No drives were found. Win7 first install HELP!

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llLeonll

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Jun 2, 2012
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Hello, first of all sory i'm typing this on my ipod so this may not be very well constructed.

Okay, my problem is i've just built my computer yesterday and have been stuck with this problem since. When i try and install the OS which is Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit, i onl get uP to the stage where i choose where to install the OS to, the problem is my HDD doesn't show up on the list. I can go to advanced settings and it still doesn't show anything, i've used all of the install CD's i was given and none of the have the drivers that it says is needed.

Please help asap!

Also i have been in my BIOS and have seen that my motherboard can clearly recognise the HDD as one of it's peripherals.
 
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ericloewe

Senior member
Dec 14, 2011
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Remove (as in physically disconnect or disable the controller in the BIOS setup) all mass storage devices that you aren't using. Since you're installing from the DVD, that means the only two mass storage devices that should be connected are the DVD drive and the HDD. Remove all memory card readers, pen drives and extra DVD drives and HDDs/SSDs.
If that doesn't help, we'll need more information about your system.
 
Bubbaleone

Bubbaleone

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Nov 20, 2011
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llLeonll

Member
Jun 2, 2012
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Bubbaleone said:
Format the drive before installing Windows. Unformatted is the same as unmounted, and Windows can't see it.
Click to expand...

How do i format it though? There was an option in the win7 installation process but when i try to format it it says windows can't format C make sure its connected properly and tht it is not read only.
 
Bubbaleone

Bubbaleone

Golden Member
Nov 20, 2011
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Don't worry about having to use the Windows DVD to format. I didn't see anywhere in your link what HDD or SSD you decided to go with. All the major drive mfgs. have their own diagnostic and formatting utilities. Go to the website of your HDD/SSD mfg. and download their formatting utility.

It's typically an ISO file that you'll burn to CD, and then boot from, so be sure to set your BIOS to boot from the DVD drive first. Be sure to thoroughly read the website instructions before trying to use the format utility. When you've finished formatting run the installation.


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llLeonll

Member
Jun 2, 2012
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Okay well i couldn't find the western digital formattin utility, so i formatted it on another Windows 7 computer. When i tried the same drive in my computer this time it still didn't sork. Any other ideas? The HDD is a Western Digital Blue 500GB Sata 3 HDD.
 
Bubbaleone

Bubbaleone

Golden Member
Nov 20, 2011
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Like Soundmanred says; if you have AHCI mode set, change it to IDE mode and try it again. Post your hardware specs also; the link you posted doesn't clearly list what hardware you're actually running now.
 
Bubbaleone

Bubbaleone

Golden Member
Nov 20, 2011
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Can you post a clear description of the point at which the installation fails, and the error message/s you're seeing?
 
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llLeonll

Member
Jun 2, 2012
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Well, pretty much straight after the BIOS screen flashes i select my language time and currency format and keyboard input, i click install now, it says ' setup is starting ' i then agree to the license terms, clik the Custom(Advanced) button to install a new copy of windows, then on the next step it says 'where do you want to install windows?'.

This is where i'm stuck. The error says 'No drives were found. Click Load Driver to provide a mass storage device for installation.'

I don't believe i have drivers for the HDD in the given DVD's.
 
Bubbaleone

Bubbaleone

Golden Member
Nov 20, 2011
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It would appear that the install DVD doesn't contain the SATA/RAID mass storage driver needed. Go to GA-B75M-D3H Downloads, select "Driver" and "Windows 7 64bit" then under the SATA RAID category download the Intel SATA Preinstall driver.

It's a self-extracting 7-zip file, so when you double-click it will ask where you want to extract the files to. I'd suggest extracting the files to a USB flash drive. Plug the USB flash drive into your PC then when the installation says "Click Load Driver to provide a mass storage device for installation", point it to the USB flash drive containg the mass storage driver.



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llLeonll

Member
Jun 2, 2012
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Bubbaleone said:
It would appear that the install DVD doesn't contain the SATA/RAID mass storage driver needed. Go to GA-B75M-D3H Downloads, select "Driver" and "Windows 7 64bit" then under the SATA RAID category download the Intel SATA Preinstall driver.

It's a self-extracting 7-zip file, so when you double-click it will ask where you want to extract the files to. I'd suggest extracting the files to a USB flash drive. Plug the USB flash drive into your PC then when the installation says "Click Load Driver to provide a mass storage device for installation", point it to the USB flash drive containg the mass storage driver.



