Disk read error/ Installer and recovery hanging

Use Imgburn at 4x speed. You need a blank DVD.

The Official ImgBurn Website

Greg has already told you this.

Ok I burned the iso file onto a disc using imgburn... now when I put the disc in the drive it does not recognize the CD as a bootable disc to use, basically skipping over it. I have made the boot order even only go to the CD, but to still no avail.

Hold on a breakthrough... with the boot order only set to disc I was able to boot up the Windows 7 install disc... updates to come

Ok so I am trying the command prompt thing recommended earlier but after I type "diskpart" into the command it lists the info but won't let me type another command in after... any help with this?

Type it where the blinking cursor is. There is always a prompt in which you can type the next command.

DISKPART
LIST DISK
SEL DISK 1 (confirm first this is the target HD # by size)
CLEAN
EXIT

Then follow the illustrated steps in Clean Install Windows 7.

While it is installing read over the Best Practices in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 until you understand fully how drivers are handled in Win7 (different from XP) and the other setup tips to get a perfect reinstall.

So this is weird... The top of the command prompt (title of program) changes from the normal title to adding diskpart to it. I see the flashing cursor but whenever I click a letter, nothing appears.

Where did you get the ISO, how is it burned to CD or written to flash stick exactly?

You can burn a Partition Wizard or DBAN CD using Windows image Burner, boot it to wipe the HD. Then try install. But the installer should be confirmed first. It's possible you've done it wrong.

I am using the OEM System Builder disc, so it's .iso. Partition Wizard isn't a recognizable .iso file to boot off of according to my PC.

Also may I point out that on the Win7 install screen showing my partitions it says I have 3 partitions titled Recovery, System, and Primary. They have a total size of 9.8GB, 100MB, and 455.8GB respectively. They have 822MB, 100MB, and 455.8GB free respectively. This HDD is 500GB.

This made me wonder, where did the original OS go? I have not formatted the drive or any partitions.

The OS may be on the 455 GB partition. Did you try to repair it by burning a Win7 Repair CD. You should also be able to use the installer to select Repair on second screen after booting.

If you bought an OEM retail disk to install Win7 then it should boot. Have you tried booting it in another PC to see if it will load and proceed as if to Install?

Try entering BIOS setup to check that the HD is recognized, reset BIOS to defaults, set SATA controller to AHCI, set HD first to boot.

Then tap the Fkey given on first screen for one-time BIOS Boot Menu, select DVD drive to boot.

If this fails download DBAN to burn to CD using ImgBurn or Windows Image Burner, boot it to wipe the HD.

You need to be able to boot a disk. Try in another machine to see if it's the machine or the user. It's almost always the user.