Cant Install Windows (cant find drive)

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deeds281

New Member
I just built my first computer and am trying to install windows vista. After I enter the product key I end up at a page that says "where do you want to install windows?". at the bottom of the page it says "No drives were found. Click load driver to provide a mass storage device for installation."

When I click "load driver" i get a message saying "No device drivers were found. Make sure that the installation media contains the correct drivers." after it searches for a little while.

My HD is OEM and didnt come with a driver. Now what?

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
 
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PC eye

banned
Vista generally doesn't require a driver disk since it contains generic drivers. The original software disk for the board itself should see a utility on that or at the manufacturer's support site for creating one.

For a brand new bare drive you first have to use the drive tools on the Vista dvd as part of the installation or a 3rd party drive tool in order to create a new primary for Vista to install onto. Once a primary is present the installer will then proceed to format it followed by copying the Windows setup files onto the drive.
 
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PC eye

banned
deeds281 said:
How do I do that?

Thanks for the help
Click to expand...

Rather then trying to post detail by detail instructions MS has been thoughtful enough? :rolleyes: to provide "some" useful guideline for getting started in Vista in their "How Tos" section seen at http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/getting-started/install-Windows-Vista.mspx

If and when which is likely you get hungup there on something jump right back in here for help. But first review the guide there to get familiar with some basics. That will help you better understand help offered here. It's not too hard once you do it a few times.
 
brian

brian

VIP Member
you just have to change the hard drive compadibility in your bios. It is under like integrated preferable and hard drive compadibility, just change it to compadibility. I forget the exact location and what it is called but it is in there
 
P

PC eye

banned
I think you are referring to the boot order since the Vista installer will readily detect sata drives. The board however requires a driver disk. What make and model is that?
 
P

PC eye

banned
How are your temps? If the overall temps are good you won't need the fans going full speed unless you plan on ocing. On the other hand if the case lacks air flow only seeing a pair of small fans or no vents then you would crank them up especially if your temps tend to climb.

As far as the drive it itself doesn't need a driver. The onboard sata/RAID controllers may however depending age and chipset.

Most newer boards allow even XP to clearly see the drives installed. If the data cable isn't plugged in or is bad that will explain why the Vista installer wouldn't detect a drive to install onto. Is the drive listed on the post screen? If not try another data cable. Those are the thin red colored cables included with new boards with a 7pin connector at the drive end.



The port you plug the cable into on the board will determine if it is seen as a primary master or slave or a secondary master or slave at post. The power plug of course is the other item that needs to be plugged in as well. That's a much wider 15pin flat black colored connector coming from the power supply.

 
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