Question Why Win 10 installation does not find my laptop's HDD? (yet it sees the hdd)

[babaika]

Hi,
Samsung NP NF 110.
Originally win7, but trying to install win 10 from bootable USB drive.

When I reach the pick the drive where to install, it says no drives found:

However if I click "load driver", the system clearly recognize my HDD, which is "Boot X" here :

How come the system recognize my HDD when I click "load driver", yet it does not recognize the HDD when I have to select where to install Win 10 ?

Thanks

 

[TommyTwoTone66]

Hi,
Samsung NP NF 110.
Originally win7, but trying to install win 10 from bootable USB drive.

When I reach the pick the drive where to install, it says no drives found:

However if I click "load driver", the system clearly recognize my HDD, which is "Boot X" here :

How come the system recognize my HDD when I click "load driver", yet it does not recognize the HDD when I have to select where to install Win 10 ?

Thanks

Strange one, not really sure. Could be something to do with Samsung drive security.

You could try using the windows 7 installer to delete the old partition, then see if the drive appears in the windows 10 installer?

 

[babaika]

Strange one, not really sure. Could be something to do with Samsung drive security.

You could try using the windows 7 installer to delete the old partition, then see if the drive appears in the windows 10 installer?

How do you mean delete the old partition? As I understand there are no partitions, just one single HDD.

Unless I misunderstand what partition means (I assume partition is when you separate 1 disk into 2 or more disks)

 

[babaika]

Could this be that this laptop is too weak/too old to take win 10?

On the other hand - if that was the case, win10 installation would not even start?

 

[Lafong]

Unless I misunderstand what partition means (I assume partition is when you separate 1 disk into 2 or more disks)

Not really.

A disk with one partition is nonetheless "partitioned".

If not partitioned, it's unusable.

"Disks" as purchased at retail don't have any partitions.

I have no idea whether your particular disk has ever had a partition. If new and unused, it presumably does not.

I guess that thing is a Netbook. They are their own world and may have peculiar requirements. I can't otherwise help you.

 

[babaika]

Not really.

A disk with one partition is nonetheless "partitioned".

If not partitioned, it's unusable.

"Disks" as purchased at retail don't have any partitions.

I have no idea whether your particular disk has ever had a partition. If new and unused, it presumably does not.

I guess that thing is a Netbook. They are their own world and may have peculiar requirements. I can't otherwise help you.

This laptop is used and previously had win7 installed, so should be usable.

 

[babaika]

Could this be that this laptop is too weak/too old to take win 10?

On the other hand - if that was the case, win10 installation would not even start?

 

[babaika]

Updated info - I tried with WIN 7 installation instead of Win 10.
Same problem - can not locate any disk for installation.
Yet when I click "load driver" - the hard disk is there present.

Maybe I need to somehow format that hard disk in BIOS?

 

[SkyNetRising]

Yet when I click "load driver" - the hard disk is there present.

That is not a hard disk.
X: - is virtual drive loaded by windows install.

You need to load storage controller drivers.
Also possible - your hdd is just dead.

 

[cdupont]

First thing is it looks like you're trying to install x64-bit Win10? Your PC specs look like it needs x32-bit Win10 because of your memory situation.

Second, I am assuming you PC still boots? Can you give us a screen of your disk partitions?

Boot into the BIOS and see if CSM is enabled.

 

[babaika]

First thing is it looks like you're trying to install x64-bit Win10? Your PC specs look like it needs x32-bit Win10 because of your memory situation.

Win7 that I tried later was 32 bit, was not the culprit, but good to know

Second, I am assuming you PC still boots? Can you give us a screen of your disk partitions?

Boot into the BIOS and see if CSM is enabled.

When I run the laptop it only says "operating system not found" .
How do I reach BIOS to make that screenshot?
I tried pressing F2 or F10 buttons right after switching the laptop on, but it does not bring me to bios, just say "operation system not found line"

 

[babaika]

That is not a hard disk.
X: - is virtual drive loaded by windows install.

You need to load storage controller drivers.
Also possible - your hdd is just dead.

Hi, please advice how can i load those drivers.

And maybe you know how can I go to the BIOS?
(you can see that person bellow you asked me to check something there)

 

[SkyNetRising]

Hi, please advice how can i load those drivers.

Download Intel Chipset drivers from Samsung support site
https://www.samsung.com/uk/support/model/NP-NF110-A01UK/#downloads

Extract zip file.
Copy contents to Windows installation USB flash drive.
Load drivers during install. Driver is called "Intel Serial ATA storage controller".

 

[babaika]

Download Intel Chipset drivers from Samsung support site
https://www.samsung.com/uk/support/model/NP-NF110-A01UK/#downloads

Extract zip file.
Copy contents to Windows installation USB flash drive.
Load drivers during install. Driver is called "Intel Serial ATA storage controller".

Which is that "Intel Serial ATA storage controller" ?
I do not see that in the list.

