Windows 7: WIN 7 Install error

WIN 7 installs a-ok to Seagate 500GB Sata HDD when drive is direct connected to main board using SATA data and power cables. Problem is, WIN 7 fails to find the same drive when the drive is installed into a KingWin removable drive bay. Drive shows a-ok in setup (BIOS). Ubuntu or Mint Linux installs a-ok onto same drive in the KingWin removable drive bay. Any suggestions?

Is the HD connected to the same SATA port as for install?

Is this eSATA?

Make sure the HD remains the HD set to boot first in BIOS setup.

No version of Windows will install on a Removable, external, drive. If this bay you are installing the drive in is connected to any but one of the Internal SATA ports it is being reported as an external drive.

Yes all those other OSs you list will install to an external drive, Windows will not.

Mount the drive in the case and or connect it to an internal SATA port and you will be good to go.

This is interesting. I now have WIN XP running on these removable drive bays but are you saying this cannot happen with WIN 7?
I'm using KingWin brand rails that install into the PC case. The 3.5" HDD, in a removable bay, is then inserted and locked into the rails. The access is on the front panel of this mid-tower PC. I wouldn't call it an external drive, more like a removable drive. The rail in connected to the main board SATA cable, and the removable drive bay connects into an interface on the rail for power and data transfer. No USB is used.

If you have a link to a Microsoft statement to this effect, please advise. And thanks!

If the drives are connected to the mobo SATA port then it should work. Did you check the boot order in the BIOS to see that the target HD is set first HD to boot? Check also the SATA controller setting is set to AHCI.

Unplug all other HD's and peripherals.

True is that Win 7 can not be run from an removable external drive.
Let's see if I can find my links on this.

You can install from a removable external drive but not run Win 7 from a removable external drive.

Support Policy for Windows booting from external drives

That should be fine. So the drive should look like it is an internal drive.

Gregrocker...
Yes CD/DVD Drive is set as 1st boot device. SATA HDD set as 2nd boot device.
Regarding AHCI, in MSI's CMOS Setup, Integrated Peripherials, HD Controller/On-Chip ATA Devices, only option where AHCI is available is "RAID Mode" Options are: AHCI, IDE, RAID.
Choosing AHCI option results in WIN 7 starting from DVD, but cannot find the HDD. Only option that recognizes the HDD is the IDE option. Error states: "Windows cannot format a partition on disk 0. The error occured while preparing the partition selection for installation. Error code: 0x80070057"
Yikes!

Check if you have a newer BIOS update. If not then Reset the BIOS to defaults: Clear CMOS - 3 Ways to Clear the CMOS - Reset BIOS

You might need to try inserting the AHCI SATA drivers from your chipset into the installer at the Load Drivers prompt on Drive Selection screen, to see if it then sees the HD. If not work with the IDE mode.

Try clearing the boot sector with Diskpart Clean Command from DVD using DISKPART At PC Startup

As Greg said if all else fails try the IDE option. Unlike XP with 7 you can switch from IDE mode to AHCI mode after the OS is installed. It may need a reboot or 2 and or a Repair install but at least with 7 that mode can be changed after the OS is installed.