How Do I Install Intel Pre-SATA Driver on this build (& other issues)

Anshad Edavana said:

Btw, why do you consider another re-install ?.

I am nuts, tis why. Very OCD lol.

One other thing. Why are you forcing a bunch of drivers on a driver complete OS? Did you think it's like XP?

Win7 provides the drivers it wants from the installer and then via Window Updates when you enable Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3) then install all rounds of Important and Optional Windows Updates (except Bing), with reboots, until no more are offered.

Only then should you import any drivers still missing in Device Manager. Only import the chipset if components are missing or there are issues traced to it's deficiency.

Other tips here to get and keep a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 are same for retail, based on what's worked best in tens of thousands of installs we've directly helped with here since beta.

Listen to Anshad, you don't need those drivers. You don't need to reinstall again either. There is nothing wrong with your machine as far as sata drivers are concerned. Those drivers you can't install are only used to install Windows on a drive that is in a RAID array.

You are creating problems that aren't there.

Thank you for the help and advice everyone.

I am a bit OCD when it comes to computers (don't really know why, maybe b/c so much can go wrong hmm). I already did wipe the HDD so I will be starting over. Starting over is no biggie, I was not far along in putting anything back, and it literally takes minutes to install Windows 7 for me.

On the driver issues, I was always taught that you go to motherboard websites and download the latest drivers they recommend for their devices. Just like updating the BIOS. Perhaps, this is not necessary anymore, but I have never had any issue before. This really has been the only install where I ever came across something I downloaded from the motherboards website and it just did not install itself right off. (the Pre SATA I am referring to).

I will also add that on to the subject of the 100MB reserved partition, I must have been formatting my drives for quite some time. I have seen that before, and do know what it holds, but I have not seen one on a computer I have built in quite a while. I am sure it is no biggie if it is there or not, was just something I noticed this time.

Right now, my HDD has been cleaned by the Clean and Clean All command in Diskpart as I have done in the past. I have my boot order set for Atapi DVD drive first, then after install will make it the HDD.
It is a shame I even had to do all this. Wish I knew what happened to iTunes after I downloaded 11.2.3 and my Open With command. Computer as I said, was flying, and I was very happy.

Once again, thanks for all the help, and I appreciate any other advice.
:)

Your stated assumptions are urban legends and XP methods that are outmoded and unnecessary unless indicated, just like forcing a bunch of drivers into the first driver-complete OS.

Nobody advised you to run Clean or Clean All commands which is overkill when all that's needed is deleting all partitions during install as it says in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 .

I will repeat: The tutorial I gave you compiles every step, tool and method that works best in Win7 based on tens of thousands of installs we've directly helped with here, without a single complaint. You will get and keep a perfect install to the exact extent you stick with those steps.

I understand it's hard to give up old ways but you came here to the top tech forums to do that if necessary, correct?