Q I recently purchased a version of Windows XP Home so I can install it on a new PC. I do not want Vista as I am quite happy with XP.

However, a paragraph is included in the install instructions about installing special drivers in case the hard disk is not recognised (if you have a Sata and not an IDE disk).

This would mean installing the drivers from a floppy disk, but that is the problem: my present PC does not have a floppy disk drive (very few new ones do). How would I install the necessary drivers in this instance?

If I am using the installation CD and the hard disk is not recognised can I take the CD out, use another CD with the drivers on it and then carry on with the installation?
Mollie Walsh

A When Windows installs, it needs to use drivers to talk to the hard disk. These drivers are small programs that allow Windows to communicate with the hardware, including the hard disk.

With older IDE disks the drivers are included with Windows, but for computers that use Sata disks Windows will not usually be able to talk to it and will require the drivers to be loaded from a floppy disk.

You may be lucky but it’s likely that if you’re using a Sata disk you will run into some trouble when installing Windows XP.

Unfortunately, the CD method you outline won’t work. The computer in that situation is only set up to look for the drivers on a floppy disk and not on a CD.

There is, however, a way to make it work without using a floppy disk drive, – in addition to your Windows XP CD you’ll need to download a free piece of software, all of which is explained in the article.

It’s not a simple process but sadly it’s the only way that we’ve found of doing what you require without a floppy disk drive.