Single Maxtor SATA won't install Windows 2k

Question

Hi everyone!
I have been messing with this for a few days now.  I'm in the process of upgrading my machine to a K8T NEO, A64 3000+, 1gb Hyper X PC4000, 9800XT vid, and Maxtor Diamondmax 120gb SATA.  The problem I am having is that I can not get Windows 2k to install on my machine.  It is getting about 1/2 way and crashing.  Even before it gets to that point it's really really slow after the first reboot during install.  I have followed the instructions in regards to setting up the single SATA HD and the first bios screen shows it there.  I have it connected to the (SER1) SATA connector which I believe uses the Promise controller.  
During the initial install I hit F6 and then use the Promise 378 driver for w2k off of the driver floppy.  It installs the drivers then I format and everything is peachy.  It's after the reboot when it just runs like a chode and never finishes the install.
Do I need to disable the VIA controller and leave the PATA enabled?
To set it up to the VIA controller all I need to do is disable the PATA controller?  When I've tried in the past to set it up to the SATA1 port the raid bios won't see the HD on the first boot screen.
I am very desperate in finding a solution for this.  I want to run Final Fantasy 11 on this system!!  :-)
Thanks so much guys!
Half

Answer 1

This may or may not help but I just purchased 2 OEM Maxtor SATA Drives which I plan to install in a new system I'm building around the MSI K8T FIS2R.  I downloaded the CD-R ISO for MaxBlast 3 from Maxtor.  Here is an excerpt from the readme file included on the CD:
"      If you are installing drivers during a Windows NT4.x,Win 2K or XP
      fresh Operating System install, you will need to copy the Serial ATA
      and UDMA 100/133 driver files from the MaxBlast 3 CD to a clean formatted
      floppy first.
      From the MaxBlast 3 CD choose the create Maxtor ATA/SATA PCI driver diskette option and follow the on screen prompts.
      On new build NT,2K, and XP systems without floppy drives, it will be
      necessary to temporarily connect a 3.5 floppy drive to install the Serial ATA
      or UDMA 100/133 host drivers.This is because the Microsoft operating system
      doesn't allow browsing to CD ROM drives during a new install.
      On systems that have NT, 2K, or XP already installed. Add the Serial ATA or
      UDMA 100/133 host, and driver to the system first before connecting your new
      hard drive to the system.      
      Serial ATA and UDMA 100/133 controllers report as a SCSI device in Windows:
      During the Windows NT4.x,Win2K,or WinXP install you must specify additional
      devices SCSI or RAID controllers, and choose other to install the driver
      from the floppy when prompted by the operating system. "
Andy