My PC won't boot up after replacing hard drive.

[Phil]

While in Safe Mode with Networking, I went to the HP page you suggested and downloaded 10 likely looking drivers.

It said to click on the file to install them and I did so.

Hoping that might solve the problem, I restarted but it would not boot past the blue Windows logo.

[phillpower2]

Sorry but I did reference twice the correct procedure for installing the drivers and can do no more than that I`m afraid;

If you have access to another computer I would download and save to a USB thumbdrive [COLOR=rgb(226, 80, 65)]the chipset, storage and video drivers and see if you are able to install them while still in Safe Mode with Networking, you could alternatively see if you can download and install direct to the computer as it is.
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After installing Windows 10 on the new drive did you then install [COLOR=rgb(226, 80, 65)]the chipset drivers, the SATA drivers then the video drivers and in that order, if you didn`t and the computer is an older model you can have trouble as Windows 10 does not have generic drivers for a lot of end of life products.
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I would suggest for now that you keep the computer running and not restart it at all.

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[Phil]

On Saturday, I suggested the fault might lie in the new HD itself (i.e. rather than in the rest of the computer or in any missing drivers).

It might be wishful thinking but sometimes the simplest solution is the right one.

I have just ordered a new HD.

I’ll let you know how I go on.

[phillpower2]

Thanks for the update (y)

You could be right and if you are able to boot into Windows still you can test the drive in Windows using Seatools fo Windows while you wait for the replacement drive to arrive.

[phillpower2]

Any update for us Phil

[Phil]

The new HD has just arrived. The seller says it’s been taken from a brand-new PC as he wanted to upgrade it to SSD.

Upon trying to install Windows, I arrive at the screen asking me where I want to install it and offering me only one choice: Drive 0, size 0 Mb.

There is a yellow warning triangle telling me windows cannot be installed on this drive as the partition is too small, it tells me I should increase the size of the partition to at least 11,048 MB or select another partition. If I click “new”, it won’t accept any input and tells me the maximum size of the petition must be 0 MB.

I’m stumped.

[phillpower2]

Do you have this latest drive fitted into a working computer that is running Windows 10 from another drive.

[Phil]

I have the latest drive fitted into the computer which until now has been running with the drive that produces the warning message it’s about to fail.

The “soon to fail” drive has been removed to allow the fitting of this latest drive.

I’m typing this message on another fully working PC.

[phillpower2]

I would have left the other drive in the computer and added the latest drive as well, was hoping you would be able to access Disk Manager, to check the drives status.

The drive may just need formatting or the partition marked as active etc.

[Phil]

I don’t know how to add another drive to an existing drive.

[phillpower2]

Wasn’t what was being suggested;

I would have left the other drive in the computer and added the latest drive as well,

You just connect the second drive to another SATA port on the MB and connect a power supply connector from the PSU into the back of the drive and that’s it.

[Phil]

Okay, I’ve done that.

Disk manager identifies my original disc as disk 0 and the brand-new disk as disk 1

It says I must initialise disc 1 before Logical Disk Manager can access it.

I’m offered the choice of MBR or GPT.

[Rustys]

The new HD has just arrived. The seller says it’s been taken from a brand-new PC as he wanted to upgrade it to SSD.

See if this helps since the previous owner did not apparently wipe the drives data

When you get to the following screen select Custom

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From there you should now be at this screen

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Starting from the bottom select each partition and click on Delete until you have a single unallocated drive displayed in the window. Then click Next and follow the onscreen instructions.

[phillpower2]

I’m offered the choice of MBR or GPT.

Choose GPT

[Phil]

Phill Power 2, in the little window which appears along with the disk management window, Drive 1 is selected with a tick and I’m offered the choice of MBR or GPT, as stated above.

However, when I click okay (to initialise) I get an error message saying “a device which does not exist was specified”.