Drive Problem

Here is my problem.

I own a Gateway(Standard DeVry Issue)
I am trying to reinstall(CLEAN) Windows XP PRO(DOE edition)
When I boot up and try to install it tell me that it cannot find the hard disk where the OS in installed. I am thinking that its not picking it up because its a newer type drive. I have contacted Toshiba and they have been no help.
I took my laptop to DeVry's help desk but as usual they are no help. Can someone please throw me some ideas why it is not working. I also tried to do a clean install with Windows Vista Ultimate.
OS:
Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 (build 2600)

System Model:
Gateway Gateway M465 1MA60000206
System Serial Number: **********
Asset Tag: No Asset Tag
Chassis Serial Number: **********
Enclosure Type: Portable

Processor:
1.85 gigahertz Intel Core Duo
64 kilobyte primary memory cache
2048 kilobyte secondary memory cache

Main Circuit Board:
Board: Gateway Rev 1.0
Serial Number: **********
Bus Clock: 667 megahertz
BIOS: Gateway 71.04 02/20/2006

Drives:
100.03 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
63.51 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

PHILIPS CDRW/DVD SCB5265 [CD-ROM drive]
SCSIVAX DVD/CD-ROM SCSI CdRom Device

TOSHIBA MK1032GSX [Hard drive] (100.03 GB) -- drive 0

Memory Modules:
1016 Megabytes Installed Memory

Slot 'DIMM 1' has 512 MB (serial number ********)
Slot 'DIMM 2' has 512 MB (serial number ********)

 

I'm gonna ask a dumb question here, can you see the drives (both of them) in BIOS?

Sounds more like a strapping issue.

 

Yes, I see both of them.

 

Thanks for fast reply, Can you please explain what is strapping. I am unfamiliar with the term.

 

One drive has to be strapped as master, the other as slave. The one with the OS should be the master. Usually the drives have strapping documented on the drives themselves. This will also determine which is C:, and which is D:

The straps I'm refering to are also known as jumpers. They are usually located next to the interface and power supply connectors.

 

The drive never came with jumpers, I checked the manual does not say any thing about jumpers. Here is a Picturehttp://ttp://www.tomshardware.pl/storage/20051117/images/toshiba-mk4032gsx-top.jpg

 

Any other Ideas, I still need some help.

 

Looking at the picture I see where the jumpers should go, you see those little pins next to the interface (lower left)? They have jumpers to strap the drive for various options. The drive shown is likely in master mode, I'll have to research it a bit before I can say definititively. Since I am currently at work I am limited, but the funny part is I had trouble finding this post earlier. I suspect it moved while I was looking.

The Toshiba website would have all this information posted, and your picture (even though the URL is screwed up) is clear enough to read the info off of. Speaking of which, I'll repost the picture so if someone has something more definative to offer they can get to it easier.

http://www.tomshardware.pl/storage/20051117/images/toshiba-mk4032gsx-top.jpg

 

OK, this is what I've found so far.

http://www.sdd.toshiba.com/main.asp...0000279f/818200000e5b000000010000659c00003005

Jumper Settings:

http://www.sdd.toshiba.com/main.aspx?Path=ServicesSupport/JumperSettings


Remember that the other drive has to be strapped opposite to the first drive.

Something I have run into a few times. I have had two different manufacturers drives that just didn't work together. Why, I don't know, but it has happened, almost exclusively with older hardware.

I have also had the reverse be true, I had a quantum fireball that just didn't work with the motherboard I was using until I added a much smaller drive as the second drive. This was with very old hardware however, new stuff this never happens.

If anyone else has some better ideas I'm going to stand aside, as what expertise I have is pretty well documented here. This kind of work is very much hands on, and I've made every mistake you can, from putting cables in backwards (not good) to not seating them correctly. It is always a good idea to doublecheck your work and not assume it is correct, as it comes up and bites you in the most unexpected ways.