windows 7 fresh install - no device driver found

s4r4h · 10 Sep 2012

hi all,

currently I am trying to do a fresh install of windows 7 on an old notebook, Compaq Presario V3500 (v3752au)

the problem:
I can not get pass the hard drive detection process, it kept throwing error saying that 'no device driver found'

what I have done so far:

search for the motherboard specifications on the net and I got conflicted results, some state that the notebook uses nvidia nforce 560 chipset and the other state that it is using intel 945 chipset
however I downloaded both chipset drivers from numerous resources and still it would not work
consequently I tried every driver there is in Compaq support site and still I am in vain
posted this thread

additional informations:

the original OS on the notebook is vista home edition but now it is all gone, including recovery partition
at first I can see the hard disk, but there is a problem using the existing disk/partition to install windows 7, went around the net looking for solutions and at the end I manage to delete the partition in preparation for a fresh install (using shift+F10 command prompt during locale selection)
booting windows 7 installation from usb drive is impossible since there are no such option in bios

I am hoping that any of you guys can point me to a proper remedy for this problem

thanks in advance

dexislegend123 · 10 Sep 2012

Wait explain better half of your post is explaining installing drivers the other half windows installation??

For the device error make sure your first boot partition is dvd drive. Also make sure it is set as IDE drive in your bios. If its a sata drive you will probably encounter this error. I helped someone correct that error can you give me more details about what setup your using hard drive dvd drive?

dexislegend123 · 10 Sep 2012

Can also im going by the fact your windows disc is a real copy? Im asking as that me be the problem and i need an honest answer :)

s4r4h · 11 Sep 2012

dexislegend123 said:

Wait explain better half of your post is explaining installing drivers the other half windows installation??

For the device error make sure your first boot partition is dvd drive. Also make sure it is set as IDE drive in your bios. If its a sata drive you will probably encounter this error. I helped someone correct that error can you give me more details about what setup your using hard drive dvd drive?

sorry about the confusions, here how it went:

while the original os; vista was still present, I booted the notebook from the dvd-drive with windows 7 installation disk inside
it went well until I reached the part where I have to choose which partition that I want the installation to take place (note that throughout the process I am able to view the hard disk)
but when I chose the partition (there is only 1) windows 7 displayed an error stating that I can not use the partition for windows 7
after a number of searches, I decided to restart the installation process with a more 'prepared' hard disk thus the command prompt method and a blank clean partition
then I rebooted the notebook with dvd-drive as main boot device, and I can not see the partition any-more, plus the 'no device driver found' error

the disk uses SATA and I do not see any option in bios to change between sata/ide/ahci

as for the originality of the installation disc, I am a crook

since you brought this up, I am testing the disc right away

thanks for the attention

edit:
solved.
burned a new bootable disc with the slowest speed available.
thanks for the pointer dexislegend123