New Asus motherboard won't recognize new Toshiba Hard Drive

reillymcshane

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Apr 19, 2015
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First, thank you for all the posts and answers on other threads. I've been using them extensively. Unfortunately, I can't seem to figure out my issue. Here it goes.

Computer (1.5 years old) suddenly wouldn't turn on (it would turn on for a few seconds, turn off, keep cycling through). The fan on the PSU - a Lepa G750 - wasn't spinning at all in those few seconds (other fans were). After reviewing a bunch of threads, decided to try new PSU. Got a Cosair CX-750M. Same problem occurred (although the Cosair's fan spun up). Again, after going through lots of threads, decided motherboard (a Gigabyte GA-B85-HD3) may be problem.

Got an Asus B85M-E. Hooked up things, and everything seemed good. Everything powered up just fine except the Hard drive (a Toshiba 2TB HDD). When I tried to install Windows 7, it said "no drives found. Click on Load Driver to provide mass storage driver for installation". I downloaded the latest drivers from the ASUS website, and installed. But it just kept coming back to same screen.

I checked the BIOS, and the drive is not recognized there either.

I tested all my cable and connectors (machine recognizes CD/DVR so I can test cables on that device). I moved the the HDD cable to all the different SATA ports, again no luck.

Going through all the threads, I tried various ideas. Reset the reset the cmos by popping the battery and letting it sit for an hour. I tried switching from the default ahci to ide options on the drives. I downloaded the latest BIOS from ASUS on a flash drive and installing (which worked). But again, the HD isn't being recognized. I've tried booting with just one stick of RAM (I have two, both of which get recognized in the BIOS).

I finally broke down and went and got a new HDD - another Toshiba. Again, same results. Nothing gets recognized by the BIO. Attempts to install windows from the disk all get stuck asking for drivers (multiple attempts to install have failed).

Note: the HD doesn't appear to get much (if any) power. It doesn't spin or make any noises. I felt it get a little warm, but that's it.

Current components:

PSU: Corsair CX750M (new)
Motherboard: ASUS B85M-E (new)
HDD: toshiba-dt01aca200 (new)
CPU: Intel I5 4440 @3100mhz (1.5 years old)

It doesn't seem like the CPU could be the problem, but it's the only 'old' part.

I would appreciate any suggestions, as I'm really stumped at this point. Thanks.

 
multiple attempts to install have failed
I downloaded the latest drivers from the ASUS website, and installed.

That sounds like you don't know how to load the SATA driver for Windows 7.
1) Download the Intel AHCI/RAID Driver Path for Windows Win7 32bit & Win7 64bit
Version 12.8.0.1016
File Size: 18.17 MBytes

2) Unzip the file to USB 2.0 flash drive

3) Open the folder "Driver"

4) Open the folder "Disk"

5) When you load drivers for the Windows 7 installation direct the installer to the FOLDER "64bit". It should ask you to confirm the driver for AHCI.
 

reillymcshane

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Apr 19, 2015
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My apologies if I was unclear - this is what I did. I downloaded the drivers from ASUS, unzipped them, put them on a flash drive, then when Windows asked for the drivers during install, I navigated to the folder with the drivers (the same one you pointed out). I selected it, and the installer identified the compatible driver. I clicked on the 'next' button, but after a minute, it just brought me back to the same 'you need to load drivers' screen.
 

reillymcshane

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Apr 19, 2015
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Spooky, I should first say I'm pretty new to the entire BIOS area. I'm usually pretty good with this kind of thing.

What should I do to 'set the optimized defaults in BIOS'?

Also, regarding the enabling the XMP profile1, it was set to the factory default, which as XMP marked as 'Disabled'. I changed that to Profile1 - restarted, but nothing. I still don't see the hard drive. It's not spinning up or anything either.

I've included screen shots of the BIOS summary page, plus the SATA configuration screen. If there's something you want me to save, let me know. I'm happy to snap a photo of any screen and post a link.

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n601/reillymcshane/BIOS-Summary.jpg

http://s1142.photobucket.com/user/reillymcshane/media/SATA_Mode.jpg

Thanks again for everyone trying to help. I really appreciate it.
 
