Warning: new hard-drive incompatibilities

**Garyclem** · 2012-03-01 11:26

A few new hard drives may interfere with windows update in Vista. I posted here because I don’t know if this also affects Other versions of Windows. In particular, people trying to use the System Restore (return to the Out of the Box condition), after installing a new system drive, may find the restore not installing correctly. Additionally, Windows Update may not work correctly, and Microsoft Software such as Security Essentials and I. E. Explorer new versions won’t install. This problem is being reported on several forums as people replace failed hard drives, and then try to use the manufacturer’s restore disks or restore from the hidden partition. See this link http://www.vistax64.com/windows-upda...nt-update.html or this one for more info http://forums.toshiba.com/t5/System-Recovery-and-Recovery/After-Restoring-to-New-Hard-Disk-No-Windows-Update-a-Fix/td-p/215710/highlight/false If you have an Intel mother board, you are in luck, as Intel has a downloadable fix. Do the restore, then download the Intel fix http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Deta...ng&iid=dc_rss. . After the Intel patch is installed, hopefully you will be able to proceed as normal.

I also encountered the same problems with a fresh install of Vista x64 with SP2. The Intel patch worked here also.

**Just Plain Fred** · 2012-03-01 15:25

Originally Posted by Garyclem

In particular, people trying to use the System Restore (return to the Out of the Box condition), after installing a new system drive, may find the restore not installing correctly.

Gary,

Hello and welcome to W.S. Lounge....I'm a little confused by your post ( my normal condition) and you may have mixed up a few terms ....

1. System Restore will not "Recover" your OS to an "out of the box" condition MS KB system restore At best if it works at all will bring you back to a time just before you did something ...Like a bad install of some update..etc. Won't help if you deleted something that you shouldn't have.

2. "Plain Jane" hard drives should not interfere with Windows updates...If they are installed correctly ( formatted and drive letter assigned) Their just storage mediums for the OS\ Data...and don't come with any software....If this is happening which HD's in particular?

3. The Recovery Partition (sometimes hidden) will Recover your PC to a "Factory Condition" ...If your HD is "toast" you can't use it.

4. Most Windows Updates fail because you are in need of some previous Update that didn't get installed ...This especially applies to any "SP"

5. In some cases if your installing an operating system to a new hard drive it may give you some error because of different hardware... or a call to MS might be needed.. to "activate" ...Also could you fix the 2nd link ...it's not working

Regards Fred

**Garyclem** · 2012-03-01 16:10

Fred -
sorry about the confusion. I'm referring to the Recovery Disks or hidden Recovery Partition used to restore the computer to the original factory provided setup. For instance, If your system drive dies and you don't have access to a current backup. Some NEW replacement drives are causing major headaches when trying to recover to them. The problems occurring, some of the drives involved, and a few of the solutions are spelled out in the links in my first post. I spent several very frustrating days trying to recover my daughter's Toshiba Satellite lap top from Toshiba recovery disks after her hard drive died. The replacement drive I purchased had no markings or warnings to indicate that it was any different than the last half dozen drives I've purchased. Others in the posted links are indicating that certain manufacturer's have made changes that are causing problems.

**Just Plain Fred** · 2012-03-01 17:12

Originally Posted by Garyclem

If your system drive dies and you don't have access to a current backup. Some NEW replacement drives are causing major headaches when trying to recover to them. The replacement drive I purchased had no markings or warnings to indicate that it was any different than the last half dozen drives I've purchased. Others in the posted links are indicating that certain manufacturer's have made changes that are causing problems.

Gary ,
Hello...and thank you for this "Heads Up" I have no idea why a HD would cause this ?.. Guess i will wait purchasing any more HD's for awhile ...until this "shakes out" with more information.... Maybe it has to do with Toshiba HD's and factory installed OS...and when you try to recover to another manufacturer's HD ? Were all the tries with disk's (OS's) supplied by Toshiba ?

Regards Fred

**Garyclem** · 2012-03-01 20:15

Fred

I have no idea why a HD would cause this ?.. Guess i will wait purchasing any more HD's for awhile ...until this "shakes out" with more information.... Maybe it has to do with Toshiba HD's and factory installed OS...and when you try to recover to another manufacturer's HD ? Were all the tries with disk's (OS's) supplied by Toshiba ?

Doesn't seem to be computer brand specific. The first post I saw on this was from someone with an HP Laptop. Wikipedia has a good explanation of Advanced Format Drives here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Format. (I keep providing links because I don't feel comfortable just copying the info to this post).

It appears that Windows Update in Vista is confused by this "improvement". Microsoft provides a patch, but the patch won't install because Windows Update is confused.

Intel provides a patch for their boards which does install, and cures the problem.

In my daughter's Toshiba, I replaced a dead Seagate Momentus 5400.5 with a WD Scorpio Blue, which doesn't say anything on the box about "Advanced Format". NewEgg Lists 36 drives with this technology, from several different brands.

I have installed a number of new drives in XP, W7 and Linux boxes over the past couple of years with out experiencing this problem. This is my only experience with the factory restore process, but I had identical problems on her machine doing a clean install using a retail Vista x64 with SP2. In that case, installing the Intel patch cured the problem.

Whoops! just found this in the fine print on the box.

Compatibility may vary depending on user's hardware configuration and operating system.

**np-7930** · 2012-04-02 18:28

There is a recent hotfix for Vista that improves compatibility with Advanced Format Drives. See MS KB article 2553708:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2553708

you'll have to email Microsoft and request this hotfix. note that this patch requires Vista SP2 or Windows Server 2008 SP2.

**mchldpy** · 2012-04-12 03:41

@ garyclem,
your link to the wiki article yields a "this article does not exist" message

michael clyde

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Format

**angeljinx13** · 2012-08-02 08:44

Thank you soooo much, Gary!!
This was a tremendous help!! I just replaced a bad hard drive on my friend's Toshiba Satellite L300...and after trying to install the OS from recovery disks TWICE and both times received the dreaded "windows setup cannot configure windows to run on this computer's hardware" error. I was about to pull my hair out and then read your post.

I installed the Intel fix as you suggested while the laptop was installing all the hardware drivers....and voila! It worked!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!

Thread: Warning: new hard-drive incompatibilities

Thread Tools