Been doing this for the past 4 days. To call it 'tricky' is an understatement.

Have three different versions of Windows 7 install disc (1 legal, the other downloaded)
Have all the drivers
Everything is ready to go, no problems should arise.

However, when I install from the disc (using a brand new IDE DVD drive because I pushed the tray in too hard due to frustration of trying to get this f*cking thing to work, and knackered it), when it finally tries to install, it cannot find the driver for the IDE DVD drive I've just installed the primary part of the installation from. It doesn't recognise cdrom.sys, which is a very recognised driver that had been in use since the early 90's.
I've done some investigating, and I've found installing Windows 7 from an IDE disc drive is impossible. I have three SATA hard drives (I buy a new one when the old one gets nearly full with shite as it's less hassle and safer than backing up onto DVD, etc). However, I can only run an installation when I boot onto my old hard drive, and I find I still can't boot from the my NEW hard drive without having the old hard drive in place.

In the 'old days', I could put the CD in, put a blank hard drive in, and 1/2 an hour later, I'd have 98 or XP on the HD, but now this can't be done, as I probably need a SATA DVD drive (maybe).

Anyone any advice? I just want a single hard drive in my computer with a new install of Windows 7 on it.

BTW, well done Microsoft.

i dident have any problems setting windows 7 up from a ide dvd drive, have you tryed running the Windows Upgrade Advisor (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/downloads/upgrade-advisor)it should pick up any hardware problems :s

Use your xp disc to format the drive.
or

fdsk

I think your drive is still in its RAW state.

cdrom.sys
could be a mark on the disc or you have damaged the reader on the optical drive.

Maybe?
Using your IDE DVD Drive,
install xp and then see if win 7 gives the option to format.
or install over.

Hope that helps.

I havent had to do a 7 install yet, but i do have win 7 pro discs sitting here for a time when the world has drivers lol

If you need a SATA DVD drive, and it sounds as if you do, my place dismantles/recycles a LOT of computers for various companies.

We tend to keep hold of the DVD R/W for reconditioned PC's but standard DVD's just tend to get a couple of holes drilled in them (so they don't end up stolen out of our bins and on car boot sales).

If you want one (or two just in case as we don't test them) then either call in (or pm me if you don't know which shop I mean..... going to HAVE to have a word with Mark about putting the name in my sig or something) and you can have them, freebies... or a couple of quid donation to our tea float if you're feeling flush :-)

do you have a USB pen drive, there are many guides on the net.

I've not had any problems installing 7 took all of 25mins to get it up and running.

I've tried the XP way, but my XP32 bit CD had a big scratch on it, and my 64bit has gone missing! I have another version of 7 as an ISO, which I can mount and it installs no problem. However, I can't install it from a new SATA drive, because I need windows running, and the only version of windows I have is the one that I want to blank as it's full of crap, plus, it makes the new drive non-bootable, so you need the drive full of crap neccessary , so I can't remove it (ever).

TheDr, if you have any SATA DVD drives, I'd be grateful, I just spent 30 quid on an IDE drive (as I only have two SATA plugs on MB), which is 10 more than the SATA ones, from PC World!

This is what you need to do, when you start the computer hit the Del key Del = Delete.This should get you into the computer BIOS, click across the top tabs of the bios settings until you come across boot order depending on which bios is installed it may come under different headings. Normally computers are set to boot to the root drive usually "C", in your bios this will be called HDD 0 or HDD1 change the boot order so that you boot from a CDROM Drive, if the CDRom drive is not listed it may list the actual brand, for example pioneer dvd rom , you want your system set up so that the first thing the booting bios sees is your CDROM or DVD drive, second boot item should be your hard disk drive HDD0
once you have set these parameters you then save the settings and re boot your computer, make sure your windows 7 disk is in the dvd or cdrom drive when it boots. during the installation of windows 7 you will be given an option to format the drive windows 7 tends to set two partitions one which is visible the other is hidden.
more here too
boot order how to boot from a cd or dvd drive to install windows
katrina

Come and get them tomorrow, we're open from 10-6, 644 0880

Might be able to do you a backup copy of your (scratched) XP disc if you need it. MicroSoft have agreed that it's okay to that, as you need the COA key for it to be of any use, however they did go a little bit mental when we started selling OEM COA keys from recycled machines on eBay and "asked" us to stop

Purfek, first port of call I'm afraid! Thanks for the help though!

TheDr, where are you located? I found my XP disc, but going to give it a break today, think I'll try the USB thing, I have a 4GB one lying around! Thanks all!!!!

Violet, I tried to pm you but your mailbox is full, so apologies to Mark if giving out the business name breaks any rules.

Bigabyte
332-336 Old Chester Road
Rock Ferry
CH42 3XE
0151 644 0880

It's open 10-6 Mon-Sat and has been there for years, just never had to advertise, word of mouth has always kept the place busy.

I know bigabyte Not a bad little shop at all and very helpful.
Especially when you're an awkward customer who wants extra RAM installed in the system you're buying
Good quality refurbished system it is too, great specs

You have to make sure that the BIOS Can see the dvd or cd rom drive if it cannot see it chances are that auto detect might be switched off that is usually on the first page of the bios. if it is detected in the bios then you need to either point the bios to a floppy drive or to a usb drive as part of your setup process, the reason for this is that windows will be looking for the sata driver. There are two main manufacturers of sata drivers
one is Intel AHCI/SATA drivers for Windows 7 other is Mavel yukon

http://www.marvell.com/support.html

http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/?iid=gg_work+home_support_downloads

I can also give a 10/10 for Bigabyte. Very heplfull, nothing is to much trouble and there prices are very good.

Oops, I forgot about this, I installed this onto a pen dirve (using a copy of the boot image from the CD onto the drive) and it worked fine!! Thanks all.

Excellent pen drives are well handy when a rom lets ya down.

i can vouch for bigabyte as well, i went in there a couple of weeks ago needing a printer cartridge,he did not have one in stock and i was desperate for some work documents....he offered to print them off for me but i hadnt finished typing them up....so thanks for the offer thedr.

got a DVD that will install 7 for you and a recovery partition?

you choose the version it install's it

I sorted it out on my pen drive! since installed three new versions of it on different computers. Thanks Bigabyte btw.