Invalid format

Thanks for the quick reply ,sorry I should have mentioned I am running windows vista home edition on a Dell inspiron 530s,I cannot get into Bios after pressing f2 because all I get is a message "invalid format, I can hear it loading but  there is nothing on the screen apart from that message, I am familiar with bios.

Always include PC model and version of Windows in your posts.

Reboot and press F2 to go into BIOS setup. Look for the Floppy Drive (aka: Drive A or Diskette Drive) setting and set it to Disabled. That will fix the diskette drive seek error.

Then look for the SATA Mode (aka: SATA Operation) setting. See where it's set now, and change to RAID AutoDetect/AHCI or to AHCI, depending on the options offered.

Be sure to save the changes when exiting setup. See if it boots now.

Now I'm confused.  :emotion-7:

Please explain what a  "dell reload disk" is. And if you get the invalid format error, how did you manage to boot from that disk?

BTW: Using that disk may mean you've deleted all your personal files and all installed software. So I sure hope all your files are backed up on external media.

Does it still boot in Safe Mode?

Can you reboot and press F12 to get to the menu? If yes, go to Utilities partition and run the extended diagnostics on the hard drive.

The "reload "disc is the re-installation disc that came with the computer and it booted up normally,

 I did not get the invalid format message until it restarted after re- installation of windows.

All my files are backed up on an external drive.

Yes it will boot from f8 in safe mode and will connect to the internet, i have downloaded the diagnostic tool

off the dell website but it will not install on my computer for some reason.

pressing f12 gets the same  invalid format message.

The problem seems to be why the format is ok in safe mode and not in normal operating mode or when the  bios is loading. 

The installation disc will have reinstalled drivers but  I don`t know if it will have reinstalled the bios

driver,that is if it is a driver problem.

I am just trying everything (and learning as I go along).

Thanks for your time

I don't think the diagnostics from the website will work in Safe Mode. But since it boots in Safe Mode, that suggests that the hardware is probably OK.

Can you press F2 and get into BIOS setup?

The default SATA Mode setting in BIOS is IDE. Since you reset BIOS, that's the current setting, but you likely have a SATA HDD. So you need to go into BIOS setup and try changing that option to RAID

In case you're wondering. that post by Anonymous was really made by me.

The forum seems to be having its troubles today! :emotion-10:

When I press F2 I can hear it start to load but get the invalid format message on a black screen so

cannot  change any settings, I have Foxconn g333M motherboard and have been to their website to try to

download the bios driver but to no avail(up to now anyway),it was a sudden power outage that upset it, AH

well I will keep trying,  thanks again for your interest.

The invalid format is due to the win7...

Except the OP is using Vista...

The invalid format is due to the win7 buit in matrix storage drivers not supporting advanced format.

Intel recommends the installation of Intel Rapid Storage Technology (RST) driver v9.6 and above. End users who encounter this problem should use options described in the attached link in case repeated attempts of Installation fail.

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-031502.htm
http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/highlights/chpsts/imsm

The hard disk drive industry CHANGED to larger physical sector sizes called Advanced Format. The default sector size has been 512 bytes since the advent of the personal computer. Advanced Format sectors are also called 4K sectors because each physical sector now holds 4096 bytes. While the physical size is 4K, the disk drive processor presents the data over the cables to the computer as ordinary 512 byte sectors. This is called 512 byte emulation, or 512e. Sometimes Advanced Format drives are shown as 4K/512e, comparing the physical and logical sizes, where eight 512e sectors are sent for each 4K sector.

Understandably, the operating system and important disk device drivers are also receiving updates to reflect optimization for Advanced Format drives. Both Windows 7 and Windows Vista detect Advanced Format drives out of the box. Windows XP, however, does not detect the new format. Fortunately, because the drives send their data to the computer in the same ways they always have, Windows XP and even old DOS are unaware of any differences and communicate with the drive the same as before.

Seagate Momentus drives released since 2011 utilize the Advanced Format.

A Device Driver Problem

Device drivers for disk drives are also changing to accommodate Advanced Format. Because the controller chipsets for disk drives are embedded within the motherboard, these device drivers are optimized to support features like RAID options and they are supplied by the chipset manufacturer or OEM. Current Microsoft operating systems also use a default device driver that supports standard installations.

Unfortunately, the Intel device driver (Intel MSM 8.9.0.1023) bundled with the Windows 7 Installation CD may get confused by the Advanced Format. Most often, the installation process selects other drivers for use with the system configuration resulting in error-free installation of Windows 7. However, in some cases, where the notebook hardware specifically requires the Intel MSM driver, a RAID mode is chosen, or a manual installation is forced with the driver, an error can occur and the installation halts.
The error displays the message “Windows Setup could not configure Windows to run on this computer’s hardware”.

