A clients computer while doing a clean install gave me that message.

Found this;
A virus has infected your Bios and changed the drive from a SATA to a PATA or ATA or vice versa
Sure enough it was changed, so reset it the factory default and all is well.

The old Hitachi HUA721010KL330 can not pass a extended Seagate diagnostic test, So 4 pound hammer time.