Reformatting WIN7 system to XP

Hey everyone,
I had an old thread on Windows 7 running really unreliable on my system, and after speaking with a Sony support person today, I've found out that Sony does not support Windows 7 on my system. It's a bummer but, at any rate, I'm trying to put Windows XP back on the system.
I've downloaded the Windows XP Professional with SP3 from MSDN student website.
I have the ISO burned to a disc, and I boot the computer from CD drive.
After the initial setup, it ask to start windows and press enter.
I do so, and I says to select the drive I wish to reformat.

There are four slots, all of which say "No drive found"
Whenever you press ANY button, I get a BSOD.
Any reason as to why it doesn't recognize any drives, or why I can't get any further into the process without it crashing?

Is there another way to reformat?

Your description doesn't resemble anything that happens with the XP installer. Are you referring to the screen where installer asks "Where do you want to install Windows?" and makes drive tools available to delete, create or format a partition?

If your drives are not showing up there it could be because you have modern SATA drives which do not have drivers in the older XP installer.

Perhaps you could give a better description including the exact error message and explain the "buttons" which when pushed cause a bluescreen.

gregrocker said:

Your description doesn't resemble anything that happens with the XP installer. Are you referring to the screen where installer asks "Where do you want to install Windows?" and makes drive tools available to delete, create or format a partition?

If your drives are not showing up there it could be because you have modern SATA drives which do not have drivers in the older XP installer.

Perhaps you could give a better description including the exact error message and explain the "buttons" which when pushed cause a bluescreen.

Sorry for the lack of detail, but thank you for your help!
I boot from the XP cd (It's an ISO image)
Setup runs through loading files
Windows XP Professional Setup screen, press enter to set up WIN XP
User license agreement, press F8 to agree

This screen is what gives me problems:
WIN XP Professional Setup
The following list shows the existing partitions/un-partitioned space
I only have ONE hd, but the four slots the setup is showing, are all unknown discs with (there is no disk in this drive) listed under each.
I know my drive is working.
When I press ANY button, I get a BSOD with;
STOP: 0x0000008E (0x0000005,0xf74149a8, 0xf6fed75c, 0x0000000)
setupdd.sys - Address F74149A8 base at F73ED000, DateStamp 48025277

Sorry for the lack of technical knowledge on this, I'm doing what I can, I haven't been in the technical mix of things for a few years, and am going back to school now. Thanks again for whatever help you offer, I greatly appreciate it!

"If your drives are not showing up there it could be because you have modern SATA drives which do not have drivers in the older XP installer."

Get the drivers as needed from Sony Website,,,, Or contact Sony for restore Disks for that system, they might still have them,, for a price.[/QUOTE]

What exact drivers do I need, how do I load them, AND the XP ISO disc I have?

You need the SATA controller driver(s) which is a part of your chipset.

It needs to be inserted at the F6 prompt during loading of drivers phase when XP CD first boots up, however it requires a floppy drive to do with ancient XP.

Otherwise you need to slipstream the drivers into installer: SATA Drivers - Slipstream into Windows XP CD

First, Verify your DVD burn against ISO using ImgBurn. Try installing with bootable USB flash stick: USB Windows 7 Installation Key Drive - Create

Try clearing the CMOS in BIOS: http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fixthe.../clearcmos.htm

Check the SATA controller setting as also suggested, trying IDE setting.

gregrocker said:

You need the SATA controller driver(s) which is a part of your chipset.

It needs to be inserted at the F6 prompt during loading of drivers phase when XP CD first boots up, however it requires a floppy drive to do with ancient XP.

Otherwise you need to slipstream the drivers into installer: SATA Drivers - Slipstream into Windows XP CD

First, Verify your DVD burn against ISO using ImgBurn. Try installing with bootable USB flash stick: USB Windows 7 Installation Key Drive - Create

Try clearing the CMOS in BIOS: Clear CMOS - 3 Ways to Clear the CMOS - Reset BIOS

Check the SATA controller setting as also suggested, trying IDE setting.

I followed your steps to slipstream the SATA drivers into the XP boot disc, and its very helpful, but step 12, LOCATE YOUR SATA INF FILE, I have two inf files.. I'm not sure which one to use.

I tried using one of them, and when I click next,(step 13) The picture you have displayed showing whats next, is very different from mine.. you have ONE things listed in the nLite program, and I have a whole list of things..I may have messed up, but I cannot boot the disc now. My system won't give me the option to boot from cd, even after setting it to do so in BIOS.

I downloaded the SATA driver from sony's website. Just not sure which INF file I'm supposed to use.. one is iaAHCI and the other is iaStor

load both into the installer.

Recompile into an ISO, then burn to CD using the drop-down menu on the same page where you compiled ISO.

The slipstreaming tutorial was written by theog, who I asked to help you here.