First System Build-Clean Windows Install

[RDTP]

I actually just posted this a few minutes ago in the Storage section of the forum, but upon thinking about it some more, I thought that it may be more fitting to put it in here. Sorry about the double post...

Hey everybody. Last night I completed my very first build, thanks to your help in choosing some good components. Everything went smoothly, and I fired up the computer
to start installing Windows 7, only to hit my first road block.
I get to where I need to choose a drive to install Windows on, and I keep getting this error...

"Windows can't format C. Check to see that the disk and drive are connected properly, make sure that the disk is not read-only, and try again."

I only have one HDD, and it is recognized in the BIOS, and obviously Windows sees it, so I'm not sure what the issue is.

Now for some facts...
It's connected via SATA

Build info-
Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80605I5750
GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD4P LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard w/ USB 3.0 & SATA 6 Gb/s
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive55675920
G.SKILL ECO Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBECO
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM55675920
DIAMOND 5850PE51G Radeon HD 5850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
Sony Optiarc 24X DVD/CD Rewritable Drive Black SATA Model AD-7240S-0B - OEM

Here are some highlights from the BIOS. Again, this is my first build, so I really don't know what I'm looking at or what's important here...

under "Standard CMOS Features"-
The HDD is connected to IDE Channel 6 Master (DVD burner is Channel 7)
Extended IDE Drive - Auto (other option is none)
Access Mode - Auto (other option is large)

Under "Integrated Peripherals"-
PCH SATA Control Mode - IDE (other options- RAID(xHD) or AHCI)
eSATA Ctrl Mode - IDE (or AHCI or RAID)
GSATA RAID Config - Press Enter (and within is more info that I'm completely lost about)

Anyway, if more information is needed, let me know. Again, everything is showing up fine in the BIOS, and I don't have any drivers
for the HDD to install. Any help would be incredibly appreciated. Also, I really am kind of lost, so if you could be as detailed/clear as possible, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks a lot for any help!

 

[Jonmor68]

Before you can format the drive you need to create a partition on it.
Run the install again, choose custom install, then disk tools select the drive and create new partition, then quick format. Continue with instalation.

 

[steadfast1984]

Before you can format the drive you need to create a partition on it.
Run the install again, choose custom install, then disk tools select the drive and create new partition, then quick format. Continue with instalation.

good answer this should work. a suggestion, make a smaller partition eg. 60-100gig, for your OS and core programs, and use the other partition as a media drive to run your games and store your files. this will help with faster defrags. defrag the parts that need it most, instead of having to wait for it to defrag your entire drive.

 

[RDTP]

Hey, thanks for the advice.
I changed that setting to AHCI and tried again with the same results. To be absolutely specific about where the issue arrives-I run the custom Windows install, and get the the point where it says "Where do you want to install Windows?" There aren't any options, and at the bottom of the screen is says "No drives were found. Click load driver to provide a mass storage driver for installation." When I do that and click on C:, I get the message "No signed device drivers were found. Make sure that the installations media contains the correct drivers, and then click ok." I can get it to ask me if I want to format the drive, but when I do, it says "Windows can't format C. Check to see that the disk and drive are connected properly, make sure that the disk is not read-only, and try again." Again, any help would be great! I'm really at a loss on how to proceed! Thanks again!