As Greg suggested sometimes more than 1 memory stick causes hang ups during an install.. Here is a link on adding laptop memory, so just think about it in reverse to only have 1 stick of memory installed in your laptop.
How To...Install RAM on a Laptop [Video] - How To
I agree with Greg and Doc, take out one RAM stick.
Just continue with what you are doing now, run memtest86+ overnight, before the next install take one RAM stick out.
Let us know if memtest gives you any errors.
Can you give us another PW partition picuture?
@ everyone trying to help.
She keeps getting sector or file errors, check disk and all the work with PW should find any errors on the HDD but, maybe it hasen't.
Boot files have been repaired several times and still won't work.
Do you see any advantage loading the IDE (or SATA) drivers during install?
For testing purposes, should there be a 100MB to maybe 1GB of unallocated space at the begining of the HDD, maybe get away from those sectors and see if this will help with the boot files?
Since this has been a stubborn install, just brainstorming.
I see the likely HW caused to be faulty HDD or controller.
Possibly the drivers causing this, also new BIOS may help.
Clearing the CMOS hasen't seemed to help any.
ummm...no it isn't. The 100mb partition is listed first. Underneath there are 2 others. But there should only be 2. The 100mb and the c: partition.
please don't laugh...
Saw that also, another PW patition pic should explain it.
The PW partition pic before that had the System Reserve listed as a logical partition, that needs to be changed to Primary.
Dave, et al: a setting like SATA controller in BIOS could very well be responsible. We lost focus on that pages ago when it was listed in boot order as an IDE drive, but last she reported was SATA controller is set to AHCI as I recall. I'm not sure it was changed to IDE.
We need to see BIOS snaps for all the related SATA and IDE controller settings, not just boot order which is all we've seen.
This will clarify if she's running SATA controller in IDE mode, or IDE controller. Loading the relevant driver from Acer Downloads pages (which have everything except BIOS) into the Load Drivers link at selection screen is a good idea. Who can sort what controller is being used?
The obscured 3rd listing in screenshot is Unallocated Space because she made install partition 100gb on that attempt.
The only logical was free space in her first PW screenshow here: please don't laugh...
Last edited by gregrocker; 25 Oct 2010 at 02:17.
I'm currently letting Memtest run, will let it go through the night. Attached is a PW snap and BIOS screens you guys were asking about (hopefully they're the right screens).
Great, let memtest run all night to really stress the RAM, then remove a stick to try install next. Remember to unplug power, remove battery, always touch metal on the case to discharge static electricity before touching any electronics parts. Ease the stick out which appears to be in the second slot. Doc posted a video which will prepare you.
Good screenshots: SATA controller is IDE mode. What are the other choices? This could matter.
Is my memory correct that you originally had it set AHCI but changed to IDE (I can't re-read this thread but once per day - takes too long)?
It is likely a SATA HD since aspire 4810 is new enough to spec SSD's in some editions.
You are doing great btw, far better than most.
Last edited by gregrocker; 25 Oct 2010 at 02:12.
Good job on the BIOS pictures, I agree with Greg "You are doing great btw, far better than most."
You will be helping other people with installation issues after you're finished with this.
The first BIOS picture lists the 'File System' as 'Other', this will be OK if you format during the install, if you're not going to format during the install you will need to format it to NTFS before the installation.
Was thinking the same thing, the HDD is more than likely SATA.
The specs on the Acer site doesn't say this specifically but, would be very strange if it's not SATA.
The strange name in the BIOS is probably a bad name choice by someone.
I hope the storage controller doesn't give up while she's doing the test...
Btw, I read several page back, if I'm not mistaken (I forgot which page), mypcbroke wrote something about "the checksum doesn't match", referring to her Windows 7 install disk... If that's the case, then all of this might be caused by a corrupted install media, instead of dying hardware...
zzz2496
Good point zzz2496 , I just saw that again, Will need to check that.
mypcbroke, down load and save the information at these links, you will need this information.
The Specifications for the WD 2.5 inch Scorpio Blue Serial ATA hard drives (model WD3200BEVT).
It is a SATA II 3 Gb/s HDD.
For future reference your hard drive has a 3 year warranty (< click for warranty info) from WD.
Download your Guides and Manuals
Here is your Acer Aspire 4810TZ Notebook Specifications
Your laptops driver link
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