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Click to expand...

Okay well i've just tried that and it didn't work, i was sure it would work too, but when i look at the drivers it nothing shows up because the hide driver that are not compatible with hardwre on this computer is ticked, and when i untick it the list shows up, but if i try to onstall all of the drivers my HDD still doesn't show up...
 
Bubbaleone

Bubbaleone

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Nov 20, 2011
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You downloaded the Intel driver, extracted it to the flash drive, pointed the installation to it when it asks for a storage driver, and it's telling you the Gigabyte Intel storage driver is not compatible?
 
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llLeonll

Member
Jun 2, 2012
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Yea i tried the Intel SATA Preinstall driver and extracted it to a usb, directed the exact folder to the windows install cd and it says its incompatible, i sounds weird but its true. :/
 
Bubbaleone

Bubbaleone

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Nov 20, 2011
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At the moment all I can suggest trying is to reset the BIOS to default settings by removing the CMOS battery for 60 seconds. Unplug the PSU from the wall outlet, and hold down the power button for 10 seconds before removing the battery. See if the installation fails at the same point.

I just thought of something; when you formatted the drive on the other machine did you notice if Windows had assigned it a drive letter? I'm just trying to confirm that the drive was in fact successfully formatted as a primary partition.

Sorry...I'm getting groggy and need to hit the sack shortly...hopefully somebody jumps in to help you out.
 
Bubbaleone

Bubbaleone

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Nov 20, 2011
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llLeonll said:
Yea i tried the Intel SATA Preinstall driver and extracted it to a usb, directed the exact folder to the windows install cd and it says its incompatible, i sounds weird but its true. :/
Click to expand...

Looking over your descriptions of the steps you've taken while trying to install the Intel mass storage preinstall driver, from the USB stick, I think you're making an error. You have to actually "browse" to the location of the driver on the USB flash drive, and you don't mention doing that.

This excellent step-by-step tutorial; How to Load SATA Driver in Windows 7, will walk you through the procedure. Clicking on the first image will open a full-screen graphic slideshow that makes it easy to follow.

In your hardware list you show you're running "RAM G.Skill 2x4GB 1333MHz" so I'd assumed you're installing the 64-bit version of Windows 7, as you have 8GB RAM. I directed you to download the 64-bit version of the Intel SATA Preinstall driver but if you're actually installing the 32-bit version of Windows 7, you'll need the 32-bit driver. I'm sorry if my "assumption" caused any confusion.


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llLeonll

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Jun 2, 2012
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The letter that is in my computer at the moment is C.

Yes, i was sure to download the 64bit versiOn of Win7 and was sure to direct the CD to the exact folder that contained the drivers. I noticed one thin in my BIOS however, my sata controller was still set to IDE from testing earlier, and now when i tried it one drive showed up even when the hide drivers was ticked. However even when i installed the driver it still did the same thing, i did follow your instructions as much as I could, it was my fault for not explainin what I did, sorry.
 
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Bubbaleone

Bubbaleone

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Nov 20, 2011
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When you say; "now when i tried it one drive showed up even when the hide drivers was ticked", do you mean the WD Blue is now visible? Do you have any other HDDs or SSDs connected?

If you can see the WD, and there aren't other drives connected, uplug the USB stick and try the installation from the start again and this time select the drive that's visible.
 
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llLeonll

Member
Jun 2, 2012
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No i mean the ' hide drivers that are not compatible ' selection is ticked, sorry. I'll try it without the USB now
 
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llLeonll

Member
Jun 2, 2012
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Even without the USB it still did the same, thanks for your help, you've spent a lot of your time trying to help me, i can't thank you enough!

But my brother just paid for it to be looked at and hopefully they will fix it.

Thank you for you help anyway Bubbaleone!
 
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Smoblikat

Diamond Member
Nov 19, 2011
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OP
Same issue with me every time i install windows. You need to format it and give it a letter from another computer or else windows will be absolutely useless and not be able to access it.
 
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llLeonll

Member
Jun 2, 2012
32
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Smoblikat said:
OP
Same issue with me every time i install windows. You need to format it and give it a letter from another computer or else windows will be absolutely useless and not be able to access it.
Click to expand...

Oh? But on ny computer it already says my HDD is C:
 
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