blog.rimann.org

I found the (for me) working solution how to install the HP nc6320 notebooks we've got. After some troubles (see earlier blog post about that) with the S-ATA driver there was also an unknown device in the device manager. It ended up with two identical notebooks on my desk, one with my own installation and one with HPs default pre-install. I started to cross-check every single entry in the device manager and found the difference. See below how to change that unknown device to a known device. There is a HP ITRC article that contains some information.

Here's how I got it to run:

• Buy a USB floppy drive
• Download the S-ATA driver from the HP website and install it
• You get prompted to inserst an empty disk, do this
• Some files are written to the floppy
• Connect the USB floppy to the nc6320 notebook, insert the previously built disk and boot up
• Boot from the WinXP setup disc and hit F6 when you are asked if you want to install third-party drivers
• Select the matching driver later in the setup and install the rest of Windows as usual
• Install all drivers as you would do usually. Then also install the driver for the "Quick Launch Buttons" - this will solve the problem with the unknown device!

That's how it looks after installing the right drivers:

<ironic>Thanks HP for changing this behaviour! I never ever installed this driver before - and never missed anything by doing so. And now it's required. Ok, nevermind - I don't need to understand it.</ironic>

And now: have fun with the notebook :-)