ragingazn628 93 Posted September 24, 2011 (edited) Hey guys,I just received my dv6z-6100 (LK237AV) today and I wanted to do a fresh install of windows 7 but it cannot find the HDD to install windows 7 on. It asks for drivers and cannot detect any HDD to install windows 7 on. What's the problem?P.S I tried the same HDD on another desktop and HP laptop and use the same win7 disk and it can detect it just fine...would "HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection" have anything to do with it? Let's say someone stole the laptop and tries to install fresh win7 onto it so this is how it prevents them? O.o or is it just for free fall protection etc.? Edited September 24, 2011 by ragingazn628 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
svl7 5675 Posted September 24, 2011 This is really only a free fall protection, shouldn't affect reinstalling Windows. Go to the BIOS and load the default settings, then reboot and try installing again. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ragingazn628 93 Posted September 24, 2011 This is really only a free fall protection, shouldn't affect reinstalling Windows. Go to the BIOS and load the default settings, then reboot and try installing again.it is at default settings. I never changed anything in there. HDD isn't detected in the bios either (please note it boots into windows fine and restores to factory settings fine) This is the default HDD that came with HP Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
StamatisX 1066 Posted September 24, 2011 Go into BIOS and check if you are on AHCI or IDE mode, try to change it and see if it will detect your HDD. One more thing, try not to reboot but to completely shut down and then power on again. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ragingazn628 93 Posted September 24, 2011 Go into BIOS and check if you are on AHCI or IDE mode, try to change it and see if it will detect your HDD. One more thing, try not to reboot but to completely shut down and then power on again.Tried that. HP is sooo limited. You can't do anything. The only things you can do is literally change the boot options / time / and diagnostics ... nothing else. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
StamatisX 1066 Posted September 24, 2011 If that's the case then, take the drive out, install it on the other notebook, format it and then put it back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ragingazn628 93 Posted September 24, 2011 If that's the case then, take the drive out, install it on the other notebook, format it and then put it back.Format it with Windows 7 Installation on another PC and then put it back into the dv6z? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
StamatisX 1066 Posted September 24, 2011 yeah desktop,laptop whatever you have avail. just format it (My Computer->right click on the drive -> format (quick format) )so you have an empty (but formated disk) and put it back to your HP laptop 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mw86 1362 Posted September 24, 2011 I'm with Stam... if you format and put it in and it shows in windows install you are all set. Could there be pins needed to config... rarely but sometimes the mobile hd's have pins that need to bet set like on the desktop counter parts. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thop1544 12 Posted January 5, 2013 A Linux live disc would be a good choice to check hardware compatibility with the hdd still in your laptop. See if gparted or whatever can see the disk, if so then it's probably just a partitioning issue.If the bios is too limiting there is always that unlocked one with the modified clocks, it can sometimes cause instability though. I actually have that same model sitting next to me atm (running a locked bios with modified clocks). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
