Windows 7: Win 7 Ultimate install Stops after First Restart in Custom On New HD

New HD in Dell Studio laptop, partitioned. Have tried valid/new DVD installing Windows 7 ultimate, custom, for clean install on clean drive. Gets through first 4 steps in install to first restart/reboot while in "completing installation" mode, and quits to black screen, no blinking cursor. Have reformatted partitioned drive to remove old Windows 7 efforts, but still no change. If I do Ctrl-alt-del, I get windows boot manager with 5 copies of Win 7 available. Advanced option f8 offers nothing. Memory diagnostics fine. Selecting any one of these Win 7 goes to blank screen, no cursor.

You say you partitioned the drive first? What did you use and how were the partitions set up?

Is there anything on the drive you are trying to keep?

The drive was partitioned, 100 mb for system and 2.9 gig for remainder at purchase. I formatted 2.9 partition to remove unsuccessful install attempts. New HD so nothing on there to keep.

Delete all partitions during booted install and create one new one to format using Custom install>Drive Options as shown in Clean Install Windows 7 , or just click next and the installer will do it for you and begin install.




If this fails then first wipe the HD with Diskpart Clean Command accessing the installer's Command Line via DISKPART At PC Startup .

If this fails, reset the BIOS to defaults. Set SATA controller to AHCI mode. Clear CMOS - 3 Ways to Clear the CMOS - Reset BIOS

Unplug all other HD's and peripherals.

More tips here to get a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 . Did Windows 7 originally come with the laptop, as you should then use the Product Key on COA sticker which you own for the life of the laptop to reinstall as often as you please, not waste another expensive Ultimate license.

If not, how do you plan to activate Ultimate?

Laptop originally installed with Vista. This is a new win 7 ultimate upgrade. I tried all your suggestions; nothing worked. Still stalls.

How long do you give it after it goes to black screen? Some situations may take some time. I always look at the drive light to see if it is flashing in some random mode.

It doesn't even have a moveable mouse cursor?

The pre-partitioning throws some unknowns into the mix. It is hard to tell if the drive is the problem, or some device on your system. Did you run the Windows Upgrade Advisor?

I've given it 10-15 min; no moveable cursor and HD light remains on. I ran advisor and everything checked out to go with update, but ran into problem with HD before updating, so I replaced HD entirely. Then tried custom install to save time/effort in starting from scratch with Vista reinstall/restore.

The installation may be stalling out during driver installation. You can intercept this by entering Device manager during installation to uninstall any drivers in error (most often Display) to force install to complete, later install the drivers from desktop: Device Manager - Access During Windows 7 Installation

If not test the hardware as shown in Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7.
To do the Disk Check, format a Primary NTFS partition marked Active using Step 2.2 in SSD - HDD Optimize for Windows Reinstallation. Then try install to that partition.

After RAM test, swap RAM sticks, check for debris in slots, try install with one stick.

Will Vista install? If so you can run the 7 installer from Vista to overwrite C.

As a last resort you can remove the HD to another laptop, install Windows 7 then SysPrep to move HD to another computer before moving it back to the Dell.

Wanted to let you all know I'm not ignoring you. After countless efforts to install Win 7 following all your great suggestions, I bit the bullet and took it in. They ran a scan disc and claimed the HD was fine, but encountered the same problem when trying to load Win 7. So I'm returning the HD and trying anew. Appreciate everyone's time and effort to assist!!