Windows 7 Help with Windwos 7 installation.

[ccog]

Okay, I screwed up badly. I had the Windows 32 bit RC build 7100, I wanted the 64 bit version after that.

So whenever I would insert the disc and restart computer, the installation screen comes up, I hit install now.
"No device drivers were found. Make sure that the installation media contains the correct drivers, then click OK." That's what comes up when I hit my Hard Drive. It says I can use it if I formatt it, so then I click that and it says "Windows can't format C. Check to see that the disk and drive are connected properly, make sure that th e disk is not read only, and then try again. For more information search Help for read-only files and how to change them."

Another problem, I wiped my hard drive (I can still access the bios and stuff.) Does anybody know how to fix this? I have a 500 GB SATA II Hard Drive.

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you're encountering a couple of issues while trying to install a 64-bit version of Windows on your computer. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you resolve these problems:

### Issue 1: Device Drivers Not Found During Installation
When you're attempting to install Windows 64-bit and encounter the message "No device drivers were found," it usually indicates that the installation process is missing the necessary drivers to recognize your hard drive.

#### Solution:
1. Prepare Drivers: You will need to have the appropriate drivers for your SATA controller on hand. These can usually be found on the manufacturer's website.

2. Load Drivers During Installation:
- Insert the Windows installation disc.
- When you reach the screen where it prompts you about drivers, click on "Load Driver."
- Navigate to the location where you have saved the driver files and select the drivers for your SATA controller.
- Proceed with the installation.

### Issue 2: Unable to Format the Hard Drive
If you're unable to format the hard drive within the Windows installation process, it could be due to various reasons like drive connectivity issues or permission problems.

#### Solution:
1. Check Drive Connections:
- Ensure that your hard drive is properly connected to your motherboard.
- Check the SATA cables and power cables to the hard drive for any loose connections.

2. Use DiskPart to Format:
If you have access to another computer, you can create a bootable USB drive with Windows Setup and use DiskPart to format your hard drive.
- Boot from the bootable USB.
- When you reach the installation screen, press Shift + F10 to open a Command Prompt window.
- Use DiskPart commands to clean and format the hard drive.

Here are the basic steps using DiskPart:

plaintext
   diskpart
   list disk (to identify your hard drive)
   select disk X (replace X with the disk number)
   clean
   create partition primary
   format fs=ntfs quick
   exit

3. Check for Read-Only Status:
- Check if your hard drive is set to read-only mode. You can do this through DiskPart or Disk Management.

After following these steps, you should be able to format your hard drive and proceed with the Windows installation successfully. If you encounter any more issues or need further assistance, feel free to ask!