Windows 7 Hanging on Installation

merton25 · 10 Mar 2010

Let me start by listing the specs for this rig:

MOTHERBOARD: ASUS P5QL-VM DO
CPU: INTEL PENTIUM DUAL CORE E5200 2.5GHZ (not overclocked)
MEMORY: 2 GB Kingston KVR800DR

PSU: Rosewill RD600N-2DB-SL-BK

DVD BURNER: ASUS DRW-2014LT1 (have tried a different dvd burner also)

HARD DRIVE: WESTERN DIGITAL 1.5 TB WD15EARS ( have also tried a Seagate 500GB Barricuda 7200.100)

Onboard intel graphics card & Driver Notes:

* Production Version Releases
*
* Microsoft Windows* 7 64
* Driver Revision: Production Version 15.15.2.64.1851
* Package: 70121
*
* Graphics: 8.15.10.1851
* HDMI Audio: 6.10.1.2073

I have read through countless posts and forums and tried everything I can think of but I have yet to get windows 7 64bit loaded on this 1 particular machine. It hangs on the Starting Windows Splash Screen, after the final reboot when the user name and PC name have been entered. On the very first attempt I did get windows to load, after hanging for about 20 min it finished the install. I then installed the latest graphic drivers, then rebooted and the hang commenced and never came out of it even when I left it on all night. When trying to reinstall, I would delete the partition, create a new one, format and then proceed on. It loads everything fine reboots several times during install, as it should, and on the final reboot it always hangs on that splash screen. According to other threads and posts the this problem is apparently the result of a hardware conflict with the motherboard and windows. Based on the fact it was able to load once, and then freezes after the graphic drivers were installed, I'm guessing there's an incompatibility with the graphic drivers. Here's what I've done so far to no avail:

(May be important to note that I had Windows 7 64 Beta originally installed, and that I am able to reinstall that version with no trouble at all)

Tried Different Copies of Windows 7 on different DVD disks

Tried a Different Burner

Tried using a different graphics card instead of the onboard one.

Tried Different Hard Drives (again it loaded once and after I install the Graphic Driver, reboot, and it would hang)

Flashed the BIOS with the most current version

Reset the CMOS by pulling out the battery for 20 sec.

Turned off USB ports, HI Def Audio, onboard LAN, Plug In Play

I also Changed the SATA config from IDE to AHCI with no luck.

I read on a forum somewhere that windows 7 may write something to the hard drive after driver updates are installed and that a quick format may not remove what windows added, so my next step will be to do a regular format of the drive, try the install again and see what happens. I repost here once I try again.

If anyone has another suggestion or idea as to what needs to be done please let me know.

Thanks

wallyinnc · 10 Mar 2010

merton, you tried the right things, I could only suggested you try booting in safe mode and then loading the grahics drivers if this last attempt doesn't work.

in case you are not sure whether the disk is formatted correctly, I suggest either GParted or Partition Magic to handle that.

karlsnooks · 10 Mar 2010

merton,
To truly clean off that hard disk before your install:

Boot from your win7 dvd.
When you get to the first dialog asking you do something, then use the SHIFT + F10 key combo. This will get you to a command prompt.

type DiskPart and hit enter.
type List Disk and hit enter.
this will show you what "disk number" corresponds to where you want to install
type Select Disk 0 (or whatever the number is for you) and hit enter
type CLEAN ALL and hit Enter

Now wait and wait and wait until you finally get a message saying that clean is finished.

type Exit (to exit DiskPart)
type Exit (to exit the command prompt and return to installing Win7)