[SOLVED] Problem installing, missing hard drive?

Hello,
Got a major problem trying to install windows 7, I don't know why my computer is being so stubborn, had this problem for a while now, praying for a solution because repair shops seem not to want to touch this.

My laptop, after so many evals from the manufacturer and having the capabilities to install(so it CAN handle Windows 7, let me clear that right now), won't allow me to install because the system drive doesn't have the required drivers. I ran updates and installed whatever it needed from everywhere and it still won't let me install on the system drive.

So, I posted here before and someone suggested partition wizard software to wipe the hard drive and do a clean install. In fact it was the only option partition wizard would allow me to do with the system drive. I do so and now the system drive has no operating system and is clean and free of everything, drivers and data and whatever else. Now I set up the BIOS to run the CD-ROM first, I use my CD with the installation software that I burned from the website and it still is running into the same issue.

If you go here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...-a.html?filter[3]=Installation%20and%20Setup (link may not be complete) and go to step 7, I can only get this far because the list of hard drives is blank. The computer and installation software is not recognizing the clean system drive to install. Since there's nothing, I can't do advanced options and format anything. I check back in the BIOS page and all my hard drives are recognized, so why can't the installation CD do this? Can anyone help, please?

It's a Toshiba Qosmio laptop. Since there's no OS, it's currently inoperable, and the back-up CDs aren't working, so I have no computer until this is resolved.

Thank you for reading and for any/all help.

Is this a SATA system? If so and your bios allows USB dive boot option, maybe your system requires the correct SATA drivers. Copy the SATA drivers to your flash drive.

I don't recall if the Windows 7 install asks for additional drivers like the XP install does but if so install the additional drivers from your flash drive.

Nearly all modern laptops are fitted with SATA drives these days.

getsmart - are you saying that the hard drive is not showing up at all in Step 7?

That's very strange. Have you gone into your laptops BIOS and verified that it is showing up there?

You apparently used the CD-ROM boot option disc of Partition Wizard to do the operation on your hard drive.. Did you format it too? I had problems doing that way with Partition Wizard in boot so I just deleted all partitions and left the drive "unallocated" and that fixed the problem for me.

Hello, it is a SATA drive, and nope, nothing shows up in step 7 of that page. There are two hard drives in the laptop, and both are recognized by the BIOS. I have a 8GB USB flash memory drive and if I can figure out how to run it from the BIOS or at start-up, I'll see about downloading some SATA drivers and putting them on the USB drive.

As for the hard drive right now, it's currently "wiped" as defined by partition wizard. And I did this operation straight from the computer hard drive, not from a CD. I'm thinking of burning partition wizard to a CD and running it and formatting the "wiped" hard drive at the same time leaving the partitions unallocated, provided it will allow me, and then see about getting through with the Windows 7 installation(fingers crossed that the hard drive will show up afterwards on the list in step 7). Otherwise, I may need to install the SATA drivers and go from there.

Thank you for the information and ideas, I'll let you know what happens.

Okay, now I see what is going on. I have a desktop with two hard drive in the tower.

Whenever I have tried to install Windows 7, I have to disconnect the secondary hard drive. For some strange reason, why I don't know but Windows 7 will absolutely refuse to install if there is more than one hard drive showing.

Take out the hard drive that you don't want to install Windows 7 on. Leave the drive in that you do want to install to, then boot from the DVD drive with the install disc and you should be good to go.

Let me know.

Oh man, is that what I really have to do? Because of the secondary, it won't allow installation at all? So by removing the secondary it will allow the primary drive to show up on step 7 for formatting/installation? Don't know why that is. But it is something to consider if trying to format the drive with partition wizard doesn't work, or if by installing SATA drivers from a USB drive doesn't work either, then I can try removing the secondary.

Thing is, it's a laptop, I've never opened these up. I've opened up and played with desktops, working and non-working, so I would know my way around a bit in those, but a laptop I'm hesitant, not sure what I'd be looking for and I've only seen IDE connections to hard drives, I don't know what SATA would look like and how I can tell from primary and secondary.

I'll be giving all this another shot this weekend when I have more time outside of work.

Usually removing a hard drive from a laptop isn't that hard. Usually just a screw or two to take out and then the drive either slides out or pops out.

The laptop maker's website should have a User Tech manual, which shows how to remove the hard drives and which is primary and which is secondary. Also Toshiba tech support should be able to help you if you need it.

BTW, those Toshiba Qosmio laptops are quite sharp looking! Now I want one!

SATA connections are much simpler looking versus IDE connections, take up about 70% less space. With laptops the drive just usually slides into its connection header.

Well, ran partition wizard from boot-up, but not sure what to do with the primary drive. It no longer says system drive where the OS was originally installed before I wiped it. Said unformatted, was hoping that after I do a format with the wizard that the drive would show up on the list in step 7, but nothing still. Going to look for SATA drivers, see if I can't install something from them, then think about removing the secondary drive. I'll be honest I don't see how that'll allow the primary drive to show up in step 7 for installation. But I've been trying to install for at least a month now, so I'm willing to try anything.

Toshiba Qosmios do look awesome, but they were very expensive back then, and were not reliable for long life. Had to repair mine just after one year(go figure, when warranty expired). But after that, it's been running fine as long as I don't overload or overheat it. Nowadays you can find a good one for very cheap because I don't think Toshiba will provide warranty for them anymore, and like I said, they have a tendency to break down.

If anyone knows how to prepare a drive guaranteed for windows 7 installation with partition wizard, PLEASE let me know, since I've got it working and running right now.

Can't wait to get it up and running, so much I want to do, plus other upgrades with the processor and video card.

SUCCESS!!! Windows 7 Ultimate is up and running and going strong, it's such a great design and color, I love it. Turns out I needed the SATA drivers after all. I don't think I even needed partition wizard to format the drive, everything showed up once I applied the drivers I downloaded and loaded up from my USB stick. All this time, all that aggravation and all I needed was one download.

Thank you to everyone who posted solutions and suggestions, I am more appreciative than I can express in words.

Edit: In case anyone is curious, I used this page to help me find the right driver I needed and instructions to install: http://laptopforums.toshiba.com/t5/W...400/td-p/73650

Sorry to hijack the thread but reading you post I need to ask this question, from how I read your post I'm taking that to mean WIN 7 cant handle RAID which would require two drives is that correct?

Mychael