[Gllug] Wanted - small (20, 30, 40gb) ide disks for kids' computers

[jim.cameron at buhlersortex.com]

Matthew King [matthew.king at monnsta.net]
> I recall, vaguely, a problem some time ago where a server was
> delivered by HP with a set of Windows installation CDs which
> couldn't run the hard drive. I don't recall why, probably
> SATA when it was new. The drivers were shipped on a floppy
> disc, which I dutifully tried to insert at the appropriate
> time, only to discover that the machine didn't come with a
> floppy drive and didn't even have a connector on the
> motherboard for one.

That would be Windows XP and SATA. Now, SATA drives became popular at about the same time the floppy was finally going obsolete, to the point at which it was reasonable to have a computer with none. In hindsight, shipping an operating system that needs drivers on a floppy before it will install on SATA media might not have been the most sensible thing.

Fortunately, the only time I came up against this problem, I managed to dig out an old floppy drive and connect it up. Saving a few pennies per machine by taking off the connector sounds like the sort of thing HP would do.

> I can't remember how we got the system up and running in the
> end but I remember I didn't end up with much sleep that night
> before I woke up at $dark the next day (Saturday!) to take it
> to Acton and connect it.

I believe it's possible to use an XP install CD to make a "slipstream" install disc with the proper drivers on it. This should be of academic interest only, but my wife's main hard disc is on the fritz and she's certainly going to want XP installed on whatever replaces it. Can you even /buy/ PATA drives any more?

> Remind me why I do this job again.

"Intangible benefits".

jim
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Jim Cameron
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