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New Asrock z77 Extreme4 Not Detecting HDD to Install Windows 7

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System:
i5 3750k
Asrock z77 extreme4
8 gigs ddr3 ripjaw gskill
nvidia gtx 260
Antec 650w
Windows 7 64 bit
Hard drives attempting to use for new install: Western Digital X2, Seagate


Problem I am having is hard drives I plug into the Asrock z77 are not showing up in Windows 7 install. When I first unpackaged the computer, I attempted to use an old Western Digital hard drive from my previous Q9550/EVGA 780i system. I was unaware that hard drives from another chip set install probably wont boot into windows. So I foolishly I attempted to boot into windows right after I assembled the new i5 computer with a old hard drive from a Q9550 system. Not sure if this might be part of the problem, but I figured I would mention it.

The hard drive showed up in BIOS but did not show up "Where do you want to install windows". Neither did my other hard drives ( another Western Digital & Seagate). However, if I take any of these hard drives and put them back into my old Q9550/EVGA 780i and put in the Windows 7 install CD, they will show up in the box of drives available. In other words, all hard drives are showing up to install windows 7 on in my old q9550/evga 780i system, but none of the drives are showing up in my new Asrockz77.

Hard drive showing up in Asrock Z77 bios:

When I try to install windows 7 to a hard drive it does not show up


Here is the SAME hard drive put back into my old q9550/evga 780i system. It shows up.


All hard drives show up in the q9550/evga 780i, none of them show up in the Asrock z77

Attempted:

  • Changing sata cables in case ones I were using were faulty.
  • Trying different sata ports
  • Upgraded to latest Board BIOS
  • One stick of RAM at a time
  • Diskpart: tried disk part command, then disk list and it displays "no fixed disk to show"


    I am insuring that only a single HDD and CD are plugged into the sata ports at a time. They are both plugged into Intel sata controller ports, not the Asmedia ones as confirmed by this screen shot and video. ASRock Z77 Extreme4 Review [HD] - YouTube




    Never encountered an issue like this before and its really pulling my hair out.Thanks in advance

    • More about : asrock z77 extreme4 detecting hdd install windows

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    Also important UPDATE: I read trying different storage modes might fix the problem. And it worked, sort of. For whatever reason the drives will not display with AHCI storage mode; however, they WILL display when I switch to IDE storage mode.

    The problem I have now with IDE storage mode, is everything is going at an incredibly slow speed. It literally took 30 minutes at the "setting up files" blue screen that comes after the windows logo when the win 7 install CD boots.

    Perhaps my drives are not AHCI compatible? They are older Sata2 drives.

    here is one of the drives I am using:
    Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3500320AS 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

    Just going to leave the solution that worked for me for anyone that stumbles upon a similar problem through google.

    Update, system is finally working. I purchased a new hard drive from Frys and windows 7 detected it. Not sure why my 3 older drives would not be detected yet the new one could.

    Things that had no effect: Win 7 USB bootable install, motherboard, BIOS, cmos, sata control drivers

    (did not work) Windows 7 did not detect:

    1. Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3500320AS 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

    2. Western Digital Caviar Blue WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

    3.Western Digital Caviar Blue WD2500AAJS 250GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

    (worked) Windows 7 DID detect:
    Western Digital Caviar Green WD5000CSRTL 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive
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