IDE HDD not found by Windows 7; visible in Bios

[EmeraldsLady]

I recently recieved some used computer parts from a friend. These parts are Window7 compatable as he was running the RC on them before he sent them to me. When I got them, I added my Power supply, Case, IDE Hard Drives and CD/DVD Burners.

When I had everything wired up and in the case, I was able to get it to power up, but when Windows 7 Ultimate got to the point where it is supposed to install on a Hard Drive, it didn't recognize either of the two drives in the tower.

Current Configuration:

1- 320 Gig WD Caviar Blue IDE (Master)
1- 160 Gig WD Caviar Blue IDE (Slave)
1- HP CD/DVD RW Burner
1- Sony CD/DVD R Burner

1- MSI PT890-Neo V motherboard
2- 1 Gig Crucial RAM
1- Graphics card (uncertain as to info as I am not where I can check it)
1- PCI USB card
1- PCI Audio Card (uncertain as to info as I am not where I can check it)
1- MSI Wireless adapter

I originally had Windows XP on the 160 Gig Hard Drive, but since I have changed out Mother Board, Graphics Card, RAM, etc. that build of Windows XP will not function.

I do not have a wired Keyboard so I cannot reinstall from the Windows XP disk, and with my USB Keyboard I can install the Windows 7 Disk, but if Windows 7 does not recognize my INTERNAL IDE drives, I cannot install that!

What am I to do? Can anyone help me trouble shoot Windows 7 refusing to recognize my Hard Drives when booting from Install CD.

My Windows 7 CD is Windows 7 Ultimate, Full Version.

 

[Jonathan_King]

Welcome to SevenForums!
Check out this thread.

 

[Adrian]

I recently recieved some used computer parts from a friend. These parts are Window7 compatable as he was running the RC on them before he sent them to me. When I got them, I added my Power supply, Case, IDE Hard Drives and CD/DVD Burners.

When I had everything wired up and in the case, I was able to get it to power up, but when Windows 7 Ultimate got to the point where it is supposed to install on a Hard Drive, it didn't recognize either of the two drives in the tower.

Current Configuration:

1- 320 Gig WD Caviar Blue IDE (Master)
1- 160 Gig WD Caviar Blue IDE (Slave)
1- HP CD/DVD RW Burner
1- Sony CD/DVD R Burner

1- MSI PT890-Neo V motherboard
2- 1 Gig Crucial RAM
1- Graphics card (uncertain as to info as I am not where I can check it)
1- PCI USB card
1- PCI Audio Card (uncertain as to info as I am not where I can check it)
1- MSI Wireless adapter

I originally had Windows XP on the 160 Gig Hard Drive, but since I have changed out Mother Board, Graphics Card, RAM, etc. that build of Windows XP will not function.

I do not have a wired Keyboard so I cannot reinstall from the Windows XP disk, and with my USB Keyboard I can install the Windows 7 Disk, but if Windows 7 does not recognize my INTERNAL IDE drives, I cannot install that!

What am I to do? Can anyone help me trouble shoot Windows 7 refusing to recognize my Hard Drives when booting from Install CD.

My Windows 7 CD is Windows 7 Ultimate, Full Version.

Your issue is with the bios my friend.
Do you have an old PC2 keyboard lying around some where?
We are going to need it so that we can get into the bios to configure the drives and see how your mass storage configuration is set up.
Also while we are in bios we need to set up your boot priority.

 

[EmeraldsLady]

I do not have a wired Keyboard so I cannot reinstall from the Windows XP disk, and with my USB Keyboard I can install the Windows 7 Disk, but if Windows 7 does not recognize my INTERNAL IDE drives, I cannot install that!

Your issue is with the bios my friend.
Do you have an old PC2 keyboard lying around some where?
We are going to need it so that we can get into the bios to configure the drives and see how your mass storage configuration is set up.
Also while we are in bios we need to set up your boot priority.

As I said in my original post.... "I do not have a wired Keyboard..." It was one of the casualties of a NASTY Divorce where I had to leave nearly everything behind.

I can boot to my bios with my wireless USB keyboard and have done so. That is how I know that the Hard Drives are seen by the Bios.

The person who had the computer originally had a SATA drive on it as well as IDE. Could the fact that he had SATA enabled in the BIOS be the cause of Windows 7 Installer not seeing the IDE Hard Drives?

I am not where I can check the BIOS at the moment as I am also in School and have been here all day.

Any information that will give me places to look to verify information is correct will be greatly appreciated and I can check them when I get home to were the tower is currently NOT functioning.

