"Setup did not find any hard drives on your computer."

[verplexd]

Hi all,

I am getting this error when trying to run the NT Server 4.0 installation from the CD-ROM.

Setup did not find any hard drives on your computer.

I have tried partitioning the IDE drive in all sorts of ways - 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, the full 30GB... I have tried without an active partition, with an active partition, I have tried the drive in different computer, I have tried different hard drives. I am lost. Can someone please tell me how I need to have the IDE HD configured to get it to work? Do I need FAT-16? Do I need a certain sized partition? Is there any freeware out there that I need to get?

Thanks In Advance,
Frustrated Freddy

 

[verplexd]

One more thing. I have already done the following (as per the Microsoft support page):


3. If the hard drive is EIDE:
a) Verify that the system drive is the first drive on the first IDE controller on the motherboard.
b) In the system BIOS, verify that file I/O and/or disk access are set to standard. Most computers ship set to either 32-bit or enhanced access.

4. If the drive is IDE or ESDI:
a) Verify that the controller is functional in a different computer, if possible.
b) If the drive is bigger than 1024 cylinders, make sure you're using a supported disk-configuration utility.
c) Verify that the drive is jumpered correctly for master, slave, or single drive.

 

[verplexd]

Another question:

What do they mean by a "supported disk-configuration utility". Something like partition magic? Do I need to set the number of cylinders for the installation?

Thanks again.

 

[RamasamyRathnam]

Freddy,

1. Are you having any IDE-RAID cards?
Is your drive attached to this?

Assuming the hard disk is attached to
the IDE interface of the Server motherboard,

Can you try installaing plain DOS with a small
parition of say 512 MB or 1 GB?
(using a DOS boot disk with fdisk, format
utilities)

If this does not go thru then there is a
hardware problem.

Another method is using an old hard disk
instead of your new hard disk and try
installing.

Regards

 

[wolluf]

Where & with what are you partitioning the drive? (you know NT install has its own partitioning tools? And that it's generally best to use them rather than pre-partition)

Also, what service pack level is your install disk? (pre-SP4 NT can only see the first 8GB of a disk - I'm thinking it might be not seeing your bigger disk at all). There's an atapi upgrade you can show to the install here

http://www.htl-steyr.ac.at/~morg/drivers/NT_Atapi/

 

[verplexd]

No IDE-RAID cards. Just the standard IDE interface on a normal PC motherboard. I tried using FDISK and Partition Magic 7.0. I tried making a 1GB FAT-16 partition, but it still couldn't find the HD.

 

[karmic]

Been awhile since i've installed NT but when you start the installation, it should ask if you want to install a 3rd party driver for any storage devices...

Can you find an NT driver specific to your onboard IDE controller? If it's only NT that can't find your drive then that could be your problem...

Rememeber too, NT has a hard time with it's hard drive size limitations.

Good Luck!!!

 

[tahoe2]

You might try replacing the IDE cable, then try a different motherboard. Sounds like the interface between the HD and the BIOS is bad. (I am assuming you tried other HD's and none of them are seen, otherwise try this step first.) I once had a 20 gig HD that W2K would not recognize at all. I had to put it in a W98 machine and reformat it, then it worked.

Hope this helps.
Corie

 

[wolluf]

JKpeus

You seem to have ignored my post - so I'll just ask you to have another look and postr back.

 

[joepc]

I one time I had a problem that sounded like this. I was trying to install NT by booting off the CD. It wouldn't find the drive. So then I tried the boot disks and NT found the drive.

Give it a try.