Want to install Windows 7 on eSata drive

auburncoast said:

Hi everyone, I've been trying unsuccessfully to install windows 7 on a SATA drive that is connected via eSata to my laptop. Here is the rundown: I've made a partition on my drive which is connected via eSata because I already have data on it. The Partition is 40GB and formatted as NTFS with drive letter Y. I currently have Windows 7 installed on my internal drive. When I run the Windows 7 installer and select my eSATA drive for installation either by booting from CD or launching from within Windows 7 I get this error: Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer's hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disk's controller is enabled in the computer's BIOS menu.
Here is where the next problem arises. I was looking for a solution and found that maybe if I changed the boot order in the bios that perhaps it would allow me to install this way. The problem is my eSATA drive does not show up in the bios. Currently my system is set to ACHI so that it will support hot swapping.
Another thing I found was that maybe if I take out my internal drive that it would allow me to install. I don't wish to do this because I want my internal drive to retain the MBR and be able to boot without problems into either system.
So my main problems are that Windows 7 won't install on my eSATA drive and that my eSATA drive isn't recognized in my BIOS Boot Order.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Hope I've given enough info.

If Windows 7 can't see a ACHI drive without a driver, how can BIOS? ACHI is a BIOS extension that loads after BIOS is done patching the ATAPI table in memory. That's why hot swap works. The OS driver just patches the same table on IRQ14 (or others).

No bootable ACHI since legacy BIOS USB support is already loaded when ACHI activates...

auburncoast said:

wow, okay that went a little bit over my head but from what I'm gathering here I can't boot in ACHI mode because it is something that is loaded after the boot and therefor not bootable? But what I don't understand then is how can Windows be installed on my internal drive. Isn't the eSATA connection the same outside as it is inside? I guess it depends on how it is all hooked up but lets say that its simply connected to another sata port. More layman terms would be good for me. I'm not too familiar with things like IRQ14. Thanks for the help though.

Your BIOS may not be able to boot from eSATA. Look for an option there. Better yet -- post make and model of motherboard and I'll look at it.

Baarod, I wish I were on a desktop where this would be easier. Unfortunately this is on a laptop. The best I can give you as far as I know is that I have a Clevo M570TU otherwise known as Sager Np5796. Here is the info below that comes up for my motherboard in SIW. I'm judging by the fact that eSATA is not in the Boot list in bios that I will be able to boot from it but if you can say otherwise I'd be happy to hear it. Thanks again. Edit: I added an image of my Bios Boot list with my eSATA drive attached and turned on.

Property Value
Manufacturer CLEVO CO.
Model M570TU
Version Not Applicable
Serial Number Not Applicable

North Bridge Intel PM45 Revision 07
South Bridge Intel 82801IM (ICH9-M) Revision 07

CPU Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU P9500 @ 2.53GHz
Cpu Socket Socket P (478)

System Slots 5 PCI

Memory Summary
Maximum Capacity 4096 MBytes
Memory Slots 2
Error Correction None

Warning! Accuracy of DMI data cannot be guaranteed

You can not install Windows to a Ex HD.