Windows 7 Home wont install on a new Sata HDD

[owlpal]

I am trying to install windows7 home edition on a new sata hdd i just purchased. It starts the install and shows the drive and creates the partition, then starts to install and it almost gets to around 85% when i get all sorts of errors come up saying the disc is currupt. but when i try to install windows xp it goes through with no problems. But for some reason it just wont let me install windows7. Ive got 2 packets containing 2 discs each which is both the 32bit and the 64 bit versions, ive tried all 4 discs and nothing will install. Ive formatted the disc and still i get a load of errors. Ive never had this problem before.The HDD is a SimTronics 800gb.

 

[memadmax]

Do you have the hard drive configured for "AHCI" in the bios settings?
Try that.

 

[owlpal]

Ok sorry first i must say that i am a total newbie to this and not "technically" minded.
I do know a bot about the Bios and have been in there and had a look, but ive not touched anything as i dont want to mess it up. So when say about the AHCI in the Bios setting, can you please be simple and explain how i do that and where it is and what to look for etc.. really sorry, but we all have to start somewhere. I really appreciate ALL the answers and help i get. Thanks.

 

[bucknutty]

In the office we upgraded many of our laptops with SSDS, some times they would just not work.
One thing that seems to work is to take the drive out and plug it into a working windows system as a secondary. Then go to the control panel and use the admin tools - diskmanager to delete any and all partitions on the ssd.

Put the ssd back in your computer and when you run the windows 7 install just let it make a new partion for you along with the default allocation unit size. This will give you a nice new alligned partion at 64 with an allocation unit size of 4096.

That should be all there is to it.

 

[owlpal]

In the office we upgraded many of our laptops with SSDS, some times they would just not work.
One thing that seems to work is to take the drive out and plug it into a working windows system as a secondary. Then go to the control panel and use the admin tools - diskmanager to delete any and all partitions on the ssd.

Put the ssd back in your computer and when you run the windows 7 install just let it make a new partion for you along with the default allocation unit size. This will give you a nice new alligned partion at 64 with an allocation unit size of 4096.

That should be all there is to it.

The only problem i have is a only have this pc and no other to work with. The hdd was new and it did create a partition for me i noticed with the allocating space needed too. But still no install.

 

[memadmax]

Can you tell me the make/model of the computer?

 

[owlpal]

Can you tell me the make/model of the computer?

Well it is a pc that i had built. But i did just find the following information that might help:

Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU
Q9650 @ 3.00GHZ
3.00GHZ. 3.43 GB of RAM

MOTHERBOARD - AS ROCK P45DE - P45+ ICH10 CHIPSETS

HDD - SimmTronics 800gb

XPOWER LIGHT 480 - POWER SUPPLY


I hope this is what you need? If not tell me where i can find the rest? Many thanks.

 

[owlpal]

Ive also just ordered more RAM That will be here tomorrow.
1 Komputerbay 4GB 2x 2GB DDR2

 

[memadmax]

Ok, I looked up your motherboards' manual and try this:
Hit F2 at the computer's first startup screen while it is starting up.
Goto the Advanced screen > IDE Configuration.
Set “SATAII Configuration” to [Enhanced], and then in the option “Configure SATAII as”, please set the option to [AHCI].

Re-attempt to install windows.

 

[owlpal]

Ok, I looked up your motherboards' manual and try this:
Hit F2 at the computer's first startup screen while it is starting up.
Goto the Advanced screen > IDE Configuration.
Set “SATAII Configuration” to [Enhanced], and then in the option “Configure SATAII as”, please set the option to [AHCI].

Re-attempt to install windows.

Ok i will first check to see if it is already configured before i re-install so i can report back here to you. If its NOT already configured, then i will have to format over this version of Windows XP and then try to install windows 7. If its still not working i will have to then re-install windows xp and report back to you here, this will take some time, so please bear with me lol. I really do appreciate your help here, your a star mate.

