Need help installing Win 7 on SSD

[tomster2300]

I'm having some trouble getting Windows 7 to recognize my new Patriot PS-100 32gb SSD drive. I don't believe I have my BIOS set up correctly -

I have changed the SATA controls from RAID to AHCI; changed the onboard SATA controls from IDE to ACHI, and have disabled the onboard SATA controller.

Is there a specific config I should try to recognize SSDs? I just unboxed the drive and mounted it - should I try flashing it to the latest firmware via my Macbook and a usb external enclosure?

The computer I'm trying this in is the top one in my sig. When Windows 7 begins the install, the choose your hard drive screen is blank and asks for drivers. When it searches the Win 7 disk, it finds nothing.

If anyone knows of any kind of fix, please tell!

Thanks!

[glc]

You need drivers from the motherboard manufacturer for the SATA controller if you are trying to use it in RAID or AHCI. It should show up if you set it to IDE.

2010/04/29 GIGABYTE GIGABYTE SATA2 Preinstall driver (For AHCI / RAID Mode)
Note: Press F6 during Windows setup to read from floppy.
Download from :
Asia Asia(China) America Europe Europe(Russia) : ftp / http 1.17.54.1 0.19 MB

[tomster2300]

It's not showing up when I set it to IDE. I need to buy some cds to try out the drivers. Would it be possible to put it on a thumb drive and install off of that? Would pushing F6 see the drive to install off of?

[glc]

Are you using an Intel ICH connector or a Marvell connector? Does the bios see it?

By the way, 32gb is pretty small for a Windows 7 installation.

[tomster2300]

An Intel ICH, I believe. Should I disable the onboard? I could also have this thing plugged into the wrong SATA port. I have all blue SATA ports and one white one I believe (need to check on the color). I've been testing it in a blue one.

BIOS does pick it up as an IDE device in the list of hard drives. Windows just refuses to see it during install.

I just slaved it to my old Vista computer and it came right up, so I know the drive isn't bad. I formatted it to NTFS - will that help Windows 7 in detecting it at all?

It is tiny - I picked it up on a whim while coming home from work last week. I have a couple of days to return it - do you think I ought to go back and get a larger one? I wanted to try out the SSD tech, and they had it listed for under $100 after a rebate. I figured it was worth a shot at that price.

Have you heard anything bad about this particular drive / model?

[tomster2300]

Update: I burned those SATA2 drivers to a cd and tried pushing F6 during boot, but got nothing. I even tried booting off the cd. The download is a .exe file and not the driver itself. If I could find the driver alone, then I could point Windows to it during the install.

I also tried getting Windows to read the disk during install just to make sure, but that didn't work either...

[glc]

You have to run the .exe to extract the required driver files.

If you are using an Intel connector, and the Intel controller is set to IDE, it should see the drive with no driver required. Use the lowest numbered Intel port.