Set optimzed defaults first, then enable XMP, then profile1. Check and make sure the memory speed & especially the timings are right. You need to set up the BIOS everytime a flash is done and the same when resetting the BIOS like when you took the battery out. It all needs to be set up again. And don't forget to save the settings before exiting.
 

reillymcshane

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Apr 19, 2015
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Okay. Set Optimized defaults, then enabled the XMP for profile1. Restarted (yes, I saved!! That's a great tip - amazing how many times we do something (or don't) that is so simple). BIOS still doesn't see the HDD.

As for timings of memory, what exactly am I looking for?

I've included some more screen shots of the main menus - perhaps you can look and see, and determine what exactly I need to update.

Thank you again.

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n601/reillymcshane/Boot-config.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n601/reillymcshane/CPU-Config.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n601/reillymcshane/SATA_Mode.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n601/reillymcshane/BIOS-Summary.jpg
 
Turn off fast boot. It will shut down some devices. Can try turning it on if you get windows installed.

Disable the SMART status check. Can enable it after windows install to see.

Is your memory 1600MHz with 10-11-10-30 timings? Looks like it in BIOS?

EDIT:
Also, what is the advertised memory voltage? Looks like 1.5V in BIOS which is the norm. What shows when you bring down the XPM menu?
 

reillymcshane

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Apr 19, 2015
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The memory and timings you listed are correct.

I turned off the fast boot and disabled SMART status check. Saved settings. Come back in and it still won't recognize the hard drive. I tried loading windows as well - same thing as before. It asks for a mass storage driver. I go to the thumb drive, select the latest driver, ends up back at the 'no mass storage available' page asking for more drivers.

Regarding the memory voltage - it is listed as 1.50v - 1.20v

If I pull down the menu, it just has the ability to select 'disable' or 'profile1' (which is what is selected) on it. There's nothing else to view. Here's a close up of that info if it helps, including the open dropdown menu.

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n601/reillymcshane/XPM.jpg

Any other thoughts?

Please let me know if you want me to take snaps of any of the BIOS screens (or anything else). Thanks.
 
Windows install should have the basic drivers to install on just about any drive, HDD or SSD. You shouldn't have to load any drivers unless you intend to RAID 2 or more drives during windows install.

Do you have the drive installed into the first sata port? Can you burn the windows ISO to a disk?
 

reillymcshane

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Apr 19, 2015
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I have the HDD installed into the first SATA port. I tried in all of them, just to check, but nothing. It's now in the first port.

I can put the ISO file on an external HD that I have. Will that work?

 

reillymcshane

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Apr 19, 2015
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The hard drive is new, so I thought I would just format it when I installed windows. So I have not created an ISO file and put it on the thumb drive (I'm not sure I have one big enough).


Is that where my problem lies? I have to do this step?


EDIT: I found a 4GB thumb drive, so I am creating the bootable USB. I'll try that next. I'm still wondering how things will work if the computer isn't recognizing the hard drive. But We'll see.


 

reillymcshane

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Apr 19, 2015
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No luck. I created the boot thumb drive. The exact thing that happens with the Windows disk happens with the thumb boot drive. It goes to install, then can't find the mass storage device, and asks for drivers.

Any other ideas? I'm just so confused as to why the hard drive won't show up in the BIOS. Thanks again. I appreciate any ideas.
 
At the beginning of windows instal, there should be an option to create a partition and format it then install windows. Do you have another HDD that you can try. If the same thing happens, it is probably the MB that has a problem.

EDIT:
And I still think there might be something to do with the thumb drive install. If you have access to another computer, try burning the windows install onto a blank DVD disk then try to install windows. maybe borrow a windows install disk form some one? You have you own activation key, right?
 

reillymcshane

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Apr 19, 2015
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My copy of Windows is a box with install DVD and it's own key. I own that. Both the install disk and the bootable thumb drive do the exact same thing (neither asks for me to partition the HD).

The motherboard is brand new. So is the PSU. I have an old HDD, and a brand new one. The install attempts do the same thing with either HDD. Same thing with messing with BIOS. Neither shows up.

Hard to imagine my new Motherboard is bad, but I guess it's possible.

I might be able to get a different install disk from my work. I'll check tomorrow.

Other ideas? Thoughts? Thanks.
 

jeremyosborne81

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Jul 19, 2015
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I am sad to reach the end of this comment thread and not see a solution that works. I have the same exact problem with a MSI Z97 PC Mate, a SandDisk SSD, AND a Seagate 2TB 7200RPM HDD. Neither drive appears in the BIOS or when I load a Windows 7 cd. I can hear the 7200RPM drive spin up, however.