SATA DRIVER FOR MSI BOARD

Just install the SATA driver from your cd. The installation via the OS is only when you are trying to install XP via a new SATA drive. Hope this helps. Helped on mine!

The only time that you would need the floppy for the SATA HD is when installing WIndows (i.e. hit F6 during instal lto load drivers). If you cannot see the HD and Windows is already install it sounds like you need to format the drive (create a parition). You can do this from Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management > Disk Management

You should see the SATA drive in there and by right clicking on it you will get the option to Initialize the disk or to create a parition.

since you already install your OS, probably your SATA drive is a slave. You can install your SATA driver using the Mainboard CD, everything is there, and if your don't see your SATA HD you probably go to Disk Management in Control Panel, to see that your drive is detected, if it is new maybe you need to format it, if it is already used and your data are there, check your SATA cable and power, it probably a loss connection.

if everything is OK and your drive did not detect, you need to check your BIOS Setup, maybe it was disable. MSI board have an option that disable SATA drive.

sata drives are enabled in bios, connections ok,but still cannot detect in disk management. is there anything else i can try?
thanks for your comments they were helpful.
david jenkins

-first : did you install the driver? if not, do so.
-second : do you see the sata drive in the bios? if not try other cables or connectors
...and there are no slave sata drives, they all are master drives - there is even no jumper for it.