 

[Adrian]

I do not have a wired Keyboard so I cannot reinstall from the Windows XP disk, and with my USB Keyboard I can install the Windows 7 Disk, but if Windows 7 does not recognize my INTERNAL IDE drives, I cannot install that!

Your issue is with the bios my friend.
Do you have an old PC2 keyboard lying around some where?
We are going to need it so that we can get into the bios to configure the drives and see how your mass storage configuration is set up.
Also while we are in bios we need to set up your boot priority.

As I said in my original post.... "I do not have a wired Keyboard..." It was one of the casualties of a NASTY Divorce where I had to leave nearly everything behind.

I can boot to my bios with my wireless USB keyboard and have done so. That is how I know that the Hard Drives are seen by the Bios.

The person who had the computer originally had a SATA drive on it as well as IDE. Could the fact that he had SATA enabled in the BIOS be the cause of Windows 7 Installer not seeing the IDE Hard Drives?

I am not where I can check the BIOS at the moment as I am also in School and have been here all day.

Any information that will give me places to look to verify information is correct will be greatly appreciated and I can check them when I get home to were the tower is currently NOT functioning.

OK, this is good if you can go to the bios with a wireless keyboard.
I suggest the following:

1. check in bios and see if your hard drives are both recognised.
2. If they are seen next go to Drive/boot priority.
3. If you know which drive/partition is C:\drive make this your first boot priority.
4. Reboot, the os should load.

Now is the SATA drive still in place?

 

[EmeraldsLady]

Your issue is with the bios my friend.
Do you have an old PC2 keyboard lying around some where?
We are going to need it so that we can get into the bios to configure the drives and see how your mass storage configuration is set up.
Also while we are in bios we need to set up your boot priority.

As I said in my original post.... "I do not have a wired Keyboard..." It was one of the casualties of a NASTY Divorce where I had to leave nearly everything behind.

I can boot to my bios with my wireless USB keyboard and have done so. That is how I know that the Hard Drives are seen by the Bios.

The person who had the computer originally had a SATA drive on it as well as IDE. Could the fact that he had SATA enabled in the BIOS be the cause of Windows 7 Installer not seeing the IDE Hard Drives?

I am not where I can check the BIOS at the moment as I am also in School and have been here all day.

Any information that will give me places to look to verify information is correct will be greatly appreciated and I can check them when I get home to were the tower is currently NOT functioning.

OK, this is good if you can go to the bios with a wireless keyboard.

I suggest the following:

1. check in bios and see if your hard drives are both recognised.
2. If they are seen next go to Drive/boot priority.
3. If you know which drive/partition is C:\drive make this your first boot priority.
4. Reboot, the os should load.

Now is the SATA drive still in place?

No SATA drive is not still in place... if it were I wouldn't be so concerned about getting the IDE drives to work.

But have encountered another problem, BIOS No longer recognizes IDE drives.

 

[Jonathan_King]

That is not a good sign. Dead hard drive?

 

[EmeraldsLady]

Hard Drives not dead, can get them to show up if I go to the other IDE channel... then CD Drives won't show up...

I am wondering if one of the IDE channels is either bad or disabled in Bios.

Will reset BIOS tonight when I get home from School and see if that solves the issue

If that doesn't then I will go about getting the WIndows 7 install set up on Flash Drive and install without CD.

Will look into getting SATA drives later if money allows and then I will be able to put the CDs on the IDE channel and should fix all.

 

[DarkXeno]

I would try this have only one hard drive and CD drive on one channel and boot the machine seeing if you can install windows. Then Plug the second drive into the second IDE channel with the other CD-RW. So the chain would look like this.

IDE 1
1- 320 Gig WD Caviar Blue IDE (Master)
1- HP CD/DVD RW Burner (Slave)

IDE 2
1- 160 Gig WD Caviar Blue IDE (Master)
1- Sony CD/DVD R Burner (Slave)

It could also be one of the CD drives are bad causing the IDE chains to disable themselfs in setup. So I would cut down the devices and see from there.

 

[Jonathan_King]

Is is possible that the jumpers are caps are bad?

 

[EmeraldsLady]

Have found real problem... IDE Channel is bad.

Solution:

Place IDE Hard Drive as Primary, HP CD/DVD Burner as Slave on functioning IDE Channel. Have gotten Windows 7 Installed. Am Awaiting PCI IDE Card to allow me to use both HDD and Both CD Drives on computer.

Thank you all for your advice and help.