Solved Windows 7 install doesn't recognise my hard drive

[DocBrown]

4gb flash is the best size. Several of us will monitor this thread for your next post.

 

[gregrocker]

You dont' need Vista on the HD except to try as a platform for clean install or even in-place Upgrade as a last resort if install will not budge.

Just leave the Product Key box blank during install and use the quick registry workaround given here to activate when installed to cleaned HD: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31402-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html

4gb is fine for writing install ISO to stick. I gave you the writing method which always works for me - the MS tool can be picky and others hit-n-miss:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31541-windows-7-usb-dvd-download-tool.html?filter[2]=General%20Tips
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2432-usb-windows-7-installation-key-drive-create.html
How to: install Windows (any version from XP to Win7) from a USB/flash drive | Tips 'n Tricks | dotTech

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello DaveG, welcome to Seven Forums!



If you're still having issues try as Greg suggested and boot to diskpart again and run the clean command since you have done the clean all already, the clean command only removes the previous format data and only takes a few seconds to complete.

DISKPART : At PC Startup


Then use the info in this snip below to create and activate a single 100GB partition to do the install to, this helps in some of these cases and be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.

Step 2 #2 from this tutorial SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

​

 

[DaveG]

Hi,

I'm at work but i've got a couple of minutes so I thought i'd add a quick update of where i got to last night.

Kind of good and bad news but hopefully just a blip.

Once i completed the steps Theog listed i went into the BIOS and for some reason in the Hard Disk Boot Priority menu my usb stick was listed first and the hard drive second, i changed the order and saved it. In W7 when the option to choose where to install came up the hard drive was listed and no message to say i couldn't install to it. Hooray!!

I started the install and it went through the steps of expanding and updating and what not. It took a while and said it may restart several times and near the end it did restart. The thing is when the computer rebooted it started the whole process again. It was late and i didn't want to sit through it all again so i cancelled the install.

My question is when the computer restarted should i have gone into the BIOS and set the hard drive as the First Boot Device? Or is it right that W7 goes through the install again and expanding/updating. I don't remember it doind that on my main PC.

 

[theog]

You may have your CD/DVD as first boot.
Check when you get home.

 

[DocBrown]

DaveG, Did you get to install from DVD or USB Flash Stick ?

 

[gregrocker]

Normally when this happens it is because at reboot we mistakenly choose "Press any key to boot DVD" instead of letting the HD start on its own to continue install.

If you did not receive the prompt and it started install over then set HD as first boot device in BIOS, and commence install using one-time BIOS Boot Menu key. If you can't find that key, then either remove the DVD from drive or unplug external DVD drive during the restart.

 

[DaveG]

The dvd drive is listed as the first boot device and hard drive as second. I guess it needs to be to install W7? I am doing this from memory though so you're right, i'll double check when i get home.

My BIOS also also has an option saying Hard Disk Boot Priority and when pressing enter it brings up a list which was is where my USB stick was selected as the first option and enabled me to install to the hard drive.

DocBrown, It installed from the disk and it seemed to be working. I thought i'd try it before exploring the USB Flash stick option. The stick was only still in the computer from when i had tried to install the SATA driver.

Thanks gregrocker, i did hit any key come to think of it and i'll leave it alone tonight.

Cheers

 

[DaveG]

Well, great news.

I turned on the PC and Windows 7 must have loaded fine last night as it's now set up and installing updates.

Just wanted to say thank you very much to everyone who gave me advise yesterday. I can't believe it was so difficult, at one time i thought it wasn't ever going to work.

You guys really know your stuff!

Thanks again,

Dave

 

[DocBrown]

Glad you stayed with it DaveG



​

 

[theog]

Well done.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Good to see you got it running and thanks for the update.

 

[BattleBotBob]

Thanks! you solved my problem

Google got me here, but you solved my problem with Windows7 installation on my Gigabyte mother board. Thanks. (sorry if this isnt the right way to express my thanks, but I assure you I am very grateful!) Thanks to theog and to everyone else. Your good work lives on.

bob

Try cleaning HD command prompt.

1) Boot DVD, & Press Shift+F10 (for command prompt)
2) Boot DVD, & http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/682-command-prompt-startup.html
(for command prompt)

Type in command line
DISKPART
DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK # (win HD)
CLEAN ALL
CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY
SELECT PARTITION 1
ACTIVE
FORMAT fs=NTFS
ASSIGN
EXIT
EXIT

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html

 

[theog]

Well done, you are welcome.

 

[itami]

i had the same exact problem, i was trying to use a hard drive that was used as raid before so i format it with windows command line but it didn't work so well

i used gpartition from ubuntu and it told me that the hard drive was formated as ntfs but it didn't had partition table

so it advise me to create a partition table and i tried to install windows again and finally it recognize the hard drive

 

[gregrocker]

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 (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - Install Windows 7 with, or 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 SIZE=102400 (for 100gb partition, adjust as desired)
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 marking it Active which overcomes certain install failures.