Windows 7: Restarts after installation!

Hi there, it's my first post here & glad to be here . It's my friend's machine that causes the problem.

AMD Sempron 140
BIOSTAR 8100 (8100 nVIDIA chipset)
1 GB ZION @ 800MHz
250 GB HDD
450W PSU
Windows Ultimate 32-Bit (Build 7600)



He just installed the Windows Ultimate 32Bit. Everything went well untill system restarted for the first time after 100% install, a black screen came for the first time & then it restarts every time he starts the machine. Just when the four colours of windows starts to circle around, there, it dies down & restarts . Just having no idea about the what's going on, never seen the desktop yet. Please help!

Did you boot from the Windows 7 DVD to do the install?

Try booting into the Windows 7 DVD repair console to see if it finds an installation to repair. If so, run Startup repair to see if it will start.

If not, then try tapping F8 at bootup to see if you can get into Safe Mode. Check the Event Viewer for errors. Uninstall the video driver and restart.

Yes, did it from the DVD boot.

Wel..., yes, he did that too.

Faild . It just can't. As it's the first time booting after the 100% installation, so it won't let user enter in the safe mode either. It seems that it has some kind'a hardware problem with that setup. Same DVD I tried & it installed just fine (Just for the trial, didn't activated though, as I can't, it's his copy).

As I said earlier, it's best advancedment is till the Windows 7 logo starts to circle..., that's it! Then.., it restarts, don't know for what reason. Please help!

Check all of the hardware.

Download and burn to CD memtest86 and run several passes to clear the memory.

Now download and burn to CD Seagate Seatools for DOS, from the Support Downloads page for that model HD. Run the full diagnostics/repair, then zero the HD to prepare for a clean reinstall.

Check for a more recent BIOS version update from the mobo Support Downloads website; compare to version given on first bootup screen or by entering BIOS.

What is the SATA controller set to in BIOS?

He installed the the new HDD last month using Windows XP Pro. Do we still need to diagnose it ?

It's done the day MB was installed & since then nothing is released. We tired clearing the BIOS, reset to the default as well but to no avail. SATA is set to SATA from [SATA, RAID, AHCI] options.

For latest, we tried installing Vista Home Premium & it installed perfectly. Then we tried to upgrade to Windows 7 but result remains unchanged for Windows 7 .

Try with SATA controller set to AHCI.

Ok I'll do that, But what is this [AHCI] function does anyway ?

A more advanced setting for SATA controller, enables hotplugging.

Sometimes changing SATA controller setting to AHCI or IDE can jog installer to work. If it is set to IDE now, Windows 7 may not have those older drivers. AHCI is more current.

The drivers for AHCI on the BIOSTAR 8100/Nvidia chipset are here: http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en/mb/driver.php?S_ID=362

There is also a July 2009 BIOS upgrade which is for Windows 7

Check your mobo specs to be exact.

Umhh..., Yes now that we did that & it faild too as this one just didn't lift off. It show'd CD / DVD ROM 35..., then nothing happ'n. Kept us waiting!

He's got the driver CD, so he'll do it when needed. And Yes, he has the same July BIOS update applied on the Motherboard. None is available since then.

Try running the installer from XP. Then explore DVD files, copy all to XP desktop, run Setup.

After re-reading the thread it remains that changing out the video card needs to be tried.

Perhaps you can unplug the existing card and default to onboard graphics if there.

Otherwise I'd borrow a card, or buy one for trial, because the symptoms described strongly suggest that is the problem.

Since you have the Windows 7 files on the XP desktop now, I would next slipstream the Vista/Windows 7 SATA controller and video card drivers in using Vlite, then run it again from XP. Next recompile ISO and burn to DVD to boot and try. Bootable ISO - Create from Installation Files