PROBLEM: Problem Installing XP On FreeDOS System
(Article: 1369)
This article applies to the following items:
FreeDOS CD
Summary
When installing Xp, you get the error "mass-storage device not found" or a blue screen error
Symptom
When installing XP on a system with FreeDOS, setup stops with one of the following problems:
An error message is displayed that says "A mass storage device cannot be found"
or
A blue screen error occurs
Cause
SATA mode may be set incorrectly in the BIOS
Resolution
Some motherboards have advanced SATA modes that either are not required or require an F6 driver to complete Windows XP setup. Please check the motherboard manual to see if these SATA modes are available or if additional steps may be required:
IDE or Normal - this SATA mode is completely compatible with XP setup. If you are not doing something advanced with your storage, this is the setting you will want to use.
RAID - you would only use this setting if you are using multiple hard drives in a RAID configuration or your motherboard supports an advanced drive manager. If you need to have this setting, you must provide an "F6" driver for Windows XP setup.
AHCI - This is an advance setting that is only compatible with Windows Vista or newer operating systems. You would never use this setting with Windows XP.
Also please see KB 1356 which explains another reason a setup error may occur when installing Windows XP on newer motherboards.
