IBM Lenovo is giving me fits on re-installing O/S

[Chaim613]

Hi,
In trying to re-install W-7 Pro from a Microsoft install disk, I formatted the System partition and need to provide a driver to the install procedure. I've run into a problem: I downloaded the Western Digital driver to a thumb-drive but when I tell the W-7 installation procedure to find the driver on the thumb drive, and "DriverRestore.exe" from Western Digital appears on the file directory, I select the file, and press "Open", the installation procedure responds with "The specified location doesn't contain any information about your hardware"
But I'm sure that file is for the correct Hard Drive.
What to do?
This is a great Forum,
Thank you

 

[Ztruker]

What OS did it come with?

If Windows 8, it is probably a UEFI/GPT system do you need to install Windows 7 differently.

Start here: http://www.sevenforums.com/installa...-create-new-system-partition.html#post2632386

Edit: Also, please fill out your System Specs.

See here: How to See Your System Specs with "System Info"

 

[Chaim613]

The machine was bought used with W-7 Pro
I successfully re-installed the O/S with the microsoft W-7 Pro Installation Disk I am now using, only I didn't previously format the system partition, back in March and the machine was a lot faster as a result of formatting the logical partition during installation of the O/S.
I've downloaded the W-7 64 bit .ISO file and the installation procedure doesn't recognize the file, saying there is no "signed" .ISO file on the media. I think I need the IBM Lenovo Restore Disk. Thank you very much for responding. I've tried everyone's advice and I'll report back whether the Restore Disk worked.

 

[Ztruker]

Where did you download the W7 64bit ISO file from?

This is the official, legal site: Windows 7 Direct Download Links, Official Disk Images from Digital River

 

[gregrocker]

This time delete all partitions during the booted install after backing up any data needed.

In addition follow these same steps for http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164 which assure you will get and keep a perfect install to the exact extent you stick with those tools and methods. These are based on what works best in tens of thousands of installs we've directly helped with here.

 

[Chaim613]

"Lenovo giving me fits" recap

I downloaded a Digital River .iso, and it worked (almost). Now I need to keep the W-7 Pro install disk in the drive, or when I restart, I get the msg.: "No Operating System".
What is the fix to that? I tried re-installing...same msg!
Thank you for getting me this far.

 

[dsperber]

I downloaded the Western Digital driver to a thumb-drive but when I tell the W-7 installation procedure to find the driver on the thumb drive, and "DriverRestore.exe" from Western Digital appears on the file directory, I select the file, and press "Open", the installation procedure responds with "The specified location doesn't contain any information about your hardware"

An ".exe" is not what a driver folder looks like. This .EXE file might be a self-expanding installation file from WD, and if so it probably will produce folder/sub-folder structure which down lower somewhere there will be the expected .INF file for the device.

What is the WD device you need drivers for?? What exactly is the web location you obtained this WD driver installer file from?

You don't point to this .EXE file when telling the W7 installer to find the drivers here. You must point to what probably is the expansion of that probably self-expanding .EXE. In fact that .EXE might be the expansion/installation complete so just run it. Or, you can try manually expanding it with WinRAR or WinZIP, and then see what gets expanded and verify that there is an .INF file down in some sub-folder.

It is the INF file in a folder/sub-folder structure that you point Windows to when installing a driver (and the Windows driver installer will drill down and find it as long as you check "look in sub-folders" option). Not an .EXE. But frequently the manufacturer will provide an "all-in-one" self-expanding installer file, which then runs the SETUP.EXE from the expansion to actually do the driver install. But it is the .INF file which is the "driver" which is what Windows will be looking for if you ask Windows to install the driver from the expanded folder/sub-folder structure.

The message "The specified location doesn't contain any information about your hardware" is what Windows returns if it can't find the proper .INF file for the hardware ID of the hardware it's trying to install a driver for. Obviously your .EXE is not an .INF file, nor is it a folder/sub-folder structure in which an .INF can be found. You need to expand the .EXE (probably) which will likely reveal a \BIN or \DRIVERS folder in which the needed .INF will then be visible for Windows to find and use.

Or... RUN that .EXE from WD, and it will probably do it all for you.

 

[gregrocker]

the machine was a lot faster as a result of formatting the logical partition during installation of the O/S.

If you were able to install Win7 to a Logical partition with no other Primary partition present to accept the boot files, then this is why the disk must be in the drive to boot the OS.

Let us see a screenshot of http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...nt-post-screen-capture-image.html#post2261610

 

[Chaim613]

I guess it's "start from scratch". Is there a good tutorial on "How to partition a drive for re-installing the O/S"? I installed the O/S on the logical partition because it was working, and I was frustrated (I know that's not a very good, perhaps poor, reason)

 

[gregrocker]

If you follow the steps for a http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164 it covers all of this and much more.

You will get and keep a perfect install to the exact extent you stick with the tools and methods in that tutorial which had helped over a million users without a single complaint.

I always delete all partitions during the booted install, create and format new as desired then install Win7 to the first partition which is in the fastest part of the HD.