Formatting problems.

[Alexis]

I've been using this PC now for around 2 years and I decided that it was time for a general format as it was becoming clogged with stuff I didn't need.

When I came to format the PC, Windows installs all the necessary files and proceeds to the 'Click Enter to...' screen. All is fine.

After clicking 'Enter' Windows alerts me that it cannot detect my hard drive and that it cannot continue with the format procedure. I have to exit and my PC reboots.

I have no booting problems what-so-ever and I am able to run Windows XP fine, it is just the problem I encounter when formatting.

I have tried to update the SATA driver for the motherboard and I have also tried swapping SATA cables but that doesn't seem to be the problem.

There is no mention of my SATA drive as any master HDD in the BIOS, but when I click 'Auto-Detect' nothing appears. The CMOS has been cleared a few times but that has solved nothing.

Is there anything that you can think of? Because I am running out of ideas.

My spec is:

CPU: Intel P4 3.0Ghz
MoBo: Abit VT7
RAM: 2Gb Corsair TwinX
HDD: Maxtor 120Gb
Graphics: Radeon 9800Pro

If there is anything else you need to know, don't hesitate to ask me.

[EtheAv8r]

Do you need to press F6 and load SATA drivers via floppy at the start of the install process?

[Alexis]

Cheers, I asked Nightshadow to look around the net for me about this issue as my PC went in to a restart loop (for no reason, I might add) and he found that this was a common propblem with the VT7 motherboards.

I pressed 'F6' and inserted the SATA Drivers floppy and it worked like a charm. Thanks.