Windows 7 Installer will not 'see' hard drive

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Versora

Commendable
Oct 13, 2016
13
0
1,510
The diskpart trick doesn't work. I get the no set drive error, and it shows up as Boot X. My BIOS knows it's there. It's a Sata hard drive. I even tried the Diskpart on a different computer, no luck. It also wants drivers I do not have and apparently, Bing or Google can't find them either.

Nothing works. My laptop is an ASUS RoG G75VW series. OS is Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit. I have a recovery disk and recover flash drive.
 
Solution
SuperSoph_WD
Since BIOS is the only place where you are able to get this HDD detected, I'd strongly recommend downloading your HDD manufacturer's diagnostic tool for DOS. However, you will need another computer to create a bootable flash drive with the software. It would allow you to get the diagnostic tests done without booting into Windows OS. It will also help us determine what is the health and SMART status of your hard drive.

You should be able to find the software and the instructions on how to test the HDD through DOS on the manufacturer's official website, so take a look there.

Let us know how it goes!
SuperSoph_WD
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SuperSoph_WD

SuperSoph_WD

Glorious
Jul 30, 2014
6,758
3
45,960
Welcome to Tom's Hardware, @Versora!

I'd strongly recommend you check your BIOS settings on the laptop and make sure that the SATA mode for the drive is set to AHCI. What is the Windows 7 installation media? Maybe you should try re-creating the bootable installation drive and then attempt to clean install Windows again.
The drivers for your laptop should be easily found on the laptop manufacturer's official website. Find your model there and open the Support tab. There, you should be able to see the latest SATA controller & chipset drivers, and manually install them. While on it, make sure you also have the latest BIOS version installed. You should also have drivers pack CD with your laptop, you might as well try re-installing the drivers from there as well.

Hope this helps. Keep me posted with the troubleshooting!
SuperSoph_WD
 
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V

Versora

Commendable
Oct 13, 2016
13
0
1,510
I left the BIOS settings as they are since they were already set for SATA hard drive. I can't update bios because mt brand new replacement battery was drained and I didn't realize it, only to find it won't even update my BIOS anyways, the battery isn't an issue. I have a recovery DVD that worked perfectly as I had to 'resurrect' and old computer so I could post my problem. I downloaded an official Microsoft ISO and created an install disc.

How am I supposed to install drivers the drivers when Windows won't even acknowledge my drivers install disc? I have my Chipset drivers. But my new hard drive is a Seagate Momentus 750 gb.
 
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V

Versora

Commendable
Oct 13, 2016
13
0
1,510
All my hard drives are working, I tested all of them and no errors were found. I can also access them as external drives. I had to refurbish my spare laptop so I can search what's wrong with the one I mainly use. I also tried cloning my Win 7 os to my Seagate Momentus 750 GB using Seagate Tools. Just now popped the cloned hard drive into my Asus and tried turning it on, and no, I keep getting insert bootable media and press any key. Lucky me I have an external DVD drive. And from there Win 7 Installer still doesn't recognise my hard drive. The new hard drive is a Seagate Momentus 750 GB Serial ATA Drive.
 
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SuperSoph_WD

SuperSoph_WD

Glorious
Jul 30, 2014
6,758
3
45,960
Hey there again, Versora!

So the HDD is recognized in BIOS but even a new Windows 7 bootable installer doesn't detect it? Can you boot into the Windows 7 repair options through the new bootable installer? I'd recommend you to give it a try and then use Command Prompt to type the bootrec /scanos command. This option scans the drive for installations that are compatible with Windows 7. It is usually used when there Windows installations that the Boot Manager menu doesn't list. You might as well try the other commands /FixMbr & /FixBoot to see if they will be of any help.

Let us know how it goes.
SuperSoph_WD
 
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V

Versora

Commendable
Oct 13, 2016
13
0
1,510
I used the SHIFT F10 trick and ran those commands and it said no previously installed Windows, even though I cloned Windows 7 onto the Seagate HDD with SeaTools and the other commands didn't work either. I'm at my wit's end, about to pull my hair out. I just hope I don't have to buy a new computer.

As I said earlier, not even DISKPART sees my HDD, but BIOS does. None of this makes sense, the old hard drive bit the dust, and the Seagate is the new one. and I HATE Windows 10, as it ruined my main laptop. So frustrating, but getting mad won't help me. But I do appreciate all the help so far.
 
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apache_lives

apache_lives

Splendid
Dec 10, 2002
6,873
1
26,160
Windows 10 did not ruin your laptop.

If Windows setup doesn't pick up and storage devices diskpart will not either.

If you cant boot from the internal drive and cant see any drives sounds more like a storage controller issue (chipset/motherboard) - reset cmos (restore defaults) and check port mode (make sure its not raid).

I have seen bad media (disk/image) and bad ram cause this issue before (issues reading discs, no drives detected etc) (besides the usual faulty dvd/hard drive etc) - re-download and use a new/different windows image (even if its the wrong thing eg Windows 8 or Windows 10) to verify if any drive is detected during setup, also download and run memtest on your computer.
 
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V

Versora

Commendable
Oct 13, 2016
13
0
1,510
I've tried defaults. So I may just have bad or defective hard drive. I could try 32 bit even though my system is 64 bit, since I read that some Sata drives don't play well with 64 bit.
 
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SuperSoph_WD

SuperSoph_WD

Glorious
Jul 30, 2014
6,758
3
45,960
Since BIOS is the only place where you are able to get this HDD detected, I'd strongly recommend downloading your HDD manufacturer's diagnostic tool for DOS. However, you will need another computer to create a bootable flash drive with the software. It would allow you to get the diagnostic tests done without booting into Windows OS. It will also help us determine what is the health and SMART status of your hard drive.

You should be able to find the software and the instructions on how to test the HDD through DOS on the manufacturer's official website, so take a look there.

Let us know how it goes!
SuperSoph_WD
 
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Solution
apache_lives

apache_lives

Splendid
Dec 10, 2002
6,873
1
26,160


drives dont care if its 32 or 64 bit that BS wherever you heard that

if you have another hdd you could install to test that would be a good test

memtest?

 
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