By the way....this hdd says it is "d" drive and NOT "C" drive?? does this matter?

 

[memadmax]

Ok, when you make this switch in your BIOS, Windows XP will stop working until you switch it back.

Don't worry, no harm will come to XP unless you erase it with windows 7.

To clarify: Windows XP does not support AHCI out of the box. But windows 7 does and requires it in certain situations.

 

[bucknutty]

when you install windows 7 and it gets to the part where it asks about where you want to intall.
Hit advaced options, and delete the partions on the SSD. With mulitple installs and such chances are the ssd has some wierd partions. The windows 7 installer will struggle with any existing partion on the HD or SSD that it did not create.

 

[owlpal]

Ok, when you make this switch in your BIOS, Windows XP will stop working until you switch it back.

Don't worry, no harm will come to XP unless you erase it with windows 7.

To clarify: Windows XP does not support AHCI out of the box. But windows 7 does and requires it in certain situations.

Ok here is the results from what you said to do:

Configure SATAII was set to IDE but now i have set it to ACHI, your right the XP did stop booting up.

Also i have these results form the BIOS page, these were mostly "not detected" before the change from IDE to ACHI:

SATAII 1 NOT DETECTED
SATAII 2 NOT DETECTED
SATAII 3 NOT DETECTED
SATAII 4 HARD DISK
SATAII 5 ATARI CD ROM
SATAII 6 ATARI CD ROM

Now i tried to install windows after the change and here is the messages what i received:

Windows cannot access the installation sources. Verify that the installation sources are accessible, and restart the installation.

SO I TRIED AGAIN AFTER FORMATTING THE DRIVE AND PARTITION:

Windows cannot install required files. The file does not exist. Make sure all files required for installation are available and restart the installation.
ERROR CODE 0x80070003

AND THE REPEATED THE INSTALLATION A 3RD TIME TO SEE THESE RESULTS:

Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computers hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disks controller is enabled in the computers BIOS menu.
TOTAL SIZE FREE SPACE TYPE
DISK 1 PARTITION 1 100.0MB 86.0MB SYSTEM
DISK 1 PARTITION 2 745.1GB 739.0GB PRIMARY

Now it seems i cant format anything, they are not highlighted at all??

 

[owlpal]

when you install windows 7 and it gets to the part where it asks about where you want to intall.
Hit advaced options, and delete the partions on the SSD. With mulitple installs and such chances are the ssd has some wierd partions. The windows 7 installer will struggle with any existing partion on the HD or SSD that it did not create.

I have deleted the partition but it still shows the following results:

DISK O Unallocated Space 100.0MB 100.0MB
DISK 0 PARTITION 1 745.1GB 745.0GB PRIMARY

 

[bucknutty]

In this case the drive had 2 partions on it. You already deleted the system partions now, Delete partion 1.

Before you start the windows 7 install there should be 1 entry "Disk O unallocated." There should be nothing else in that list. If there is anything else in the list delet it.
At that point all you need to do is hit next, win7 will do the rest.

on a side note the Windows 7 install makes a 100mb system partition and a second partiotion that is the rest of the HD.

 

[das_stig]

Trace the data cable from the hdd to the motherboard and move it from sata-4 to sata-1 connection nearest to blue IDE connector. You could have a bad sata port on the motherboard. ALso, if your not using any of the older IDE style hdd's/DVD's disbale the Onboard IDE controller.

 

[owlpal]

Trace the data cable from the hdd to the motherboard and move it from sata-4 to sata-1 connection nearest to blue IDE connector. You could have a bad sata port on the motherboard. ALso, if your not using any of the older IDE style hdd's/DVD's disbale the Onboard IDE controller.

Im not using IDE, i have 2 cd rom drives and they are both SATA now along with the hdd.

Ive just seen "Onboard IDE", is this what you want me to disable?

Ive also made the hdd SATA 1 connection.

