Win7 installer cannot see HDD of my HP 15-G093SA Notebook

[Cyon]

Hello all, i am attempting to install WIN7 Pro on my old HP laptop. Note: the laptop shipped with Win8, which i cannot stand i am trying to downgrade to WIN7 which i love.

I have already managed to backup all my stuff including the SWsetup folder.

I have deleted ALL partitions on the drive and tried to use diskpart to get the volume recognised by the installer, but am not having any luck.

Here are the two main threads i followed. https://neosmart.net/wiki/setup-was-unable-to-create-a-new-system-partition/ and http://www.techsupportforum.com/forums/f16/hard-drive-showing-0-bytes-1047898.html the later explaining that i need to 'clean' the volume before installing onto it.

The error message i receive is simply: Setup was unable to create a new system partition or locate an existing system partition. See the log setup files for more info.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advanced

Cyon

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

Did you change the BIOS settings to enable legacy mode and disable secure boot?

See this guide for the settings to change...

https://www.support.hp.com/us-en/document/c03736054/

W7 is not compatible with secure boot.

If you are installing W7 from a usb flash drive, are you running it from the PC's USB 2 port?

You can't run it from a USB 3 port.

[Cyon]

Hi Paul, wow very fast reply!

Yes Legacy Support is enabled and Secure Boot is disabled. 

Problem remains.

Any other ideas?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

I take it you are installing from a DVD then, or that your USB flash drive is running from a USB 2 port?

See if using this free bootable utility allows you to get W7 to see the drive...free edition.

https://www.partitionwizard.com/download.html

Format the drive MBR-NTFS.

Most folks have issues installing on that platform when using a USB installation drive in a USB 3 port.

[Cyon]

Yes sorry Paul, i am installing via the optical drive - its the internal DVD drive i have Win7 on DVD.

Will try the app to see if that resolves and report back. Thanks

[Maké]

Hi!, @Cyon:

You can use too ... http://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htm

See, the Key Features.

[Cyon]

Hi Gents, i presume i have to remove the HDD out of the laptop and slave to another Windows computer using a sata to usb converter to use either of these two applciations, right?

So i am having difficulty pulling the laptop casing apart even after removing all the screws... are there hidden screws under the rubber feet? 

[Maké]

Check, this Maintenance Manual ... http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c04886216

You not have driver's for Windows 7 Pro. Only have for Windows 7 Basic ... https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-15-g000-notebook-pc-series/6545564/model/7255452

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

I suggest you just make the program on another Windows PC and then you can boot it from the DVD.

No need to take the notebook apart if you have another Windows PC handy.

[Cyon]

Hi gents, so i slaved the drive to my PC and used the program. A few things:

1) i do not understand what Paul means by "make the program" ? All the program does is format the drive, something i have already achieved with DISKPART. I used the app and formatted the drive with it anyhow just to be sure, via my sata to usb converter.

2) There is no option to format with MBR. It is simply an option to CREATE partition. I  chose NTFS as advised and created a primary partition.

3) There are two options that appear when booting with the newly formatted drine in the laptop. Internal CDROM UEFI and just Internal CDROM. I have tried installing via both avenues and still get the error.

4) The windows installer error states for me to check the Setup log files for more info... that doesn't soudn liek such a bad idea, where might i find them please?

thanks