I just bought a new HD namely a Barracuda 160 GB SATA Drive, and I cannot install Windows XP Professional on it. It says something like, "Setup was unable to locate such a drive with the required amount of free space." I have gone to BIOS setup and changed it to boot from CD but no luck. I have also tried INSTALLING Windows 98, here's the thing though, it'll install Windows 98 but only by creating a partition for a FAT32 and for some reason I'm thinking that my new HD is NTFS already. When it created the partition it only created a maximum partition of 8gb/160gb...which leaves quite an AMOUNT of UNUSED space. Another thing is format is not supported when the partition is deleted off the HD....so right now I'm back at the drawing board trying to install windows without the 8gb partition and the limitation of space. Please your help would beeeeeee greatttllyyy apppreciaaateeeed Use the Seatools from Seagate to prepare the drive for an install...this includes setting partitions if you want them and formatting them to be ready to use...
They are on the CD that CAME with the drive if you didn't get one DLoad them and follow the instructions on making a boot CD.

Brand new drives are shipped un-formatted. They need to be formatted before Windows can see them.

This is why Win98 was able to see the drive because you created a partition and formatted it.

The instructions at Seagates site are pretty thorough so you should be good to go...

Those are nice drives by the way.I don't think Windows XP recognizes sata hard drives natively.
There should be a driver disk with the hard drive. When you boot with the xp disk, press F6 when it ASKS if you want to install any scsi drivers. (Or something to that effect) After that, just follow the installation directions.
Hey guys thanks for your help but even with all the assistance, I've still no luck. I've actually tried formatting the disc with discwizard by installing it as a primary slave HD on another computer, but again to no avail. My guess is that the solution is probably the easiest thing but I just don't get it. A barracuda 160gb drive, such a good drive yet I can't do anything with it...::frustrated ::Quote from: michaewlewis on June 02, 2007, 12:03:34 AM

I don't think Windows XP recognizes sata hard drives natively.

It says something like, "Setup was unable to locate such a drive with the required amount of free space."
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I have also tried installing Windows 98, here's the thing though, it'll install Windows 98 but only by creating a partition for a FAT32 and for some reason I'm thinking that my new HD is NTFS already. When it created the partition it only created a maximum partition of 8gb/160gb

I think you created a large partition and are trying to format it with FAT32. Is that right? Hard drives ship new with NO partitions, so you have obviously created one. Win98 cannot see NTFS drives or use them.THat its why it is trying to install on the 8 gig. portion, which is left AFTER a drive is partitioned with Win2000 or XP.

You need to delete ALL partitions and try again. Don't worry about the extra 8 megs. You are not wasting anything. Also, use NTFS if you are looking for one big drive.

Quote from: michaewlewis on June 02, 2007, 12:03:34 AM

I don't think Windows XP recognizes sata hard drives natively.

Wrong. With SP2 there is no problem.