Setup doesn't detect hard drive

[kahlil88]

Trying to do a clean install of Win7 x64 on an Acer Aspire 8951G for a friend whose hard drive crashed and was replaced under warranty. Stuck at square one, however, since the installer refuses to see the hard drive. I've tried setting it to IDE mode in the BIOS and attempted to install the Intel SATA drivers from within setup, which gives me unsigned driver errors and won't allow me to force install.

[submix8c]

From here? Generally speaking Chipset Drivers should be installed first anyway...

edit - does this help?

http://www.techspot.com/community/topics/how-to-install-use-unsigned-drivers-in-windows-vista-7-x64.127187/

Edited January 25, 2013 by submix8c

[kahlil88]

From here? Generally speaking Chipset Drivers should be installed first anyway...

edit - does this help?

http://www.techspot....a-7-x64.127187/

Yes, I tried that one and a driver direct from Intel. That article assumes that Window is already installed, but I'm getting stuck at the initial OS install. I'm installing Windows 7 from a flash drive, is it possible to modify boot options for setup to allow unsigned drivers?

[submix8c]

Maybe a BETTER question is HOW you're trying to install them (you never REALLY said)?

Some references -

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/w7itproinstall/thread/6058c3fd-8c4f-41e0-aa3f-eea731dba896

http://community.landesk.com/support/message/54855

DISM -

Last link found via Google

"windows 7" "unsigned drivers" "unattend.xml" site:msfn.org

Others can be found that way. Appears that "Direct Injection" is the way to go.

[kahlil88]

Maybe a BETTER question is HOW you're trying to install them (you never REALLY said)?

The window that asks where to install the operating system has a "Load Driver" option below the (empty) list of hard drives. I extracted the SATA AHCI drivers to a flash drive but since they are unsigned, it won't allow me to install them.

[submix8c]

Did you try Injection via DISM? Did you read the threads? Last link Post #19.

[maxXPsoft]

or try this

AutoUnattend.xml don't need to contain much sorta like this if you going to do the rest and place on root of USB

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <settings pass="windowsPE">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-PnpCustomizationsWinPE" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <DriverPaths>
                <PathAndCredentials wcm:action="add" wcm:keyValue="1">
                    <Path>$WinPEDriver$</Path>
                </PathAndCredentials>
            </DriverPaths>
        </component>
    </settings>
</unattend>

just change amd64 to x86 if 32 bit

Edited February 1, 2013 by maxXPsoft

[kahlil88]

Ah, solved it. Booted into Linux and discovered there was a dirty NTFS partition, so I reformatted and now it's installing. Still, it seems like setup should at least show me the partition layout.

[maxXPsoft]

Still, it seems like setup should at least show me the partition layout.

We never know when someone posts what it could be except by trial and error. You led us to bleieve it was drivers

If you get far enough it will like the pic even linux partitions, can't say for bad partitions or whatever. Thats why I keep diskpart commands in a txt I can access.

Edited February 5, 2013 by maxXPsoft

[jaclaz]

I would dare t o add that the OP:

Trying to do a clean install of Win7 x64 on an Acer Aspire 8951G for a friend whose hard drive crashed and was replaced under warranty.

without further details, normally implies that the replacement hard disk was a brand new, unpartitioned and unformatted one.

The evolution of the thread seems to imply - strangely enough - that not only the "replacement" hard disk was an used/recycled one, but also an "untested" one .

Additionally, the "replacement" disk evidently had some failure of some kind (of whatever extents/relevance cannot obviously say) as besides being partitioned/formatted it was left with the filesystem in a "dirty" state.

If the disk was actually replaced under warranty I would - before anything else - question the provider of the warranty, give them back the "replacement" hard disk and downright require a brand new (in a sealed box) hard disk or a refurbished AND certified one (depending on what the warranty covers, and how it covers it).

jaclaz

[kahlil88]

I would dare t o add that the OP:

Trying to do a clean install of Win7 x64 on an Acer Aspire 8951G for a friend whose hard drive crashed and was replaced under warranty.

without further details, normally implies that the replacement hard disk was a brand new, unpartitioned and unformatted one.

The evolution of the thread seems to imply - strangely enough - that not only the "replacement" hard disk was an used/recycled one, but also an "untested" one .

Additionally, the "replacement" disk evidently had some failure of some kind (of whatever extents/relevance cannot obviously say) as besides being partitioned/formatted it was left with the filesystem in a "dirty" state.

If the disk was actually replaced under warranty I would - before anything else - question the provider of the warranty, give them back the "replacement" hard disk and downright require a brand new (in a sealed box) hard disk or a refurbished AND certified one (depending on what the warranty covers, and how it covers it).

Pretty sure I partitioned and formatted it beforehand, however this machine was having some odd power issues and I may have unplugged it on my first attempt not knowing that it wasn't recognizing the battery, thereby flagging the partition as dirty.

[jaclaz]

Pretty sure I partitioned and formatted it beforehand, however this machine was having some odd power issues and I may have unplugged it on my first attempt not knowing that it wasn't recognizing the battery, thereby flagging the partition as dirty.

Good, then everything is explained .

jaclaz