No HDD visible, Windows 7 install.

Nuclearbaggins · 12 Nov 2009 at 17:32

In need of some advice ive been scouring google/web for the last 4 hours trying to install windows 7(32 or 64bit) on my old pc, but every time I get to the select a device to install onto its telling me I have no HDD installed and would i like to search for drivers.

Ive got to the point now where I have had the HDD(320gig WD my old storage drive) that im installing windows onto in my new machine twice to format it, because of windows telling me there are no storage devices to use when trying to install windows.

Even though when it allows me to browse for drivers for the Hdd/s it can not see, it lets me check the drive i want to install windows on.... :confused:

My set up consist of a q6600, abit Ip35 pro, 2gb ram, 8800gts and the mentioned HDD, mobo being approx 2years old. The hard drive is showing up fine in the first sata on in my BIOS, down as second bootable device after the dvd rom for the windows install. The pc was running xp via a raptor fine up untill yesterday.

So confused a little at the moment as W7 seem to install so easily on my new machine, any advice/ideas whould be gratefully recieved.

Kezmo · 12 Nov 2009 at 18:13

One of my partitions wasn't visible after i installed W7 for some strange reason, had to go into administrative tools, storage and in able the drive.

Nuclearbaggins · 12 Nov 2009 at 18:43

Kezmo said:
One of my partitions wasn't visible after i installed W7 for some strange reason, had to go into administrative tools, storage and in able the drive.

Will I be able to do that if i put the drive in my new machine, because as it stand the hard drive im trying to install too is the only one which will be in that pc, so can not get into admin tools or anything till its installed.

Is it possible that windows wants the sata drivers from the abit site ? Or would it not show in browse either if that was the case, as it has been doing.

scooby555t · 12 Nov 2009 at 23:33

had the same issue on my backup drive had to renable it and change the drive letter to get it to work rather strange

rolypolyman · 13 Nov 2009 at 11:57

Anything to do with jumper settings on your old Hd or if not that then I think when installing Os on an Hd it has to be Primary and active before Win7 will install.