OK, I remember just one post above, there's the "diskpart clean" option. I'll try that, but it's hard to get to that menu, since he mostly does not show any disk there. But somewhere today I saw he had 2 disks listed ...
Unplug all but the target HD for install, then enter BIOS setup to set SATA controller to AHCI. If any RAID controller pops up turn it off.
Try Clean Install Windows 7 again, deleting all partitions from the target disk during Steps 7 and 8, create new as needed for install.
If this fails Clean the HD, format and mark Active a target partition using Step 2.2 from SSD - HDD Optimize for Windows Reinstallation
I think I have narrowed down the issue, into two parts:
1. When using Windows Restore (Recovery) functionality, either via the Windows Restore disk or via another way : The messages indicating missing drivers or disks not found, I guess are related to RAID setup. Given all my disks are RAID, and particularly Windows itself being on a RAID disk, there must be some reason the Windows Recovery system cannot handle that, and consequently does not want to perform any action in that menu. Diskpart (via Command Line Prompt) runs but doesn't show any disk, so ...
Note that Windows was running fine ... well, not really, since it all started with the RAID system itself stating there was an issue, then Windows stating the same, but I couldn't find the reason. CHKDSK did find a lot of errors, on 1 disk. The other disk was even harder to access.
I now have non-RAID setup, and the System Recovery options seem all to work much better.
2. Installation of Windows itself. That issue still remains, and it's bizarre, but I can't install Windows before passing a couple of black screens stating "Windows cannot install", error 0x0000185
If persistent, at some point it just continues, and everything works. That behaviour seems the same, being RAID or not. Maybe the DVD itself is faulty, I should check.
But, I can install Windows now, be it on non-RAID.
Unplug all other HD's and peripherals,
Boot into BIOS setup, reset to defaults, save changes. (If an EFI BIOS you'll need to decide if you want UEFI BIOS vs. Legacy BIOS. If UEFI follow these special steps for Install, otherwise enable Legacy BIOS or Compatibility Support Module to proceed with normal install.) Set DVD drive first to boot, HD second, set SATA controller to AHCI, Save changes and Exit.
Then boot into Windows 7 installer DVD or flash stick burned or written using tool and latest ISO for your licensed OS version here.
At first installer screen Press Shift + F10, or enter System Recovery Options to open a Command Box, type:
DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK 0 (after confirming Windows 7 target HD #)
CLEAN
CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY
FORMAT FS=NTFS LABEL="WINDOWS 7"
ACTIVE
EXIT
EXIT
Next click Install Now, then Custom install to Clean Install Windows 7 to the partition you created. If it fails then report back at which step and the verbatim error message.
In addition read over these steps to understand the tools and methods which work best to get and maintain a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7. The steps are the same for retail.
After install you can adjust partition size or Create new partitions for data, etc. in Disk Mgmt. You are creating the partition here for the purpose of wiping the HD and marking Active which overcomes certain install failures.
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