Installation of Windows Vista or 7 Problem

[Erie906]

I received this gift notebook without hard drive.  I want to install at least Windows 7 on it; it was originally sold with Vista.  When I try to install Vista or 7 from CD, I get an error message saying that I have to install CD  drivers first.  This occurs even when I install from a flash drive.  All of HP's downloads are executable files, not specific driver files.  How do I get around this CD drivers issue?

When I try to install XP, 32-bit, the installation files cannot find any hard drive, even though one is reported in the BIOS and passes the BIOS hard drive test.  How do I convince the XP installer that the hard drive really is there?

Can I update the BIOS by downloading the update file to a bootable flash drive, booting to DOS from the flash drive, and running the BIOS update file in DOS?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

There are no special drivers needed to install Vista or W7 on that model.

Are you using factory supplied or genuine Microsoft installation DVD's?

If not, most likely your installation media is no good, or the ISO you burned to the DVD or flash drive was incomplete.

You need to burn the ISO file to a DVD by using the slowest burn speed you can.

For XP you need to install the sata ahci drivers by either slipstreaming them or using a USB floppy disk drive to install them at the F6 prompt.

In any event, I have zipped up and attached both the 32 and 64 bit sata ahci drivers needed for your notebook below.

Copy them to a CD or usb flash drive without the folder.

On Vista or W7 install the drivers as follows...

With the flash drive and W7 installation media in the PC, boot from the installation media.

After you select the install now option, select the Drive Options - Advanced menu, then select the Load Driver option.

You should now see the storage driver files listed.

If you check the box, it will only include the compatible driver.

Follow the prompts, and hopefully the OS will install.

I've installed XP, Vista, W7, W8, 8.1 and W10 on mine, and never had a problem like that.

[Erie906]

Thanks for the response.  I use genuine Microsoft media which I know are good.  Both Vista and 7 require additional drivers.

I downloaded and set up the 64-bit drivers on a flash drive, and tried to install Win 7 Pro 64-bit from the MS medium.  I install the drivers.  Then I get an error message which says that setup could not find or create a partition for the installation.  I swapped hard drives, went through the same routine, and got the same error.  I know the hard drives are good. 

The BIOS is the original version, but I've heard of too many issues regarding the latest version, F.20.  If I can ever get an OS installed, I'll update the BIOS to F.10.

Thanks for your help thus far, and any further ideas are appreciated.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

Very strange problem indeed.

The only other suggestion I can offer would be to try setting the BIOS to its defaults.

Yes I agree...If you plan to update the BIOS, don't update it to the last version, and yes, there are instructions to make a bootable CD to update the BIOS in DOS.

I've never done it before, so I can't be of help with that process.

[Erie906]

Well, I tried a clean Windows 10 installation with the SATA drivers that you supplied.  I was astonished when the installer didn't tell me that it couldn't find a partition.  Windows 10 is installed, and I'm reinstalling my apps.

I downloaded and installed BIOS update F.10.  After rebooting, I got an error message saying that the BIOS update wasn't complete, and that I might have to install it two more times.  I did that, but still got the error message.  So I reverted to the next earlier version, F.0F, which installed just fine.

Thank you for your help--I now have a working notebook which I was afraid would have to be consigned to the recycler.

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Anytime.

Glad to have been of assistance.