You also mentioned "intel chipset", so I tried these 2 marked, but nothing happens when I try to load them as drivers, seems to be not the proper ones.
And I did not find "Intel Serial ATA storage controller" in neither of those either

Could you advise which exactly driver from that list is the correct one?

Thanks

 

[babaika]

Update, based on "Intel Serial ATA storage controller" I found this one:
https://devid.info/ji/284782/intel-r--n10-ich7-family-serial-ata-storage-controller---27c0

Seems correct?
Unfortunately when trying to load, it says "no driver was found:

 

[SkyNetRising]

You also mentioned "intel chipset", so I tried these 2 marked, but nothing happens when I try to load them as drivers, seems to be not the proper ones.
And I did not find "Intel Serial ATA storage controller" in neither of those either
Could you advise which exactly driver from that list is the correct one?

Choose Chipset 9.2.2.1029 download.
Extract zip file.
Find folder containing drivers Chipset_9.2.2.1029\All
Copy the folder to windows installation media.
Load drivers during install. Specify folder, you copied.
Driver will be called "Intel **** serial ata storage controller" or something similar.

 

[babaika]

Choose Chipset 9.2.2.1029 download.
Extract zip file.
Find folder containing drivers Chipset_9.2.2.1029\All
Copy the folder to windows installation media.
Load drivers during install. Specify folder, you copied.
Driver will be called "Intel **** serial ata storage controller" or something similar.

Found them.

I tried both Ata storage controller drivers from the list above.
Unfortunately neither that did not make my HDD appear for WIN installation.

Then I went to system repair mode and tried to install that way:

That did not help and now it does not even run WIN boot USB, I only get this screen when restarting the laptop with bootable USB on (if restarting laptop without bootable USB in, it just say "operation system not found):

Is there any way to check something as a last resort before bricking this laptop?

Maybe I can enter BIOS and check HDD status somehow?
If so - how to enter BIOS?
F2, F10 or F12 does not give me bios.

 

[cdupont]

Found them.

I tried both Ata storage controller drivers from the list above.
Unfortunately neither that did not make my HDD appear for WIN installation.

Then I went to system repair mode and tried to install that way:

That did not help and now it does not even run WIN boot USB, I only get this screen when restarting the laptop with bootable USB on (if restarting laptop without bootable USB in, it just say "operation system not found):

Is there any way to check something as a last resort before bricking this laptop?

Maybe I can enter BIOS and check HDD status somehow?
If so - how to enter BIOS?
F2, F10 or F12 does not give me bios.

Samsung says that it should be F2. Just spam it as soon as you start the PC. If it goes past the Samsung splash screen you need to try again.

Is it the original HDD? It could be that the HDD is toast. Only way to be sure is to run diagnostics on it like a SMART test which will find bad sectors. Im not sure of a tool you can whip up to boot to and run the diag but you can remove the drive and connect it to another PC and run a SMART test.

 

[babaika]

Samsung says that it should be F2. Just spam it as soon as you start the PC. If it goes past the Samsung splash screen you need to try again.

Is it the original HDD? It could be that the HDD is toast. Only way to be sure is to run diagnostics on it like a SMART test which will find bad sectors. Im not sure of a tool you can whip up to boot to and run the diag but you can remove the drive and connect it to another PC and run a SMART test.

Thanks, F2 worked.
I see no SATA port written. Does that confirm that hdd is toast?

Advanced:

 

[cdupont]

I would try to load the drivers again, and then again a second time.

Check your cable connections. Might be difficult because it s a laptop.

If not then ... I would consider the drive to be toast.

 

[babaika]

I would try to load the drivers again, and then again a second time.

Check your cable connections. Might be difficult because it s a laptop.

If not then ... I would consider the drive to be toast.

Any idea how to load the drivers again?

As i mentioned after driver loading i get this screen when trying to boot with windows usb.
And i can not go any further:
https://i.talpix.lt/7If4z.JPG

 

[SkyNetRising]

Replace the hdd/ssd. If it doesn't get detected in BIOS, then it's dead.

 

[cdupont]

Not a bad run for the ole girl. You got some mileage out of it.

 

[that_E46]

Reset bios setting to factory.
I do not believe that laptop has UEFI support, Make sure the windows 10 USB installer is configured for legacy support.
3 Easy Ways to Create a Windows 10 Bootable USB (Legacy or UEFI) (winbuzzer.com)
You want to use the Legacy configuration with Rufus, this information is about half way down the page. I would go through it and try to understand the process as it has some decent information.

The concerning part is that the HDD is not showing up in the bios. Is this a factory HDD that came with the computer? I had a similar problem when switching to an SSD on an older machine that would not show up in bios unless I had it switched to UEFI. But in this case, if there is no setting to switch to UEFI and you are trying to upgrade to an SSD then you may be out of luck. Also can try updating the bios if there are any available .