link says I need to download the boot disks(floppy disks as they are, this would not help at all).

If you follow the unattended installation instructions, that should allow you to add a mass-storage controller driver, however, you will need to copy at least the i386 folder to your hard drive, and make a custom CD.

More information on that can be found in DosFreak's Ultimate Slipstream Guide here in the forums.

You can do this. I will see if I can post some better information later. I integrated some OEM SCSI drivers onto a CD and now it recognizes the controller during install. No floppy needed.

"If you follow the unattended installation instructions, that should allow you to add a mass-storage controller driver, however, you will need to copy at least the i386 folder to your hard drive, and make a custom CD."

The M$ guide says it's impossible to specify additional drivers during unattended setup. Besides, I do NOT want to do an unattended setup!

"More information on that can be found in DosFreak's Ultimate Slipstream Guide here in the forums."

DosFreak's slipstream guide contains no information regarding adding new drivers to text setup phase.

"You can do this. I will see if I can post some better information later. I integrated some OEM SCSI drivers onto a CD and now it recognizes the controller during install. No floppy needed."

I'd be grateful if you could tell me how you accomplished this.

Sorry for the delay.

I will post what I changed to get my Adaptec 2930U2 SCSI controller recognized during the install without having to use a floppy. I would imagine that the changes required for your device should be pretty similar.

First, what you will want to use the makecab utility found in the \winnt\system32 directory to make cab files of your .sys (driver) and .inf (setup) files. Mine were 2930U2.sys and 2930U2.inf which in turn became 2930U2.sy_ and 2930U2.in_ respectively. You will need to copy these files to the i386 directory that will be burned on your CD.

There are only 2 files that you will have to edit:

DOSNET.INF and TXTSETUP.SIF

Under DOSNET.INF I made the following changes:

[FloppyFiles.2]
I added:
d1,2930U2.sys

[Strings]
I added:
2930U2 = "Adaptec 2930U2 Ultra2 PCI SCSI Controller"

[Files]
(Be careful, there are two sections labeled this, you want the 2nd, it also has a very long list after it.) I added:
d1,2930U2.sys


Under TXTSETUP.SIF I made the following changes:

[SourceDisksFiles]
I added:
2930U2.inf = 1,,,,,,,20,0,0
2930U2.sys = 1,,,,,,3_,4,1

[HardwareIdsDatabase]
I added:
PCI\VEN_9005&DEV_0011&SUBSYS_01819005 = "2930U2"


[SCSI.Load]
I added:
2930U2 = 2930U2.sys,4

[SCSI]
I added:
2930U2 = "Adaptec 2930U2 Ultra2 PCI SCSI Controller"

The stuff in quotes is just a text string so nothing special there that I can tell. The only item I see that would be a problem is the PCI\Ven... etc. part. I got the value by opening the registry on a box that already had the adapter installed and went to the HKLM\System\ControlSet001\Enum\PCI key and searched through the values until I found the key that had the adapter that I was looking for.

Alternately, there was a similar setting in the .inf file that is provided with your hardware, I'm not sure if that would work, but I'd bet that it probably would. Mine showed PCI\VEN_9005&DEV_0011 vs. what I entered above.

I hope that helps, or at least gives you a headstart on it. If you want some more help, post your .inf and .sys files or link to the download from the manufacturer and I would be glad to take a look with you.

A million thanks. zen69x! I made my own XP SP1 cd that recognised my s-ata hdd in the text setup phase without having to rely on a floppy disk.
I wonder why this information wasn't available anywhere else. Maybe everyone else loves floppy disk drives?

Hello Zen
i found this while trying to find a way to install nt4 on a Poweredge 2850 with a 4e/di raid controller. the setup fails - well, it actually does a reboot loop after reading the 2nd setup floppy. so, what i'd like to do is maybe add the 2003 driver to whatever file to have it recognized (hopefully)
do you think this is possible?

If i shall follow your instructions, zen, should i be able to install two Maxtor DiamindMax plus 10(6l080m0) in a sata-raid array, using only those modifications, with no floppy disk?.