Windows does not recognise my HD for a clean install

My nick says it all


My C drive quite simply died on me over a period of 2 days. Day 2 saw the requiem.
So, now I am replacing my C drive with a 500 Gb drive for my OS (Win 7) and programs only, the previous disk was 1.5 TB with no partition.

Following the install instructions I get to step 6 (Clean Install Windows 7), and all is well. Step 7 states “No Drives were found. Click load driver to provide a mass storage driver for installation. Windows tells me to load driver. I have checked ever folder available and no “signed Driver” is available.

My next action was to check connections to the replacement drive; all appears fine, the disk is getting worm and I can feel it whirring.

Because the “new” disk had other “stuff” on it, I decided to format it, which I did on my second computer via disk management. The disk is described as “New Volume”; Simple layout; Basic type; NTFS File system; Healthy (primary partition). Capacity 465.76 GB; 465.62 Free space, 100%, % Free; No Fault tolerance and finally, overhead 0%.

Other than advising me to continue banging my head against a brick wall, and suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Most likely your SATA Operation Mode is set as RAID in BIOS. You should be able to change to AHCI (some mobos don't have this choice and then your only choice is RAID). In case of RAID, download the Pre-Install Drivers for RAID/SATA from your motherboard support site, copy to a USB flash drive/CD-DVD. Load these when the option comes. AHCI shouldn't require additional drivers as Windows have a built in driver.

Thank you GoKay,
I'll get onto it now and report back

Oh dear GoKay
It never rains but it pours.
Not too sure what I did wrong but after the initial info screen (memory etc) the next screen is mumbo-jumbo.
I have returned BIOS to optimum best but no improvement
Thanks for your input.

Was it set to RAID? What are the other options?
Can you post a screenshot of the mumbo-jumbo (take a photo with phone)?

Also try:
Remove all HDD (unplug power cable) but only the one that you are installing to.
Switch this HDD to the first SATA port (SATA-0 or SATA-1), check your motherboard manual.

Good Morning GoKay and thanks for your persistance

With only one HDD powered, described in BIOS as

"IDE Channel 0 Master" (CD/DVD)
"IDE Channel 0 Slave" (CD/DVD)
"IDE Chanel 1 Master" (500gm HDD)

Also, under Advanced BIOS Features
"Hard Disk Boot Priority"
1) EFI CD/DVD Boot option [AUTO]
2) First Boot Dedvice [CD ROM]
3) Secfond Boot Device [Hard Disk]
4) Third Boot Device [USB-FDD]

To Your first question, it was "IDE Native"

Hope it is of some help

Hmm, don't know why this is so - IDE Chanel 1 Master" (500gm HDD)

I guess now SATA Mode has turned to IDE.

Try the Boot Menu (F12) and select CD-ROM, if no go next boot select EFI CD/DVD. Lets see if one of these will boot.

Then if it still doesn't work load optimized defaults in BIOS. And then try those 2 options again.

After BIOS defaults - In BIOS - Integrated Peripherals - make sure OnChip SATA is Enabled and Type is AHCI.
Also Port 4/5 "As SATA Type"

I believe the + means that HDD is default first boot. Boot Menu doesn't change the boot order but only boots from the selected device for that time once.

The 500GB disk, is it new or used previously?

The error may indeed be due to a corrupt installation media. Is your Windows a retail license or OEM? If retail you can download another copy from Microsoft (search - Microsoft Software Recovery in Google).

Perhaps download Partition Wizard free bootable (Bootable Partition Manger | MiniTool Partition Wizard Bootable Edition) and delete all existing partitions and run the installer afterwards. Can be done with the installer too (clean install tutorial steps 7-8 should be talking about it).