Windows 7 I removed Windows 7 now I cannot install anything else on the same PC

[techomando]

I wanted to try the windows 7 beta build 7000, so I installed on my Dell Precision and all went well, I worked with it for a while, but I had to use the Dell machine for another task for which I have to install windows server 2003, I started by inserting the server CD, and it went through all the file copying but when the setup started it displayed an error "Disk drive not found" So I used MSDOS boot disk, I ran FDISK and did a low level format, then started the Windows 2003 install, same result. I used a Linux disk tool and looked to see I have the disk partitions and I did, so I deleted and recreated it and fromated it as an NTFS format, started the install again, same error and same result!!! I figured try to re-install windows 7 that worked, so I made sure that the disk is there, I saw all the partitions, then tried to install windows 2003 again nad same results, I tried changing the boot index by using bootsect.exe and it changed it but the install failed again. PLEASE HELP I am short on time and need the machine with windows 2003 ASAP.

Thank you all

 

[S34d0g]

are you sure it's a Windows 7 issue?

What immediately sprang to mind: is the HDD a SATA drive? maybe you need a special driver during the installation? I don't have any experience with Win 2003 server, but I can hazard a conjecture that it's like Windows XP in this respect - simply put, it does not have a database of drivers for all the new hardware on its CD/DVD, so at the beginning of installation you need to press F8 or some such key when it prompts you if you "want to install a SCSI or something driver", then you insert the previously prepared floppy (maybe 2003 server can read from USB sticks, Win XP cannot), select the driver and off you go.

 

[montyuk]

try formatting to fat32 and try again.

 

[GomJabbar]

My guess is S34d0g is on the right track. I am not sure how Windows server 2003 handles SATA drives, but I don't think SATA drives were much in use back in 2003.

IMO, formatting FAT32 is not the answer.

If for some reason this is not a SATA drive issue, then use a low level format utility to zero out your hard drive. This is more powerful than FDISK and will delete all partition information from a hard drive. Most of the drive manufacturers provide these utilities on their websites. Usually these utilities are manufacturer specific though. After using a low level format utility, you will need to partition and format the hard drive again. The Windows installation disc should take care of this.

 

[techomando]

Thank you all Problem Solved
I changed the Drive operation in the BIOS, it was set by Windows 7 I think becuase when I changed to ATA operation it worked.

 

[S34d0g]

...

While I'm happy that you got your drive back I seriously doubt that Windows 7 changed/set any options in the BIOS. A more likely scenario is that the option had originally been set to "ACPI/RAID/whatever it was befor you set it to ATA", Windows XP was preinstalled with the appropriate SATA driver included on the Rescue CD/partition that Dell gave you (or should have), then Windows 7 was there and it had its own driver so did not need one, and then you tried Windows Server 2003, which did not have the driver you needed. And then you told your computer BIOS to treat this drive like a normal vintage ATA drive, so you did not need the driver any more. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this scenario unfolds itself Now, the question remains, is the drive as fast as it should be? Also, does your computer see all of the drive's capacity? If both answers are "yes", then that's that. Otherwise, I'd try googling for the appropriate driver, installing it WITHIN WINDOWS, and then switching the BIOS option to whatever it was before you switched it. But that's just me, if everything works fine for you, disregard the above.

 

[techomando]

I agree with you, after doing the windows 2003 install and looking at the drive, it is all accessable however it is alittle slower, so yes Windows 7 was not the culprit and for now I may just keep it as is for this task and I have to go back to windows 7 to finish testing.
Thanks for the help

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there - if you only need W2K3 server for one or 2 tasks why not install it as a Virtual Machine -- then you can run W7 X-64 for your testing - no probs running a 32 Bit Guest Virtual machine on a 64 bit system. Virtual PC can be downloaded from Microsoft free of charge.

BTW if you want the most up to date version of W2K3 server "Slipstream" it with the latest drivers etc then you won't get "No Hard Disks found" if you need to re-install the OS on a computer that only has SATA disks.

For Slipstreaming (works for windows XP and Vista as well) use program nLite for the easiest method of "slipstreaming".
You can add VISTA SP1 for exampl;e to your basic VISTA system as well.


Link Removed - Invalid URL

cheers
jimbo