Windows 7 installer doesn't see drives

[pw2much]

I'm building an Asus M4A785TD-V EVO Computer with: 6gbs ram ddr3 1600,with two hd 1)120gb + 200gb which are from another computer,I'm installing Win7 HP64bit oem disc, and it's telling me that it cannot find the drives what is wrong? This is only my second build and well I need help here, why isn't it finding my drives,then it asks for the location of the drives where do I get the drives from so that the installtion can continue when I click on load drives it asks for the loction of the drives cd,dvd,floppy? or is it talking about the drives that come with the Asus cd?I'm trying to do a custom install but there was an OS on the drives before could this be the problem? Or what did I do wrong? I didn't install the software from the Asus cd yet! Or maybe I'm getting too old for this!Any directions will be appreciated!

 

[superty12]

This is only my second build and well I need help here, why isn't it finding my drives,then it asks for the location of the drives where do I get the drives from so that the installtion can continue when I click on load drives it asks for the loction of the drives cd,dvd,floppy?

You put in the Asus CD into a second, CD reading, optical drive, then click CD. It should be able to install now.

 

[pw2much]

okay I got that second drive it's a bluray writer(Liteon iHBS112) w/Lite on iHAS220 Multi-drive,but now the windows cd will not startup the computer at all. I put the disc in the drive and and turned off the computer and the computer came on but the press any key when prompted did not come back up this time! Why?

 

[pw2much]

Alright I believe I solve that problem now the OS is installing! will keep you updated!

 

[techsuitor]

haha hope that you do it. ..

 

[pw2much]

Ok I get to the window- Where do you want to install Windows

Name Totalsize Freespace Type
Disk 0 Partition 1 111.86 GB 111.7 GB System
Disk 0 Unallocated space 9.0MB 9.0MB

Disk 1 Partition 1 186.3 GB 186.3 GB Primary
Disk 1 Unallocated 9.0 MB 9.0MB

Refresh Delete Format

New Extend ------- These are buttons for Options with New not accessable!

Windows cannot be installed to Disk 0 Partition 1 - :setup was unable to create a new system partition or locate an existing system partition. See the setup Log files for more information.

This where I get stuck at, during the installation!!!

 

[Archean]

Try to install without creating further (logica/extended) partitions, as you can always create them later on.

 

[techsuitor]

yeah.. try it first..

 

[mike1959]

Installing Windows problems

A few ideas that MAY help. If you have taken the H.Drives from another PC, check the jumpers on each and make one the 'Master', the other 'slave'.

Best not to have 2 Hard drives on the same ribbon.

The 9Gb partition looks like its the 'pre install' partition, with windows on it.
If you install the new OS onto the biggest partition on Disk 0 (Master) it should go.

One more thing, if the drives are from an old PC they may be FAT32, so you will have to format in NTFS to suit windows 7..... Apologise if you know all this, but it's easy to miss something obvious, I have before.

 

[pw2much]

Now if that is the situation having FAT32, but there was win.XP on it before and win.98 before that,is there a way to change it in bios? or how would I do this,because it said something about changing or enabling something in bios to be able to format?

 

[mike1959]

Installing Win7 64bit....

The standard 'safe' way to use 2 hard drives and 2 CD/DVD drives when using IDE devices, was to put one HD with the Windows O.S. on, on ribbon connected to 'IDE 0' on the motherboard. The BIOS is set up to find O.S there by default. Then on that same ribbon put one CD/DVD drive. The hard drive on this ribbon needs to have the jumper at the back set to 'MASTER'. Then the ribbon that is plugged into 'IDE 1' (on the motherboard), connects to your 2nd Hard Drive, that needs to have the jumper set to 'slave' or take it out altogether, no jumper required. On that ribbon you can connect your second CD/DVD drive. Note that it's the 'MASTER' Hard drive is where the Windows operating system should be by default. It will be called 'C' by Windows.
Boot the PC , press F2 and you will be in the BIOS. You now need to find the 'Devices' and the Drives section, and change the order to be; 1) CD/DVD 2)ON BOARD IDE OR SATA. The other options (USB etc) don't matter here. Put your Windows 7 disk in the cd/dvd drive., press F11 (save and exit). The PC will reboot, the new Windows disk will load some code and will look for any Windows OS already there. If found it will list it,
so now is your chance to let Windows FORMAT in NTFS. If your HD had Win98 on it, it will be FAT32, and XP could be FAT32 or NT. But if you choose 'Format in NTFS' the previous FAT 32 will be gone, (plus any files that were there). If your HD 'C' came from a 'shop bought' PC, it could have a small (say 5GB) partition, followed by 115GB, on your 120GB. You may as well delete the 5GB partition. You may need to create a new partition here for your own uses, e.g. 60GB and 60GB or as you require. Then you choose which one you want to install Win7 on (first partition) and it will format NTFS as it goes. All else is straightforward ! Note that you can do the partition work on the other drive, using a program called 'Easus partition wizard' or 'magic'. It's free and works well.
Your second hard drive will be called 'D' by Windows, your cd drives, E & F. If you have a media card reader in your PC, remove the leads from the back of it while you install Windows. Replace the leads after Windows is complete. Sorry if you know most of this, it's hard to judge how much anyone knows on 'posts' like these, but hope it makes sense !! In the BIOS you can change the order back to 1) ON BOARD IDE or SATA, or leave it as is, just don't boot PC again with WIN7 disk in. Good Luck.

 

[Leeky]

Surely a much better, and sensible way is to keep the devices on each ribbon. HDDs together, and optical drives together.

I've only briefly used IDE connectors in my first couple of PCs way back, but one thing I do remember for certain is there is no way on this planet a standard IDE cable would be able to fit a DVD and HDD as the connectors physically wouldn't reach between the devices. It was a tight enough fit getting two devices on top of each other fit, nevermind spread them half the length of the case.

 

[mike1959]

HD and cables

Yes do agree, the obvious and neatest way is to have the CD drives on one ribbon, the hard drives on another, it makes sense. BUT transfering files between hard drives on the same ribbon can become very slow. Also, PC cases used (2000 -2006) tend to have all the drive bays at the top/front, and with some care, the ribbons could be made to connect all components a I described. Since SATA drives have become 'norm', they tend to be down at the bottom of the case, and sideways, using plug in holder system. So that makes it very difficult to use my previous layout. Still. it all depends on the type of case being used, full size ATX or micro, etc. I still beleive it's not the best idea to have two hard drives on the same ribbon, if there is a choice.