Windows 7 installation cannot read SATA III Drive

Hi there,

I have been trying to install my Windows 7 Home Premium on my SATA III (WD500GB) drive but it cannot read it. I use Asus P7H55-M/USB3 motherboard and I have updated BIOS version to latest 0901.

My SATA III drive was installed using SATA III cable (came supplied with mobo) and I have trial-and-errored both IDE and AHCI modes with Marvell 91xx driver but my Windows 7 still cannot find my SATA III drive.

I have searched this forum and cannot find a solution to my problem. I really hope someone here can help me.

Thanks so much! :)

Try using the Intel drivers from here:
Intel Sata Controller Drivers

SATA Driver - Load in Windows 7 or Vista Setup

While I'm sure that you'd prefer to use one of the 6Gb SATA ports, what happens when you connect the drive to one of the Intel ports?

I admit that I have yet to install Win7 to a boot drive that requires additional drivers. The closest I've come was putting Vista on an Intel RAID 10 setup, a couple of years ago. I recall not particular difficulties with that, other than having the right drivers on a USB stick when needed during the install.

bobkn said:

While I'm sure that you'd prefer to use one of the 6Gb SATA ports, what happens when you connect the drive to one of the Intel ports?

I admit that I have yet to install Win7 to a boot drive that requires additional drivers. The closest I've come was putting Vista on an Intel RAID 10 setup, a couple of years ago. I recall not particular difficulties with that, other than having the right drivers on a USB stick when needed during the install.

Thanks bobkn and HNY to you!

When I install W7 using any of the 6 normal SATA II ports, it worked fine. It is the 2 SATA III ports that is giving me problems. Although BIOS (version 0901) detects and show me 2 SATA III drives but for some strange reason W7 cannnot detect them even though I have install drivers for Marvell during installation process.

Geez...

theog said:

Try using the Intel drivers from here:
Intel Sata Controller Drivers

SATA Driver - Load in Windows 7 or Vista Setup

Hi theog and HNY to you!

Thanks, let me try that and revert the outcome here soon...

In the end I gave up. I eventually installed W7 on my 1st SATA III drive (but on SATA II port) with BIOS set to AHCI mode. This worked well.

However, for my 2nd SATA III drive (on SATA III port), my W7 cannot detect it on Windows environment. In BIOS environment, I can see my 2nd SATA III drive being detected as an IDE drive (even though BIOS is set to AHCI mode). I have tried using both Marvell drivers 1036 and 1045 but these do not seem to work well. I still cannot detect my 2nd SATA III drive in W7.

Hope someone can help me here... Thanks!!

Check the hard drive with the manufacturer's diagnostic tools.

Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities (Storage) - TACKtech Corp.
HD Diagnostic

theog said:

Check the hard drive with the manufacturer's diagnostic tools.

Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities (Storage) - TACKtech Corp.
HD Diagnostic

thanks theog!

my 2nd SATA III drive works well on a SATA II port but not on a SATA III port. do you think i still need to run the diagnostics tools?

All your Sata ports are Sata III.

Actually my ASUS P7H55-M/USB3 motherboard carries 8 SATA ports - 6 x SATA II and 2 x SATA III.Eventually, I solved by problem by switching my 2nd SATA III drive into the 2nd SATA III port.Please consider this thread solved!Thanks all for your help!