windows 7 installation drivers missing???

[bonecrusher]

i have found many sites out there that approach my problem here about windows 7 installation not able to find any drivers.

but my problem is just a little bit different:
- the computer i am trying to install windows 7 enterprise on has its HDD out and into a 2.5" HDD enclosure
- windows 7 has been installed on this HDD before (its messed up pretty good for unknown reasons, so i formatted it while its in the enclosure)
- i am going to install windows 7 through another computer running vista, windows 7 will be installed on the HDD that is in the enclosure (by selecting the HDD for a destination during win7 installation)
- the computer that should have the HDD in it, for some, ultra weird reason, does not want to read any disc in its tray. so forget about installing it straight onto the compuer im doing all this for


but all those sites out there that address this same issue fail to solve it by suppling the drivers needed to install windows 7, they always direct you to a link that (in my opinion) is off topic, badly.

i remember coming across this problem before (when i last installed it), and i got around it, somehow. but now it seems that its impossible to fix this


please answer these questions:
what are the drivers for?
how do i get them?
why is it so hard to find these mysterious drivers?

like usual, any help is appreciated, but...
if anyone can supply a direct link to the drivers (if its possible to do so), then that would be B****IN

p.s. i really do not understand why windows needs drivers to install...
p.s.s. im at the epidemy of frustration with this computer, i wont bore you, but its been a week and a half and the ASUS still does not want to give up making me more frustrated, so please, try to be as helpful as possible

thankyou

 

[not so gray matter]

I won't attempt to answer the drivers question, however, you can install Windows from a USB Pen Drive.

Here's the link:
Install Windows 7 From USB Drive/Pen Drive

 

[gregrocker]

If the enclosure you refer to is a USB external drive then you cannot install Win7 onto it.

The Win7 installer is driver-complete. You shouldn't need to find any drivers unless some are missing in Device Manager after install. What drivers are you referring to exactly? You refer to drivers without telling us what is requesting drivers and how.

 

[bonecrusher]

notsograymatter, those were the exact links im talking about where they do not refer to my problem at all, so what, you can put it on a USB, great...

gregrocker, how come i cant install win7 on an external drive by USB?? doesn't it give you the option during install to locate the destination to install?? what if i can't install it onto an external HDD, theres no other option for me to get it onto there because i have a DVD drive that doesn't seem to want to read...


device manager... is that for this computer running vista, or for the external HDD?? coz i formatted the HDD so i have a fresh drive...

as for what type of drivers, i truly do not know, right after i click "install now" it comes up with 'missing drivers' it comes up with 3 prompt windows, one of them saying something like "it is ok to remove your windows installation disc to load the drivers" <--- maybe that will help with what those prompts are saying...
but i have done a few bits of research, on win7 forums mainly, there was one post that knocked my problem on the head, it wasnt solved, but i still cant find it again [it had pictures and an awesome description too :[ )

the computer i am trying to install windows 7 on is an ASUS (mentioned above, somewhere), i have two driver discs for my computer but they are meant to be for vista and XP (its an oldish computer), if i was to load them when it prompts me to, will that solve it. the driver discs, as you can imagine, have the optical drive n the keyboard and all that jazz

like i said b4, i have done this install on the same computer a while ago, just, not throguh USB and onto a HDD in an enclosure... and i remember it wasn't too hard to fix, could it be that i just have to load the drivers that came with my ASUS computer for vista n XP???

 

[SIW2]

You are planning to install 7 onto an external HD.

Afterwards, use the HD as an internal drive.

The issue you will have is with the hardware on the new machine you are planning to put the HD being very different from the Vista machine you are using to install it.

You should be able to get around that using sysprep, or a tool like Paragon Adaptive Restore.

 

[gregrocker]

What drivers does it ask for exactly? SATA or HD controller drivers likely. If it doesn't specify what drivers, then what is the exact error message?

If you know which drivers it wants, you can browse to them on the Vista drivers disk you have which should work for Win7 installer.

 

[bonecrusher]

thankyou SIW2 for clearing that up...

im going to approach the install one more time to get the error message(s), so give me a bit after you read this message for it...
but, how would i go about searching for drivers on the vista computer, it gives me the option to browse for drivers, but to individually serarch for them would take way to long, is there a default destination for the vista drivers so i can easily find them??

 

[bonecrusher]

i think i have already...

 

[bonecrusher]

oh, ok, well how do you activate it then???

so, here it is, the entirety of my win7 installation...

