First windows install

DarthRevan · 10 Jun 2007 at 18:26

Hey all,
I have just completed my first build and (luckily) everything worked first time.

Except when i go to install Windows vista 64 bit, My hard drive isnt visable and it is looking for drivers.

I have a Samsung SpinPoint T HD501LJ 500GB SATA-II and i connected it to the mobo using the cable supplied with the board.

Can someone confirm the exact location of where i should connect my HDD to the mobo and if i need to install drivers or not.

Cheers for any help with this problem.

Edit: sorry using a Gigabyte GA_P35_DQ6 mobo

fobose · 10 Jun 2007 at 18:31

It might have helped if you stated what motherboard your using.

DarthRevan · 12 Jun 2007 at 15:55

Does anyone know the exact drivers i need for my Hard Drive to be recognised? And if so could they possibly post a link?

My problem is i can only post on OCUK during the day as i have no other computer at home other than the one i just built. So its been a case of constantly bringing home the wrong drivers and having to wait a full day to try using other ones.

Would there be any benifit to placing the samsung hard drive into my work computer and installing vista on to it from there and then placing it fully loaded back into my new build or will that just end up causing me more problems?

Thanks for any help ye guys can give me.

rpstewart · 12 Jun 2007 at 16:00

You need to check 2 things on the new PC

1) The drive should be connected to one of the SATA ports attached to the Intel controller. The mobo manual should show you which ones these are

2) The BIOS needs to be configured to set the Intel ports to run in Legacy mode, normally this is done by setting the RAID/AHCI mode to "disabled" but again the mobo manual should document this.

If you do those two then Vista should install without the need for any drivers.

DarthRevan · 12 Jun 2007 at 16:08

Thanks very much, that was very clear and consice, will try that this evening and let you know how i got on.

Cheers again.

DarthRevan · 13 Jun 2007 at 21:54

Tried that just there, it didnt work. same problem. all drives are recognised in bios but vista never does. pulling my hair out as it seems no one has had this problem solved out there.

i have tried to create the driver disk through DOS when you get that option to in the vista setup using the "cd bootdrv" method as decribed by the gigabyte manual. yet it said that the menu file was the wrong type for vista install.

none of the .exe files i have downloaded from gigabyte have worked they wont install anywhere and vista certainly doesnt see them as drivers.

i just dont know where to go from here.....

please has anyone any thoughts...

fobose · 13 Jun 2007 at 22:17

You dont want a .exe file you need a .inf file if any, run the .exe on a working OS system and it might extract to a .inf file, then you can put it on a USB stick and when windows asks for a driver locate to the USB drive.

As previously said by rpstewart you need to change your sata ports "mode", for me on an old ICH8R controller I have the options of "SATA" - which doesn't require drivers for installing windows, or "RAID" which I then need to provide drivers for.