Windows 7 setup doesn't see hard drive

I have a blank hard drive which I am trying to install Windows 7 on.

The BIOS can see the drive is connected but when I go through the Windows setup it doesn't detect the drive.

If I load my other hard drive with Windows 7 on it, My Computer can see the drive (as the BIOS did), but if I start the install through Windows, the setup still cannot see the disk.

Some information that may help:

I'm trying to install Windows 7 Professional 32-bit
The disk is a 500GB WD SATA
The motherboard is an MSI K9A2 CF-F

Ash Burlaczenko

Posted 2011-09-02T21:48:46.970

Reputation: 369

1How does the install program inform you that "it doesn't detect the drive"? Is the disk partitioning menu screen empty, or does the install program abort with a "no drives were found", or ??? – sawdust – 2011-09-02T23:41:34.213

Answers

More than likely, Win 7 doesnt recognize the SATA hard disk controller. You need to press F6 after the installer fails to load additional drivers. The drivers should with the motherboard drivers from the MSI website. Copy them to a USB stick to make your life easier. Once the drivers are loaded, the install should see the drive.

Keltari

Posted 2011-09-02T21:48:46.970

Reputation: 57 019

1"F6" has been deprecated. The Win7 installer has a menu option to load drivers (from the select drive/partition screen) that will let you browse media to find the drivers. – sawdust – 2011-09-03T00:23:37.297

I will try this when I get home, but if Win7 doesn't recognize my disk, howcome I can see the disk in My Computer when running other Win7 instance created from the same disk? – Ash Burlaczenko – 2011-09-03T08:55:37.697