Desperated to install XP 64bits on new HP Desktop

[manolain]

I just bought (7 days ago) a HP Pavillion 6580, with its basic configuration is the following:

Core 2 Quad Q9300 (Y) 2,5 GHz (95 W)
Socket 775
Intel G33 Express
Asus IPIBL-LB
RAM: 4Gb DD2 PC-6400
500 GB - SATA 3G (3,0 Gb/s)

To my deep dissapoinment, preinstalled with Windows Vista.

Here are all the specifications:

http/h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01324212&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&product=3787188

This is what it particulary says about RAID:
# Onboard RAID controller: ICH9R
# Selected Benicia models ship RAID-ready (For Spring 08, only selected CTO models will ship RAID-ready)

I want to duplicate memory up to 8Gb, in order to install a very memory demanding application.
I would like to use the computer as a PC desktop computer too, but its main function will be as a server for this application

(if necessary, I can leave it only for that, and use a different computer for Office, mails and internet surfing).

So I took my Windows cd's, and what I thought it was to take me just a sunday to be completed, it has become my worst nightmare with computers ever!!

The first problem came with an 0x000007b error (embebbed in one of those familiar and so loved blue screens that only Windows can offer) after all drivers were loaded by the windows CD setup program. After lot of researching, I found out this was due to missing SATA drivers.

These were the possible solutions I tried to apply:

- Changing at Bios, the parameter "SATA controller mode". I had three possible values: IDE, RAID or ACHI. RAID was selected, and I changed to IDE.

- Load SATA drivers. The desktop is not coming with floppy disks unit, so I had to manage to include the SATA drivers on the windows installation CD, following this tutorial ( http/news.softpedia.com/news/Install-Windows-XP-On-SATA-Without-a-Floppy-F6-47807.shtml ), that was very helpful (These are the SATA drivers that I used:

http/h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?os=228&softwareitem=pv-66631-1&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&product=3787188 ).

In both cases, result was the same: everything seemed to work OK, as I reached blue screen showing all partitions in your PC, so you can select where to install new system (I can even see an USB external hard disk unit!!!). I chose the one containing Vista, and pressed on formatting the unit, in quick and normal mode. In either cases, I was unsucessful. The process bar

jumps from 0 to 20, and then directly to 100, showing this:

Setup was unable to format the partition. The disk may be damaged.
Make sure the drive is switched on and properly connected to your computer. If the disk is a SCSI disk, make sure your SCSI devices are properly terminated. Consult your computer manual or SCSI adapter documentation for more information.
You must select a different partition for Windows.

So then, I moved to try to Install Windows Server 2003. Adding again the SATA Drivers with nLite, I could not reach

partitions screen. When cd tried to load the SATA drivers, I got the following:

The device associated with the following device driver will not work correctly on this computer: iaStor.sys.
The device driver is not compatible with the x86-based version fo Windows your computer is running.
This device driver may be required to complete Windows Setup.
Please contact the device manufacturer to obtain drivers compatible with the x86-based version of Windows.
Press any key to continue.

Until here all the facts. I am starting to doubt that I made the good choice with HP Pavillions for my purposes. Two weeks

ago I bought a different model (basically, same like this one, except for the processor that was Intel Quad Q6600) and I had

exaclty THE SAME PROBLEMS!!!
I returned to the shop, thinking it was a faulty unit....but I am afraid HP in general is faulty!!!

Now I wrote all this long chain of regrets and disgraces.....can PLEASE anybody help me??
Thanks a lot!

 

[young586]

Buy a new hard drive. If the system didn't originally come with an x64 OS, then it won't recognize it because of how HP sections the hard drive so you always retain the "factory image". There is no way to remove it. Buy a new hard drive and install your x64 OS directly. Should solve your problem.

Just as a side note. HP are great computers by themselves. They don't like to be changed. If you really want to do a lot of custom add-ons. you're better off building a PC from scratch.

 

[Irish]

Don't do XP64 bit, there is such limited driver support for it, you will be very frustrated. Go with Vista 64bit but use the new hard drive as young states.

 

[AKM880]

You can try Windows 7 64-Bit