1) it get to the "windows is loading files..." black screen (starting from CD/DVD drive)
2) get to the starting windows, with the win7 loading screen thing where the balls of light come together
3) get to the first window to install win7, titled "install windows"
options:
- language to install (i chose english)
- Time and currency (i chose US)
- keyboard (i chose US)
there is a next button, i click it to get to next step
4) bigger button saying "install windows" with the win7 logo just above it, i click the button
5) win7 background with the words "setup is starting..."
...i wait...
6) next window it is titled "load driver"
"a required CD/DVD drive device is missing. If you have a driver Floppy Disc, CD, DVD, or USb Flash Drive, please insert it now."
"NOTE: if the windows installation media is in the CD/DVD drive, you can safely remove it for this step."
there are a few buttons available to choose from:
- browse
- OK
- Cancel
i click 'OK'
7) theres a little loading bar that says it is "looking for the drivers..."
8) another window pops up titled "load driver"
[exclamation mark icon (coloured yellow)]
"No device drivers were found. Make sure that the insrtallation media contains the correct drivers, then click OK."
(i click 'OK')
9) the same window appears that is in step 7, ill try my best to explain what it looks like (you may already know...

titled "install windows"
"select the driver to be installed."
[there is a big empty box that should have the drivers listed in it, but there is none available]
[just underneath the big box there is a checkbox that is checked and says beside it...]
"Hide drivers that are not compatible with hardware on this computer"

there are also three buttons just below that
- "browse" able to be clicked, which qwhen clicked im sure you know what happens...
- "rescan" able to be clicked, which, undoubtably, rescans for drivers
- "next" shadowed out, unable to be clicked

also below the buttons there is a progress bar that has two total steps, 1 and 2
i am about 1/3 through step 1 at this point...




hope that was helpful to solve my problem
thankyou

 

[bonecrusher]

i just realised that i need the CD/DVD drivers for it to continue, and in my research to find a solution to this, poeple have also been having troubles at where i am at the moment. but no one seems to have a solution, it seems a big problem that ppl have, maybe make a sticky on the solution?? if there isnt one already??

 

[SIW2]

Nope. Go to User cp, On the left panel, Settings and Options >Edit Options , tick Enable Private messaging.
Scroll to the bottom of the page and Save Changes.

 

[gregrocker]

What you need is to insert the HD controller drivers, which are likely dated IDE drivers not in the Win7 installer.

To find these drivers, look in Device Manager for IDE controllers, then Google the exact name of your IDE controllers, locate the latest drivers (hopefully Vista if not Win7, but XP can sometimes work), download and unzip them to CD or flash stick, and browse there from the Load Drivers link you described until it picks up the drivers.

You may also find this driver on the Support Downloads page for your model computer or mobo, however it is often bundled into the chipset so you will have to isolate it or upload the entire chipset to Win7 installer. This can be a problem if the latest drivers are XP since Win7 installer will have some newer chipset drivers so you really only want to supply the bare minimum driver requested which according to what you describe is the IDE controller. If you had SATA controllers the driver would def be in the installer already. It is older IDE controllers that are providing these problems.

I know it says it is a CD/DVD driver missing, but the IDE controller that runs your HD is the same one that runs your CD/DVD drive, and it is your HD that is missing on "Where do you want to install Win7" page where your install is stalling out. Load drivers there.

If you post back your exact computer or mobo model, there are folks here who will link you to the drivers. But don't let that stop you from searching for yourself, as it is valuable tech experience.

 

[bonecrusher]

thankyou, i will give it a go myself for a bit, and if i cant find anything i will come straight back with my model details, plz stay in touch coz i dont want you to think it is all solved now, just wait until it is please

thanks..
bonecrusher

 

[gregrocker]

We are always here and never give up.

 

[bonecrusher]

hmm, for everyone who can help, my computer details (as much as i can provide) are as follows:
- ASUS
- model: F3L
- Intel Pentium
- Used to have windows vista business, but now nothing
- memory: 2Gb
- HD: 250Gb
- ODD: DVD Sup.MTI.
- Display: 15.4" WXGA
- CPU: Duo T2370
- Wireless: 802.11b/g + BT
- bought it in 2008, june

i wish i can provide more details, but as i have no HDD with an operating system on it, i cannot access such details as you may need

 

[bonecrusher]

sorry, but im just wondering if anyone can help, i kinda need this desperately, and to find those drivers would be the best.
oh and i know you asked me to get into device manager, but i cannot do so because i cannot acces anything in my computer (the ASUS), so i could only point out the things i kjnow off the top of my head (which are the things on my post above).

so please, anyone who can help with those drivers can you do so.

thankyou

 

[gregrocker]

Did you go to the Asus Support Downloads website and look for the SATA controller drivers for your model notebook? Use Vista 32 bit if Win7 is unavailable as they will work.

The downloads page is here: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.-Support-

The driver is listed under Other: Intel Matrix Storage Manager. I have uploaded it for you here: View attachment IMSM_Vista32_070911.zip

Now unzip the files onto a stick or CD and load them in at the "Where do you want to Install Windows 7" screen after selecting Custom in the booted Win7 DVD install.

 

[bonecrusher]

thankyou so much gregrocker,

i have just downloaded it, and will restart the installation process using these drivers

thank you so far.

bonecrusher

 

[gregrocker]

If the installer won't pick up a driver from the storage manager driver you have unzipped to a stick or CD, after browsing into all of the folders, then put in the Vista driver disk you have there and browse it to attempt to find a storage controller driver to see if the installer Load Drivers app will pick it up from there.

Once you get a storage controller driver loaded, refresh the Hard Drive list in the windows above it to see if your HD now shows up to begin Custom install.

 

[bonecrusher]

thankyou gregrocker, plx read this, as it is the finale of the problems....

http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/77400-formatted-drive-need-info-2.html#post747956