Fresh OS Install Disaster

[Prydeful]

So, this is probably a beginner's problem, but I have been at it for about 8 hours straight and can't get it to work. Here is my problem, I bought a new 2TB External to backup my current HDD and a SSD to install my new OS. The External is broken out of the package, nothing I can do, but I am impatient so I decide to instead of backup just install with nothing instead of transferring.
I plug in the SSD and it doesn't show up in My Computer, it does show up in Device Manager and it does show up in my BIOS. Like a moron I have been using IDE, but I can always change that at the reboot and doesn't really affect the install. The main problem is that I am unable to install my OS on my new SSD because I can't choose it because I think it isn't recognized? I am booting windows 8 off of a USB stick that doesn't boot, it only works inside of windows, so I can't just stick in my SSD and a CD. I am sure there is a super easy way to fix this... but I am just too braindead or something.

Specs are,

Mobo : Asus M4A88T-V Evo-USB
RAM : 8gb
Graphics : 7850 Radeon
HDD : Hitachi ATA device
SDD : Adata SP600 ATA device
CPU : AMD Phenom II 955 X4
Windows 8

Thanks for your time.

 

[house70]

To make the SSD show up in My Computer, it needs to be initialized, create a partition on it. Use Disk Management to do that.
For a fresh install you should not need to do that, if the SSD is recognized in BIOS, because Windows creates the partition during installation.

 

[zdbc13]

If you have another PC available and a 4gb usb drive you can use this site to make the media:
http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/29322-The-Official-Windows-8-Repository

Then disconnect all your hard drives and only connect the SSD. Boot from the USB and install Windows 8 to the SSD. Once it's installed and updated you can attach your other drives.

 

[Prydeful]

Thanks for answering so quickly! House70, when I only put in the SSD and the USB I was getting the "reboot or put in a proper boot device" nonsense, even though I have a perfectly usable Formatted or Booting USB. So that didn't work...
Also went to Disk Management and "initialized" the disk, and made it a basic disk but it still isn't showing up.. maybe I have to allocate it?
zdbc13 Thank you too for getting back so quickly, for some reason my USB is having boot problems with my mobo or something and that isn't working.

 

[zdbc13]

I thought you said your USB is set up with the upgrade version of Windows 8. That is not bootable and only works if you have windows runing OK. The suggestion I made is to make your own bootable media USB. After you do that follow my advice.

 

[Prydeful]

Oh! Ok, it might actually be an upgrade version, which would explain my problem! I will try your method! Thank you.

 

[zdbc13]

Oh, wait, I accidentally linked to the RTM version which is a trial version. Another site said if you put your upgrade iso on a bootable usb it will work to install. Try this tool with the iso you downloaded before:

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msstore/html/pbPage.Help_Win7_usbdvd_dwnTool

This has instructions:
http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/window-on-windows/transfer-a-windows-8-iso-to-a-bootable-usb-flash-drive/6672

 

[house70]

Thanks for answering so quickly! House70, when I only put in the SSD and the USB I was getting the "reboot or put in a proper boot device" nonsense, even though I have a perfectly usable Formatted or Booting USB. So that didn't work...
Also went to Disk Management and "initialized" the disk, and made it a basic disk but it still isn't showing up.. maybe I have to allocate it?
zdbc13 Thank you too for getting back so quickly, for some reason my USB is having boot problems with my mobo or something and that isn't working.

If you attempt to install the OS on an HDD, do you get same errors? If you do, the USB may have an upgrade version only, if it installs, it's a SSD configuration problem. That could troubleshoot the issue you have.

 

[Prydeful]

Ok, I fixed the problem by downgrading to windows 7 and then upgrading again to windows 8 by using my usb, so I guess it was my usb's problem. But now I am at another different problem, and that is that when I attempt to change my SATA type to AHCI (I changed the registry settings already) the computer doesn't boot. It doesn't even say anything on the screen.

 

[Prydeful]

Best answer selected by Prydeful.