SATA drive clean up ?

[Ex-Bay]

I've been given a 160MB SATA drive. Now, apart from the fact that I don't understand them much (I thought they were for Servers as RAID back-up), this one seem to be full of Linux. What I wont to do is fit XP to it.
Do I need to clean it up or something before inserting the XP disk or is there something else I should do first ?

DT_Xtremez_42:

XB

 

[MingMong]

If you boot from the XP disc it should give you the option to format the drive as part of the install procedure.

 

[Kernow]

Will XP fit onto a 160mb disk?

 

[MingMong]

Will XP fit onto a 160mb disk?

I'm assuming a typo as i'm pretty sure they don't make SATA drives that small.

 

[MontyPlumbs]

I thought 40gb was the lower limit for SATA. 20gb isn't really viable because of the size of HD platters available and the fact the cost per MB would be very high.

Incidentally XB, why don't you use the opportunity to have a go with Linux? It's great!

 

[monobrow]

If you want to go mad on it, download this and wipe it with Darik's Boot and Nuke.

15 passes with random numbers is sure to leave f*ck all usefull on there.

 

[Albert Park]

Be prepared - you may need the chipset drivers, which are loaded by selecting F6, when prompted during OS installation.

Have a look at online tutorials, there's plenty about to give you step-by-step help.

 

[CodeMonkey]

In addition to Monobrows and Albert Parks comments:

Dariks boot and nuke will wipe everything on the drive although you may need an up to date copy to access SATA(modern Ditribution install discs recognise sata but dariks boot and nuke was built using an older version of the linux kernel causing no access to sata disks. It should have been updated by now as mine was about a year old).

Albert Parks comment is very valid, without the correct drivers it's unlikely that the XP Install disk will see the SATA drive.

What you could try is boot from the XP Install disc and you can delete the existing partions on the drive from there, remember to create a partion for XP afterwards. The XP install will overwrite any linux bootloader installed the the Discks Boot Sector.

 

[Ex-Bay]

Thanks, guys.
I had a go at Linux a while ago and just could not understand it (Unix was never my thing). So for the time being I think a 160MB with Win XP will suffice.

DT_Xtremez_14:

 

[Teh Wal]

Thanks, guys.
...So for the time being I think a 160MB with Win XP will suffice.
DT_Xtremez_14:

Something else to bear in mind is that very early versions of Win XP (i.e original, pre-SP1a) will only 'see' 137GB of the disc. The remaining 20-odd GB will need to be set up as an additional partition.

 

[BillyBunter]

I hated installing my SATA discs , goes through Raid and Raid 2 procedures, the drivers load automatically with XP im sure but you dont need to make a back up boot drive (I worried about that when i did it as i do not have a floppy drive) but it is manageable i just cant mind how it was done

good luck , i still prefer ATA over SATA though , i know the transfer rate is better blah blah , least ATA seriel was easy