[SOLVED] Windows 7 cannot be installed to this disk error

The MS W7 upgrade advisor says this machine (AMD dual Athlon 64bit, 5GB memory) can upgrade to W7.
The machine has two HDD, 250GB (with dual boot of Vista 64 Home and XP 32 Home),
and 500 GB previously accessed from these two OSes, but now with all files removed.

When I start the W7 64bit install to the 500GB drive I get the message
"
Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer's hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disk's controller is enabled in the computer's BIOS menu.
"
I have an ASUS mobo with Phoenix BIOS.
As the disk was previously working and the BIOS does not seem to have a controller option I'm note sure where to go next.
Any advice would be gratefully received.

tia

As you have removed all the data from the 500gbs, at the install stage, choose customise (which you are probably doing) and format the whole of the 500 Gb first. By default it is a "quick" format and wont take too long.

Thanks, you are correct that I was using the customise install option.
Note that I was running the install from Vista.
Even with the 500GB drive formatted I still got the error quoted above.

I also tried by booting from the install DVD.
It still gives the Windows cannot be installed message.

Not tried this method of installation but could be worth giving a try...

Create an XP system disk
Remove 250Gb HDD and set the 500Gb as the Master
Boot using XP System disk and partition/reformat the 500Gb as if it was a new drive.
Install W7 from the DVD and test
Reconnect 250Gb and 500Gb as was originally and add W7 to the Multi-Boot menu.

You're doing an upgrade install which is causing a LOT of problems for people. I recommend you do a clean install, also called the custom install.

Remove all previous partitions and start fresh with new partitions. It should install then with no issues.

Yes, I am doing a custom (clean install) [not an upgrade install).
However I still want my Vista and XP systems to be available afterwards,
so I don't want to remove the C and D partitions, or format the 250GB drive.

From what I can see this means that I need to custom install W7 to the "E" drive 500GB disk.
If I remove the 250GB disk W7 will by default call the 500GB disk the "C" drive and install to it.

Its not clear to me what this means
"This computer's hardware may not support booting to this disk. "
or how to rectify it,
especially given the upgrade advisor didn't find fault.

I have found with Windows 7 that its best to remove all hard drives except the one you want to install it on. Windows 7 is a little finicky when it come to this aspect. At least, it was for me.

Try it and see how it works out for you.

If I do this Windows 7 creates the drive as a "C" drive. This means that I then have two "C" drives when I add the other drive back in.
How do I get round this? Is it possible to specify the drive letter to be used when installing Windows 7?

Attached please find images of the messages I have been getting
thanks.

Hi skiwi

You are making a problem out of nothing. There can only be one C:. The drive you boot to will assign the boot partition the drive letter C. All other drive will follow in sequence unless assigned differently within the operating system.