window didn't detect any hard drive when trying to reformat

desmond5986 · 09-06-2008, 01:41 PM

hello, i have tried to reformat my laptop from chinese version to english version and i have a problem with " window didn't detect any hard drive " error shown up ..... i can see the hard drive was detected in CMOS and the window xp is loading normally , I have checked online regarding this problem and most of the website said that i have to prepare a floopy disk and insert it to the drive and press F6 button if i would like to install extra driver.....

But my problem now is i don't have any floppy drive for my laptop and i don't think it is necessary to buy a extra floppy drive just for reformat window system. So, anybody has any comment or methods to solve my problems? thank you and your help will be really appreciated.

**belfasteddie** · 09-07-2008, 01:23 AM

If you don't have the ability to load the file that Windows asks for(F6) then Windows will just install the drive as an Ide. It simply means that you will lose about 10-12% of the real estate.

**blah789** · 09-07-2008, 10:21 AM

Look in the BIOS (you may need to press a key like Del or F10 at boot time). There may be a setting that will allow the SATA controller to act like an old PATA one (the name of the setting may differ by brand, but some people have reported it to be 'legacy IDE' or something like that).

desmond5986 · 09-09-2008, 11:49 AM

first of all i would like to said thank you for your guys help.... i used to check on the BIOS for SATA controller setting but i couldn't see any , i am using sony laptop with model : VGN-NR160N, do you thing i am able to change the settings ?

Regarding the " windows will just install the drive as in IDE, it simply means that you will lose about 10-12% of the real estate" , i have no idea what does it mean, can you please elaborate more details please ?

**blah789** · 09-09-2008, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desmond5986

first of all i would like to said thank you for your guys help.... i used to check on the BIOS for SATA controller setting but i couldn't see any , i am using sony laptop with model : VGN-NR160N, do you thing i am able to change the settings ?

Regarding the " windows will just install the drive as in IDE, it simply means that you will lose about 10-12% of the real estate" , i have no idea what does it mean, can you please elaborate more details please ?

The SATA setting to emulate PATA might also be named "AHCI".
Anyway by "loss of real estate" he just means things might not be as fast (very poorly phrased - you'd think loss of "real estate" means you're getting less disk space or something). If you use legacy PATA mode, it acts like a PATA drive, and doesn't use the fancy SATA features like Native Command Queuing (NCQ) that are supposed to make things faster. Also PATA is currently limited to 133MB/s while SATA can go at 150MB/s or 300MB/s. That's the theoretical maximum speed of the interface, but that shouldn't be much of a concern, since the fastest, most expensive drives these days max out at about 120MB/s.

desmond5986 · 09-09-2008, 10:57 PM

thank you for your reply, may i know is that all laptop must have SATA setting or AHCI setting ? cause i used to check on my laptop but i didn't see...

**blah789** · 09-09-2008, 11:56 PM

No, not all BIOSes have that option. You could try flashing your BIOS to a newer version to see if it helps. Be very careful when flashing the BIOS: do not allow the power to go out no matter what, or it will render your computer unusable.
If all else fails, just use an external floppy drive. I know it's a hassle when all you want to do is just boot XP from the CD and have it to recognize the darn SATA controller, but then they're not that expensive.

desmond5986 · 09-11-2008, 02:20 PM

thank you for your help , i will try later

09-06-2008, 01:41 PM	#1 (permalink)
desmond5986 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 69 OS: xp, vista	window didn't detect any hard drive when trying to reformat hello, i have tried to reformat my laptop from chinese version to english version and i have a problem with " window didn't detect any hard drive " error shown up ..... i can see the hard drive was detected in CMOS and the window xp is loading normally , I have checked online regarding this problem and most of the website said that i have to prepare a floopy disk and insert it to the drive and press F6 button if i would like to install extra driver..... But my problem now is i don't have any floppy drive for my laptop and i don't think it is necessary to buy a extra floppy drive just for reformat window system. So, anybody has any comment or methods to solve my problems? thank you and your help will be really appreciated.

09-07-2008, 01:23 AM	#2 (permalink)
belfasteddie Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Belfast N.I. Posts: 1,551 OS: Puppy Linux 4.12	Re: window didn't detect any hard drive when trying to reformat If you don't have the ability to load the file that Windows asks for(F6) then Windows will just install the drive as an Ide. It simply means that you will lose about 10-12% of the real estate.

09-07-2008, 10:21 AM	#3 (permalink)
blah789 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 2,318 OS: Windows 2000 SP4 and Windows XP SP3	Re: window didn't detect any hard drive when trying to reformat Look in the BIOS (you may need to press a key like Del or F10 at boot time). There may be a setting that will allow the SATA controller to act like an old PATA one (the name of the setting may differ by brand, but some people have reported it to be 'legacy IDE' or something like that).

09-09-2008, 11:49 AM	#4 (permalink)
desmond5986 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 69 OS: xp, vista	Re: window didn't detect any hard drive when trying to reformat first of all i would like to said thank you for your guys help.... i used to check on the BIOS for SATA controller setting but i couldn't see any , i am using sony laptop with model : VGN-NR160N, do you thing i am able to change the settings ? Regarding the " windows will just install the drive as in IDE, it simply means that you will lose about 10-12% of the real estate" , i have no idea what does it mean, can you please elaborate more details please ?

09-09-2008, 10:57 PM	#6 (permalink)
desmond5986 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 69 OS: xp, vista	Re: window didn't detect any hard drive when trying to reformat thank you for your reply, may i know is that all laptop must have SATA setting or AHCI setting ? cause i used to check on my laptop but i didn't see...

09-09-2008, 11:56 PM	#7 (permalink)
blah789 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 2,318 OS: Windows 2000 SP4 and Windows XP SP3	Re: window didn't detect any hard drive when trying to reformat No, not all BIOSes have that option. You could try flashing your BIOS to a newer version to see if it helps. Be very careful when flashing the BIOS: do not allow the power to go out no matter what, or it will render your computer unusable. If all else fails, just use an external floppy drive. I know it's a hassle when all you want to do is just boot XP from the CD and have it to recognize the darn SATA controller, but then they're not that expensive.

09-11-2008, 02:20 PM	#8 (permalink)
desmond5986 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 69 OS: xp, vista	Re: window didn't detect any hard drive when trying to reformat thank you for your help , i will try later