Windows Setup could not configure Windows on dell XPS 420 computer’s hardware

[Spiel@berg]

I have a dell XPS 420. a moment ago the hard drive went out on the desktop (error message: Error auto sensing 2ndary master hard disk drive) . I bought a substitute hard drive which is Seagate 3TB Barracuda High Performance. I installed the hard drive totally deleting the old one. The fresh HD came with a SATA cable so just to be secure I used that cable in its place of the SATA cable that was previously in the system. I started Win 7 from the disk and attempted to install the Operating System. I have tried a usual installation and a custom installation is not worked. Through the custom installation I make certain that the drive is formatted with partitions, but towards the end of the set up I obtain "Windows installation could not configure hardware on this computer's." Windows Setup then tells me to start again only to accept the similar message. Is there something I could do?

[Vicky Woodley]

Use one of these methods to determine the problem:
• Join a USB floppy drive. You might require going through the system BIOS and placing the USB emulation mode to floppy.
• Make a bootable copy of the Windows installation disk that includes the RAID drivers. This process is called slipstreaming. Repeat the setup with the slipstream edition.

[Hymavath]

This error message can form when you attempt to install Windows Server 2008 R2 or Win 7 on a system in the next configuration:
1. You are setup by using Windows Server 2008 R2 or Win 7 RTM media.
Note: Windows Server 2008 R2 with SP1 and Win7 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) are not affected by this problem.
2. The system has an Intel storage controller that is configured to "RAID" BIOS mode.
3. Your planned system drive is a "superior Format" disk.

[Amadou]

To assist determine this problem and install Windows Server 2008 R2 or Win 7 on your PC, follow these steps. Method 1 is chosen. If you cannot achieved method 1 then attempt method 2.
Method 1: Download the suitable drivers for your hard disk drive .Download and install the newest drivers for your Windows Server 2008 R2 based or Win 7 based computer.
Method 2: modify the BIOS hard disk drive setting to IDE or AHCI
caution this process may involve varying your hard disk drive settings in the BIOS. Wrong changes to the BIOS of your PC can effect in serious troubles. Microsoft cannot assurance that troubles that effect from changes to the BIOS can be determined. Modify the BIOS settings at your own risk. Corrupted or Incorrect BIOS settings can reason for shutdown problems or startup problems. You can modify the hard disk drive setting in the AHCI to BIOS or to IDE if the hard disk drive setting is at present set to a RAID configuration. If you place the hard disk drive to IDE or to AHCI, you do not have to setup the driver that you achieved in method 1.

[Dabert]

That error message indicates that initially had a RAID setup with two hard drives. And now that you've put back one of these drives in 3 TB Seagate? Is that true? In that case, you need to enter the BIOS settings (Restart and press F2) and modify SATA (0) go to 1 in its place of RAID 1, and place the unit in the second SATA1 to 0 (that might actually linked to SATA2, so be sure to 1 and 2 for a hard disk). Save the changes and exit the setup. See if you can set up Windows now. If it is completed and all hardware drivers are installed in the correct order, you can restart and return to the BIOS settings to put the second unit to ON. Unless the change and reboot.

[Irja!]

Sorry, but how to format and partition the disk? The only way I know to totally format and partition a drive using GPT is 3 TB, and because the XPS 420 utilize a PC's BIOS cannot boot even with Win 7 64 bits. Have you tried using a smaller unit and the format in MBR process by default?

[Irja!]

Sorry, but how to format and partition the disk? The only way I know to totally format and partition a drive using GPT is 3 TB, and because the XPS 420 utilize a PC's BIOS cannot boot even with Win 7 64 bits. Have you tried using a smaller unit and the format in MBR process by default?

[Gameli]

According to Microsoft you have to add something to your list, your computer must have a way of UEFI. Several of the latest model Optiplex machines and I believe that many of the business category machines have this. The average PC BIOS cannot locate the boot information on a GPT partitioned disk.

[Roey]

Download lntel ® Rapid Storage Technology F6 Driver Diskettes help me be able to load my OS. Before the operating system is not installed. Now that the operating system is installed and I'm updating about downloading the drivers that will allow me to use all 3 TB.