Windows Cannot Find HDD

[Nalwoir]

Hello Tom's Hardware savants.

I have been a long term user of Tom's Hardware but this is my first question. I am attempting to finish my second build using Windows 7. Effectively my issue has been the dreaded 'Windows cannot find your hard-drive' error, which is preventing my from installing the OS on my HDD. The BIOS is recognising the HDD, so I know the drive is working.

I have trawled available answers on this board but nothing has worked so far. Any suggestion would be appreciated.

List of fixes attempted:

-Set to AHCI mode

-Found Sata Controller drivers, transferred to usb and attempted to load them... none fit the bill (2 register as being compatible with my hardware, but after attempting to load both it returns me to the 'cannot find drive screen').

- Checked cables and tried switching around (SATA cables)

- Checked ports and changed them around (SATA ports)

- Used an old Vista disk, same problem

-Wrote installation files to USB drive ( Win7 and Vista) and attempted install, still no luck.



I am unsure about other fixes for the problem. The specs for the computer are as follows:

AMD FX 4 - 4100
Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3
Corsair Vengeance Blue 2X4GB
Toshiba 1TB SATA 3 HDD (DT01ACA100)
Radeon HD 7850

This computer is a present for my little brother, so any further advice or additional steps that you might have for me would be amazing.

 

[austing]

Hello Tom's Hardware savants.

I have been a long term user of Tom's Hardware but this is my first question. I am attempting to finish my second build using Windows 7. Effectively my issue has been the dreaded 'Windows cannot find your hard-drive' error, which is preventing my from installing the OS on my HDD. The BIOS is recognising the HDD, so I know the drive is working.

I have trawled available answers on this board but nothing has worked so far. Any suggestion would be appreciated.

List of fixes attempted:

-Set to AHCI mode

-Found Sata Controller drivers, transferred to usb and attempted to load them... none fit the bill (2 register as being compatible with my hardware, but after attempting to load both it returns me to the 'cannot find drive screen').

- Checked cables and tried switching around (SATA cables)

- Checked ports and changed them around (SATA ports)

- Used an old Vista disk, same problem

-Wrote installation files to USB drive ( Win7 and Vista) and attempted install, still no luck.



I am unsure about other fixes for the problem. The specs for the computer are as follows:

AMD FX 4 - 4100
Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3
Corsair Vengeance Blue 2X4GB
Toshiba 1TB SATA 3 HDD (DT01ACA100)
Radeon HD 7850

This computer is a present for my little brother, so any further advice or additional steps that you might have for me would be amazing.

Have you tried formating the drive in the bios? You can also get on a computer that has windows, and use the command prompt to format it and set as a boot drive.

 

[Nalwoir]

I tried formatting the drive from the utility available with the Windows CD, but it would not allow this, presumably because the hdd is not being recognised.

I'll have a look how to format the drive in BIOS.

 

[jnkweaver]

Sounds like you need the AHCI driver.

look here for the whole thing http://www.tim.id.au/blog/tims-f6-driver-guide/

let me know if that helps.

 

[mbarnes86]

Hi

this seems to be page for drivers for Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3 V1.0 motherboard


http://uk.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4122&dl=1#driver

but there seem to be v 1.1 and V 3.0 boards (what happened to v2.0 ??)

chose lowest number sata port (0) for hard drive

Is your Windows 7 DVD a standard Microsoft OEM System Builder or Retail (inc upgrade) or a manufacturers OEM DVD ?
(only last one should be problematic/non standard)

Do You have any other SATA hard drives you can try ?
(or try 1TB drive in another PC)

regards
Mike Barnes

 

[Nalwoir]

I tried all the drivers available on the Gigabyte page, none worked. My copy is a retail copy on disk, which I initially attempted to install via usb using the windows USB tool.

I guess my next step is to take the HDD out and check it out on my PC.

 

[Nalwoir]

I have taken the HDD out of his computer, tried it in mine and it works fine. I even tried putting my HDD in his and it registers automatically. From this I would think I have ruled out any hardware issues, and there is still something preventing the installation from registering the HDD.

Anymore advice from people?

 

[Nalwoir]

OK, so it would seem the issue lies with the HDD.

I plugged a different drive in, and it worked immediately. Let this be a warning to all who would use the Toshiba drive listed above. Not suitable as a primary OS drive.