Vista to Window 7 PROBLEM

[kenster89]

Hi all,

I'm attempting to upgrade to Windows 7 Professional from Vista Home Premium (the Custom Installation). When I reach the screen to select where I want to install the new OS, none of my hard drives show up.  Yes, I tried clicking on 'Load Drivers', but that didn't work either. I also noticed that in the 'Disk Management' tool built into Windows, my hard drive is still not showing up. I've tried just about everything. The only other thing I could think of is that some sort of malware is causing the problem. I've performed several virus scans, but the problem still persists.

So in short, why isn't the Windows 7 installer recognizing my C: drive?

*I've attached a couple screenshots showing the problem and another with my full specs.

Thanks

[drivenbywhat]

I don't see the screenshots you are talking about but that's okay. I think your problem is the version compatibility. Vista Home Premium is the "home" edition of Windows. Windows 7 Professional is the "business" edition of Windows. Since they don't belong to the same edition there isn't a "direct" upgrade path between them. To upgrade to windows 7 professional you would need to have vista business. With your current windows you can only go to windows 7 home premium or ultimate. Here is a link that explains it in a chart type way.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd772579%28WS.10%29.aspx

However, depending on whether or not you have the full version of windows 7 disc or the upgrade version you may be able to install windows 7 but it would be a clean install, which means it doesn't save any of your previous files.

[killerb255]

Yes, I tried clicking on 'Load Drivers', but that didn't work either.

Where are you loading your drivers from?  A flash drive?  Does the flash drive have proper Windows 7 drivers for your hard drive controller?  Are you using a factory-built PC (i.e.: Dell, HP) or a custom-built?  If custom-built, what's the make and model of your motherboard?

[Allan]

Where are you loading your drivers from?  A flash drive?  Does the flash drive have proper Windows 7 drivers for your hard drive controller?  Are you using a factory-built PC (i.e.: Dell, HP) or a custom-built?  If custom-built, what's the make and model of your motherboard?

Why would you think a flash drive?

[killerb255]

Why would you think a flash drive?

...because it's the equivalent of using a floppy in Windows NT/2000/XP/Server 2003 via "Press F6 to install a third party SCSI or RAID driver."  In Vista/7/2008/2008R2, you can copy the mass storage drivers to any kind of storage media that's readable by the installer, and a flash drive is most common. 

...but then again, the one thing I didn't think of when posting last was that this is an upgrade install.  The drives "should" show up already in the installer.  Then again, if the Windows 7 installer is ignoring the current Vista HAL (for whatever reason), then loading the mass storage drivers from a flash drive could still be viable...

[BC_Programmer]

Then again, if the Windows 7 installer is ignoring the current Vista HAL (for whatever reason), then loading the mass storage drivers from a flash drive could still be viable...

there is using acronyms, and there is throwing out acronyms randomly.

Guess which category this falls in.

[Allan]

You never know - he might have been talking about the computer in the movie 2001 A Space Odyssey

[kenster89]

However, depending on whether or not you have the full version of windows 7 disc or the upgrade version you may be able to install windows 7 but it would be a clean install, which means it doesn't save any of your previous files.

drivenbywhat,

I do have the Upgrade version. And no, I don't have a disk since it was downloaded from online (legally). If the upgrade version of the 7 installer does not let you do a custom install from Vista Home Premium, THEN WHY IS THE OPTION THERE?? argg

P.S. Sorry here are the screens

[recovering disk space - old attachment deleted by admin]

[kenster89]

...but then again, the one thing I didn't think of when posting last was that this is an upgrade install.  The drives "should" show up already in the installer.  Then again, if the Windows 7 installer is ignoring the current Vista HAL (for whatever reason), then loading the mass storage drivers from a flash drive could still be viable...

killerb255,

I tried loading from a Vista Recovery disk I had. But you've got something wrong...technically I am not doing the Upgrade Install but rather the Custom Install (since I'm going from WVHP to W7P) acronyms hahaha

[drivenbywhat]

Well I have not seen no c drive in disk management before. That is really odd. I did a quick search online and things pointed to a possible malware infection or windows corruption. Before moving any further try the following.

Do you know how to check the drive for errors? Go to "my computer" right click "c" & select "properties". Then go to the "tools" tab & click the button "check now". Tell me if it allows you to run the tool or you get some error message. If it runs fine move to the next step.

What software are you using to scan malware? Go online to "windows one live care" and do a scan with it. Then search for "housecall" by trend and do a scan with it as well.

Once we can determine these are or aren't the problem we can move on. Also from the picture it may seem like you do need drivers to see the drive but I want you to check the above first. Do you have a raid setup? What type of pc do you have?

[killerb255]

there is using acronyms, and there is throwing out acronyms randomly.

Guess which category this falls in.

I'm the kind of person that will admit when I'm wrong, but I'm more likely to do so with a reason why.

So "HAL" is thrown out randomly?  Maybe I'm misunderstanding what the Hardware Abstraction Layer is?

[patio]

A little known secret is with Win7 you can perform a Clean install from the upgrade DVD...

]Clik Here

Post back if you have any questions...