Help! Vista install issues

[callousdigits]

Hi all,

This is driving me nuts -- I've just finished putting my first pc together, and vista install won't recognize my hard drive. Bios recognizes it fine, but the vista install refuses to. I've tried to use the drivers that came w/the mobo, but it doesn't recognize them either.

GA-EP35-DS3L
E7200
WD Caviar 640GB

Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[WR2]

Try using the CUSTOM (advanced) install option:

 

[callousdigits]

It's actually in the custom install screen that it says there's no hard drive installed. If I browse for drivers, I see c: show up -- if I try to browse it, it says that it's not formatted, but won't allow me to format it (read only issues or something)

 

[PsyKhiqZero]

I assume your using sata hdd. go into your bios and set your drives to ide mode. then dl the western digital diagnostic utlity and use it to write zeros to the drive. that should take care of any issues as far as security on the drive is concerned

 

[callousdigits]

It is a sata HD -- but how do I run the WD diagnostic before there's an OS on the machine?

 

[WR2]

It is a sata HD -- but how do I run the WD diagnostic before there's an OS on the machine?

Download the bootable Diagnostic file (zip or ISO image) and burn it to a CD - you should be able to boot the CD and run the utility.
Instructions are on the download pages.

 

[WR2]

If you don't already have a utility to burn an ISO image to a CD try ImgBurn it's free and easy to use.

 

[San Pedro]

I'd try hooking it up to a different computer and format it in a working OS install, you can even partition it there.