The same AHCI advanced format issues apply to VISTA and XP as well. Both Windows 7 and Windows Vista detect Advanced Format drives out of the box.

The F6 intel RST driver applies to VISTA or WIN7. Versions before RST were called MSM 8.9.0.1023 (Matrix Storage Manager)

When Systems Shipped with 40 GIG or 80 Gig or 120 GIG drives this was not an issue.

XP By Default DOES NOT Support ANY AHCI without F6 Drivers.

 The one I recommend for Optiplex and Dimension systems that came with Vista is:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/20768

AHCI: Intel® Rapid Storage 10.8.0.1003

Date: 01/02/2012

Operating Systems: Windows 7, 32-bit*, Windows Vista 32*, Windows XP Home Edition*, Windows XP Media Center Edition*, Windows XP Professional*

 Back in 2007 Dell shipped the 530S with Intel Matrix Storage Manager, v.7.5.0.1017 this driver is not suitable for large drives with 4k sector advanced format. Large being over the 48 bit LBA 120 Gig limit.

Thanks for the link, I downloaded it ok but when I tried to install I got a message saying the computer didn`t have the minimum requirements  ,maybe because it is in safe mode.

This driver cannot be added after the fact.  You will have to do a repair install and then Press F6 and give it the Floppy.  You cant install drivers in safe mode.  The other issue may be that you cannot use version 10.8 drivers and need to go down to 10.1 or 9.6

Do this

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=8903

Then This

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/922976

Intel Rapid Storage Technology, v.9.6.0.1014

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/15251/RAID-Intel-Rapid-Storage-Technology-Driver-for-Intel-Desktop-Boards

http://www.dell.com/support/home/uk/en/ukdhs1/Drivers/DriversDetails?driverId=D1N20

AHCI is built into chipsets with the following controller hubs:

• Intel® PCHM RAID/AHCI controller hub
• Intel® PCH RAID/AHCI controller hub
• Intel® ICH10R/DO SATA RAID/AHCI controller hub
• Intel® ICH10D SATA AHCI controller hub
• Intel® ICH9M-E SATA RAID/AHCI controller hub
• Intel® ICH9M AHCI controller hub
• Intel® 82801IR/IO Controller Hub (ICH9R/DO) - RAID and AHCI
• Intel® 82801HEM I/O Controller Hub (ICH8M-E) - RAID and AHCI
• Intel® 82801HBM I/O Controller Hub (ICH8M) - AHCI only
• Intel® 82801HR/HH/HO I/O Controller Hub (ICH8R/DH/DO) - RAID and AHCI
• Intel® 631xESB/632xESB I/O Controller Hub - RAID and AHCI
• Intel® 82801GHM I/O Controller Hub (ICH7MDH) - RAID only
• Intel® 82801GBM I/O Controller Hub (ICH7M) - AHCI only
• Intel® 82801GR/GH I/O Controller Hub (ICH7R/DH) - RAID and AHCI
• Intel® 82801FR I/O Controller Hub (ICH6R) - RAID and AHCI
• Intel® 82801FBM I/O Controller Hub (ICH6M) - AHCI only

Install the AHCI or RAID driver using the F6 installation method
To install the Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver during operating system setup, follow these steps:

1. Press F6when prompted by the message:

   Press F6 if you need to install a third party SCSI or RAID driver.

   The message displays during text-mode phase at the beginning of Windows XP* setup.

   Note Nothing happens right after pressing F6. Setup is still loading drivers. Watch for the prompt to load support for mass storage device(s).

2. Press S to Specify Additional Device.
3. Insert the F6 driver diskette when prompted by the message:

   Please insert the disk labeled Manufacturer-supplied hardware support disk into Drive A:

   The disk includes the following files: IAAHCI.INF, IAAHCI.CAT, IASTOR.INF, IASTOR.CAT, IASTOR.SYS, and TXTSETUP.OEM.

   Note Use the Updated: name change to Intel® Rapid Storage Technology F6 Driver Diskettes download to create a disk with the required files. If you do not have a floppy drive on your system, use a USB floppy drive or create a slipstream version of the operating system.

4. Press Enter.
5. Use the up and down arrow keys to select your controller from the list of available controllers.
6. Press Enter to confirm your controller and continue.
   The drivers are now installed. Leave the disk in the drive as Windows setup copies the files from the disk to the Windows installation folders. When the copy process is complete, remove the disk. Windows setup is ready to reboot.
7. Create a partition and file system on the RAID volume like you would on any physical disk.

This applies to:

Intel® Rapid Storage Technology (Intel® RST)