Windows cannot be installed to this disk... but HDD works

[andreas-pal]

Hi All,

I have an issue with the internal SATA HDD in my Pavilion dm4t laptop (PR #: XQ1313AAR). The drive is working, when connecting via external USB enclosure is recognized by the PC, can read/write data, format partitions etc… When plugged in as internal HDD of the laptop, BIOS does not recognize it. When booting from Windows Installation Disk, the drive (and its partitions) are recognized, but I get the following message when trying to select a partition to proceed with Windows install:

“Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer’s hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disk’s controller is enabled in the computer’s BIOS menu.

Used external USB enclosure again, connected to a working PC and using TestDisk, I deleted the partition table (by zero writing it several times), then created a new MBR. When connecting back as internal drive, it is now recognized by BIOS and in the Windows installation screen, I can actually select a partition on the drive to install Windows on; the installation actually runs, but as soon as I get to the point of having to restart the PC during the installation process, upon restart the drive is not recognized anymore…

When I remove it, and repeat the same steps with TestDisk, it once again works, can start Windows installation, but it fails upon restart.
I have already read numerous forums on the topic, have tried various drive utilities. I also saw in one of the forums a suggestion to enable AHCI for the SATA controller, but the laptop BIOS is extremely limited and does not have that option.

Please help!!! Have been without a working laptop for several weeks and is driving me crazy. Saving any data on the drive is not needed – I have received all data from it that I need. So my only objective is to restore the harddrive to fully working state! Thanks in advance for any help!

[ShaneWard]

have you tried a different hard drive to rule out that is not your laptop causing the problem. Also try installing windows on that troubled drive on a desktop PC, just to see if the drive will accept windows at all. Then you can move on from that stage.

Shane

[andreas-pal]

Unfortunately I don't have another laptop to experiment with this. I have a work laptop to which I connected the drive via USB, but that one has an SSD (plus, cannot really be messing much with the work laptop).

[HaQue]

Hi,
Do you need to add the "F6" drivers before install? Also, the option to enable AHCI.. Sometimes it is veiled as "legacy" or "ide mode" or something along those lines.

[jerovsek]

hello,

try reset BIOS to default settings and then try to install.
You can also try to boot with Ubuntu CD and then check if drive is visible in Ubuntu GUI.

[BGman]

Check the SMART of your drive for reallocated or pending sectors.
Windows cannot be installed on partitions having such deffects.