Windows 7 Problems installing due to no hard drive!

[northernmonkeyz]

Hi,
I have a badly infected XP machine and its in dire need of a clear out so I figured I would either try and do a format and install Windows 7 or will have to stick with XP.
My problem is that when I attempted the XP install it says it cant find my hard drive and I have tried the Sata/Raid floppy disc/F6 method and its not working either…..it just says it cant find the drive.
Do you think it will work installing Windows 7 as it may have the drivers that I need?
Basically I just want to clean my machine and then install or Windows 7 but failing that would still settle for XP!

My specs are –
Bios Type – Award
Award Bios Type – Phoenix Award Bios V6.00PG
Motherboard ID – 11/07/2002 Nvidia – Nforce 6A6 IBM4CC-00
Motherboard Name – MSI K7N2 Delta ILSR (MS-6570G)
Motherboard Chipset – Nforce 2-SPP
Extra Features – Sata Raid
1.5gb Ram
2.8 Athlon AMD

Cheers,
Al

 

[busydog]

Hi,
I have a badly infected XP machine and its in dire need of a clear out so I figured I would either try and do a format and install Windows 7 or will have to stick with XP.
My problem is that when I attempted the XP install it says it cant find my hard drive and I have tried the Sata/Raid floppy disc/F6 method and its not working either…..it just says it cant find the drive.
Do you think it will work installing Windows 7 as it may have the drivers that I need?
Basically I just want to clean my machine and then install or Windows 7 but failing that would still settle for XP!

My specs are –
Bios Type – Award
Award Bios Type – Phoenix Award Bios V6.00PG
Motherboard ID – 11/07/2002 Nvidia – Nforce 6A6 IBM4CC-00
Motherboard Name – MSI K7N2 Delta ILSR (MS-6570G)
Motherboard Chipset – Nforce 2-SPP
Extra Features – Sata Raid
1.5gb Ram
2.8 Athlon AMD

Cheers,
Al

I assume that the drivers on your floppy worked at some point (original XP install) so I can't imagine what the problem is unless they are now corrupt. Yes, Win7 should have no problem installing to your system based on what you show above.

 

[northernmonkeyz]

I assume that the drivers on your floppy worked at some point (original XP install) so I can't imagine what the problem is unless they are now corrupt. Yes, Win7 should have no problem installing to your system based on what you show above.

Thanks for your reply.
I didnt have the drivers on a floppy (well I didnt but the guy who installed my machine must have) so I downloaded what I thought were the drivers and they are not working....maybe I have the wrong ones?
So do you think when I try and install Windows 7 I will still be asked for a floppy?

 

[busydog]

Thanks for your reply.
I didnt have the drivers on a floppy (well I didnt but the guy who installed my machine must have) so I downloaded what I thought were the drivers and they are not working....maybe I have the wrong ones?
So do you think when I try and install Windows 7 I will still be asked for a floppy?

Nope! Windows 7 should have the necessary drivers.

 

[northernmonkeyz]

Hi,
I tried with the Windows 7 install and it still states that it cant find my hard drive.
Any suggestions?
Basically whats my option here?
I have to wipe my PC and start again with either Windows 7 or failing that XP.
Thanks,
Alan

 

[busydog]

Hi,
I tried with the Windows 7 install and it still states that it cant find my hard drive.
Any suggestions?
Basically whats my option here?
I have to wipe my PC and start again with either Windows 7 or failing that XP.
Thanks,
Alan

If the Win7 disk can't find your HD either, you probably have a corrupt MBR or your HD has failed. Assuming you have backed up your data, I would start over with FDISK from a bootable floppy or CD and do a reformat. If FDISK can't see your HD you are in for a new HD.

 

[northernmonkeyz]

Thanks for the suggestion, however I dont know where to get FDISK or how to use it.
Could you point me in the right direction where I can download it and how to use it?
I am worried about messing it up!
Cheers,
Al

 

[busydog]

Thanks for the suggestion, however I dont know where to get FDISK or how to use it.
Could you point me in the right direction where I can download it and how to use it?
I am worried about messing it up!
Cheers,
Al

Assuming you have a floppy drive, go to Bootdisk.Com - Free Windows Bootdisks, Free DOS boot disk and download a bootable win98 floppy. After you boot to the floppy type FDISK /? and you will see instructions on how to reformat your HD. You might want to "google" "FDISK Instructions" to get detailed instructions on how to use FDISK.

 

[northernmonkeyz]

Assuming you have a floppy drive, go to Bootdisk.Com - Free Windows Bootdisks, Free DOS boot disk and download a bootable win98 floppy. After you boot to the floppy type FDISK /? and you will see instructions on how to reformat your HD. You might want to "google" "FDISK Instructions" to get detailed instructions on how to use FDISK.

Didnt think the F6 floppy would work but tonight it did....well I say it did work....it actually went as far as formatting and then it had 10 mins left of installing I left the room, came back and it was in the boot mode screen and was saying that it didnt start properly and do I want to start up with the last known good configuration etc....I tried it all and it just goes back to that screen.
The only thing I can think of is that I used the wrong Sata floppy drivers or when I pressed F6 and S to choose my driver from the floppy I chose the wrong one....There were 3 to choose and to be honest I guessed as I was so fed up of it all.
Please help as I need my PC for work!!!

 

[busydog]

Didnt think the F6 floppy would work but tonight it did....well I say it did work....it actually went as far as formatting and then it had 10 mins left of installing I left the room, came back and it was in the boot mode screen and was saying that it didnt start properly and do I want to start up with the last known good configuration etc....I tried it all and it just goes back to that screen.
The only thing I can think of is that I used the wrong Sata floppy drivers or when I pressed F6 and S to choose my driver from the floppy I chose the wrong one....There were 3 to choose and to be honest I guessed as I was so fed up of it all.
Please help as I need my PC for work!!!

If F6 allowed you to see the HD, then your MBR is probably OK. I would suggest that you try the other two drivers and see if either allows you to finish installing. I would suggest also that you stay with the computer during the install and report any error messages that you get before not starting properly on the reboot. If anyone else would like to step in with some suggestions.... the floor is yours.

 

[northernmonkeyz]

If F6 allowed you to see the HD, then your MBR is probably OK. I would suggest that you try the other two drivers and see if either allows you to finish installing. I would suggest also that you stay with the computer during the install and report any error messages that you get before not starting properly on the reboot. If anyone else would like to step in with some suggestions.... the floor is yours.

thanks for the response.
I managed to get it installed but did get a couple of warnings about 2 drivers during the install....is that normal?
anyway it loads but now I dont know where to start....how do I connect to the internet again?
basically what is the first thing I should do to this empty shell to start getting it up and running?
Thanks again!

 

[busydog]

thanks for the response.
I managed to get it installed but did get a couple of warnings about 2 drivers during the install....is that normal?
anyway it loads but now I dont know where to start....how do I connect to the internet again?
basically what is the first thing I should do to this empty shell to start getting it up and running?
Thanks again!

Drew's right about step #1 but you obviously can't do step #2 if you don't know how/can't connect to the internet. You can't do much to get everything else working if you can't do that. Your driver warning(s) could pertain to your network adapter (ethernet connection).... in that case, you likely have an exclamation mark next to your network adapter in device manager; you need to go to the right web site and get the appropriate driver for your network adapter. Once you update that, you will likely be able to get to the internet and update any other drivers necessary (also with exclamation marks). (I'm assuming you tried the obvious and couldn't open up Internet Explorer in a web site.)