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    Can I use USB flash as a floppy drive?

    Discussion in 'HP' started by petrv, Aug 9, 2006.

  1. petrv

    petrv Notebook Consultant

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    During Windows reinstallation of nc8430, I will need a SATA driver stored on a floppy disk to be loaded during WinXP installation. Because the nc8430 has no floppy drive and I don't have any USB external one, can I use some USB flash memory instead? Can BIOS recognize it, so I can use it during Windows installation or I have to buy an external floppy drive?
     
    petrv, Aug 9, 2006
    #1
  2. Brian

    Brian Working at 486 Speed NBR Reviewer

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    In my experience of doing the same thing with servers, the answer is no. Further, this may even require an HP branded floppy.
     
    Brian, Aug 9, 2006
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  3. ScottM

    ScottM Notebook Geek

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    Flash drive will not work sorry. Vista will allow that tho but who is going to wait until January!

    Just disable the Native Sata support before you start the process and then install xp and install driver after. Do not forget to reenable in bios the Native support then.

    scott
     
    ScottM, Aug 9, 2006
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  4. petrv

    petrv Notebook Consultant

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    Thank you.

    If I understand it correctly, if I disable the Native SATA in BIOS, Windows will install without any external driver? I thought that I have to use the floppy with drivers even if I disable this option in BIOS.
     
    petrv, Aug 10, 2006
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  5. vassil_98

    vassil_98 Notebook Deity

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    Another option is to integrate the SATA drivers with nlite but many people have repeatedly failed to do it correctly, so it may not be that easy.
     
    vassil_98, Aug 10, 2006
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  6. ScottM

    ScottM Notebook Geek

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    just disable the sata support in bios and you will be good to go but you MUST do this before you ever start the xp install process. Boot the system up without the xp disc in drive, enter bios and disable the support. Put xp disc in drive then exit bios (save changes) and you will be golden.

    scott
     
    ScottM, Aug 10, 2006
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  7. zishu

    zishu Notebook Guru

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    Scott I disable the native SATA support from BIOS before installing xp and it installed successfully. But now when I enable it xp does not boot and restart again and again and I have to disable it again to start xp. Can you tell me how can I install SATA drivers after installing XP and where I can find the driver?

    Thanks.
     
    zishu, Aug 17, 2006
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  8. billcsho

    billcsho Notebook Deity

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    There are situations that you still need the floppy drive. I got a refurbished Sony USB floppy for $15 from Sony outlet for that reason. Never use it so far, but who knows when it will be needed.
     
    billcsho, Aug 17, 2006
    #8