Problems installing Win 7 on a second hdd

[fehenry]

I have a Compaq desktop model running XP Media Center.
A few days ago I got a second HDD installed with the intention of installing Win 7  on the newcomer. I had an experienced technician carry out the installation and he told me I should have no problem with the O/S installation. I didn't have the Win 7 disk to hand at the time but we decided I should be able to set this disk up without his help.
Now, the BIOS picks the new disk up and it shows up in the Disk Management Console giving the correct size and describing it as 'Unallocated.'
Using the XP wizard I was able to change the status to Dynamic and I managed to create a single new Volume (Partition?) but I can't go any further!
I followed an online tutorial I came across in a Google search but according to the writer, I should now be able to right click on the black bar and work off the context menu to format the disk and assign a drive letter and path.
This is not happening. I'm still getting the black bar and the restricted restricted context menu- same as was there when I originally opened the disk management panel.

Can anybody please help?
At present I have no way to access the new drive to assign a drive letter or to install Win 7.

[Geek-9pm]

After reading your post it is not clear why you can not install Windows 7 on the second drive. Preparation of the drive ought to be done my Windows 7. Why did you prep the drive in Windows XP?
And why did Why did you use Dynamic Drive?

Here is a suggestion.
Remove the drive that has XP on it.  Now try to install by booting the Windows 7 install disk. Does that work?

[JJ 3000]

Using the XP wizard I was able to change the status to Dynamic and I managed to create a single new Volume (Partition?) but I can't go any further!
I followed an online tutorial I came across in a Google search but according to the writer, I should now be able to right click on the black bar and work off the context menu to format the disk and assign a drive letter and path.
This is not happening. I'm still getting the black bar and the restricted restricted context menu- same as was there when I originally opened the disk management panel.

Can anybody please help?
At present I have no way to access the new drive to assign a drive letter or to install Win 7.

You don't need to do all that. Just boot to the windows 7 dvd and pick the drive that you want to install on. Make sure you don't pick your xp drive by mistake.

[fehenry]

After reading your post it is not clear why you can not install Windows 7 on the second drive. Preparation of the drive ought to be done my Windows 7. Why did you prep the drive in Windows XP?
And why did Why did you use Dynamic Drive?

Here is a suggestion.
Remove the drive that has XP on it.  Now try to install by booting the Windows 7 install disk. Does that work?

The second HDD, the one I want to install Win 7 on, is blank and unformatted. So I can’t use Win 7 to do anything at the moment.
The new drive shows up in the BIOS and is also listed in Device Manager but I can’t access it or assign a drive letter to it. I really don’t know much about Basic vs. Dynamic Drives but from what I have read, I thought Dynamic was the best form for newer operating systems. I think that can be changed if needs be.
I could disconnect the C: drive with XP installed okay but I’d imagine that the computer won’t boot then as it fails to recognise the new disk.

[Geek-9pm]

You boot from the CD-ROM. Hit the space bar.

[fehenry]

You boot from the CD-ROM. Hit the space bar.

Thanks very much. I think I got my problem solved!
I been thinking what you said about Dynamic vs. Basic might be the issue here so I changed the status to Basic as I noted that's how all the other drives were formatted. It seems to have done the trick as I was a
ble to assign a drive letter too it and it's showing up in My Computer.
Looks like I'll be able to go ahead and install Win7 at long last!
Thanks also to JJ3000; I'll be able to do as he says now.