 

[owlpal]

In this case the drive had 2 partions on it. You already deleted the system partions now, Delete partion 1.

Before you start the windows 7 install there should be 1 entry "Disk O unallocated." There should be nothing else in that list. At that point all you need to do is hit next, win7 will do the rest.

on a side note the Windows 7 install makes a 100mb system partition and a second partiotion that is the rest of the HD.

You want me to delete the following:

DISK 0 PARTITION 1 745.1GB 745.0GB PRIMARY ??

When i do this it comes up with the message that there might be files needed for the install etc...

Is this ok? to delete both the partitions below?

DISK O Unallocated Space 100.0MB 100.0MB
DISK 0 PARTITION 1 745.1GB 745.0GB PRIMARY ? I thought i could only delete 1 partition bu thad to delete the main one if you know what i mean?

 

[owlpal]

Ive just rebooted and now i get the message:

Windows Setup [EMS Enabled]?

Whats this?

 

[bucknutty]

your trying to do a clean install off of the DVD. So you need a clean unused HD or SSD to install to. So yes delete all the partitions. You will have better luck with the windows installer if you install to a partion that it created.

The partition that you mentiond is the result of either a prior win 7 attempt or a windows xp install. You want to remove those prior attempts as none of them are any good.

EMS stands for Emergency Management Services.
Basically the windows 7 installer knows that your Windows install is all messed up and it wants to try to run a repair. Again our goal is a clean install so we dont want to mess with repairing it we want to delete it and start with a clean slate.

 

[owlpal]

In this case the drive had 2 partions on it. You already deleted the system partions now, Delete partion 1.

Before you start the windows 7 install there should be 1 entry "Disk O unallocated." There should be nothing else in that list. If there is anything else in the list delet it.
At that point all you need to do is hit next, win7 will do the rest.

on a side note the Windows 7 install makes a 100mb system partition and a second partiotion that is the rest of the HD.

Ok ive deleted the partition like you said. And ONLY left the "Disk 0 unallocated", and clicked next.

I will follow up this message once i have results from this. Hopefully this will install properly now.

I really do appreciate yours and everyone elses's help on here wow what a place this is.

 

[bucknutty]

Take a look at this. It will explain about creating partitions and removing them.
http://www.petri.co.il/creating-a-partition-during-windows-7-installation.htm


Now might be a good time to stretch your legs and clear your head. It does no good to get frustrated with new equipment.

 

[owlpal]

your trying to do a clean install off of the DVD. So you need a clean unused HD or SSD to install to. So yes delete all the partitions. You will have better luck with the windows installer if you install to a partion that it created.

The partition that you mentiond is the result of either a prior win 7 attempt or a windows xp install. You want to remove those prior attempts as none of them are any good.

EMS stands for Emergency Management Services.
Basically the windows 7 installer knows that your Windows install is all messed up and it wants to try to run a repair. Again our goal is a clean install so we dont want to mess with repairing it we want to delete it and start with a clean slate.

Oh i see, thanks for the info here.

Ive done exactly what you said and clicked next, now im just waiting, its on 20% but its never got past 85% so fingers crossed here.

Will keep you posted. thanks.

 

[owlpal]

Take a look at this. It will explain about creating partitions and removing them.
http://www.petri.co.il/creating-a-partition-during-windows-7-installation.htm


Now might be a good time to stretch your legs and clear your head. It does no good to get frustrated with new equipment.

Ok i done exactly what you said in deleting the partitons etc... and started the install and here's what it said...


Windows cannot install required files. The file does not exist. Make sure all files required for installation are available. and restart the installation.

ERROR CODE 0x8007003

This is a code that has come up before! Hmm getting frustrated here now as nothing seems to work.

The installation i tried to do was windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit.

 

[owlpal]

Ok ive now moved my cd rom drive up to SATA 2 and unlplugged the drive i was using and am using another cd rom drive to see if this will help.