..the "Sticky" post at the top of the forum? Here's the link:
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-12546_102-0.html?forumID=133&threadID=243153&messageID=2460401
It's a long thread but should give you some answers if you'll read all the posts.
Hope this helps.
Grif
I know that there's already been a lot of information on downgrading Vista to Xp.
I've been attempting to do this...ALL DAY.
I'm not extraordinarily tech savvy...but I can follow directions just fine.
I have yet to find a step by step to do this.
I have...a Gateway Laptop, an MX8711
I have the drivers that I need.
I have attempted to use nLite to create a modified XP disk with the SATA drivers and the other drivers that I need.
The thing that I keep running up against is...I put the XP disk in...it starts doing it's thing and then it tells me there's no hard drive...just like the gentleman before me.
He was told to install the SATA drivers. I don't have a floppy, which was why I attempted to integrate the SATA drivers with the nLite program...that didn't work. Maybe I did something wrong...I don't know.
I've see others say that they had to go into their BIOS and change some SATA setting. When I go into the BIOS on my computer I don't see an option to change any SATA setting. Is there a way to get to it? On the first screen, I see where it says SATA but it won't let me highlight it. Only the date and time. No other screen seems to mention the SATA.
I'm down to my only other option being wiping the hard drive and installing XP. Will this fix the SATA problem? What's the best free software to use to do that and can someone walk me through doing it?

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