Solved New Windows 7 Install Not Detecting HDD

[BumGravey]

Specs:

• MOBO: Gigabyte GA-880GM-UDH2 Rev. 1.0 (AMD SATA)
• BIOS Rev: F8
• HDD: WD Black WD1001FALS 1TB SATA
• HDD Plugged in to SATA2_0

First off, I've read several post reporting the same thing and have tried to take the advice given in each. My question doesn't come from a laziness in research but not getting anywhere with previous suggestions.

I am trying to install Windows 7 Ultimate on a system I've had for a couple years that has previously had several OS's install on it (I use this system as a test bench), including Win7 Ultimate but this time the Win7 installer will not recognize the HDD. I've tried putting the HDD in another system and removing all partitions (with and without creating new partitions and formatting), tried changing BIOS settings from AHCI to IDE, tried loading drivers while installing Win7. I've tried using DISKPART and yes, it recognizes the drive. I've cleaned using both "CLEAN" and "CLEAN ALL". I've tried partitioning and formatting via DISKPART (and also just performing the CLEAN without partitioning and formatting) yet Win7 install will still not recognize the drive.

What's frustrating is that I had Win7 installed (using the same sourse for installation) as recent as last week before wiping it clean to put Win8.1 on this thing to do some testing.

Any help and/or suggestions?

 

[BumGravey]

Wow. Can't believe I forgot this BUT on this particular MOBO you need to have the bootable USB stick plugged in to SPECIFIC USB ports (KB_MS_USB Ports) ONLY. Problem solved. Working now.

 

[gregrocker]

Correct. Win7 SP1 has no USB3 drivers so the stick needs to be plugged into a USB2 port.

 

[BumGravey]

Funny thing is, it allows to me boot from any port but it wouldn't recognize the SATA controller unless I used the KB_MS_USB ports to boot from. I get not being able to use the USB3 ports (2 on this MOBO); however, I was getting no where with the other 4 USB2 ports either regardless of BIOS USB settings (legacy devices enabled or not). I've never run in to that on any other MOBO before.