Hanging DMI on new Windows 7 64-bit install

Hello all,

Bought lots of cheap RAM, so I thought I'd upgrade from my current 32-bit Vista to 64-bit Windows 7 Ultimate. Easier said than done. Since my DVD drive is busted, I opted to do a USB install using win2flash.

I got to the stage where I had to set up my user account and home share password, but when it rebooted after that, it gets to the Verifying DMI Pool Data and hangs. There are no other HDDs attached, only the primary SATA HDD. The faulty DVD is disconnected. I'm only using 2GB RAM for the install.

Now I can't even get it to boot from the USB...I've selected 'removable drive' on the boot priority list, but with the USB plugged in, it doesnt detect it.

The base system is an Acer Aspire T180 running AMD. Please help....it's a very big paperweight now....

do you know to use bios system config?

what would i need to change on the bios system config?

go to START - CONTROL PANEL - HARDWARE AND SOUND - DEVICE MANAGER , open all arrows and check if you see any with yellow mark!

your personal documents is still there?

oh, to check any devices which haven't installed? I cant get into Windows, so I cant do that.

I read that doing an upgrade from 32-bit Vista to 64-bit W7 isnt always effective, so went ahead to do a clean install. The one HDD is split into two partitions...so all my personal files should be safe on D since I chose to do the fresh install on C.

So to overcome the problem of not booting from USB, I begged a DVD drive off a friend's PC and stuck it in mine via IDE. Tried the recovery option, but it says the version of Windows I'm trying to repair is not compatible with this DVD....peculiar because this is the same DVD I used to create the USB version.

Try reinstalling?

Where did you get Win7? How do you plan to activate it?

I'd burn a DVD using ImgBurn at 4x speed.

Reset BIOS to defaults, set SATA controller to AHCI to try install.

Boot DVD, press Shift + F10 at first screen, in Command Line run Diskpart Clean Command.

Close command box, click Install now to Clean Install Windows 7. If installation fails, report back the step where it fails and exact error message verbatim.

I splurged and bought it from the Microsoft store. They had a download option, but I preferred getting a dvd. Since my pc DVD drive was busted, I used my laptop to make a USB version. But now it doesn't boot, so I've borrowed an IDE DVD drive.

Will the diskpart wipe the whole hdd or just a partition?

The only sata controller option I see is sata1...


Reinstalling from DVD results in the same dim pool data hanging. This appeared after the final config screen, where I typed the new username etc.

Partitionmagic ok....or any alternatives which are better?

Did you burn to DVD using ImgBurn at 4x speed? Try that and also writing flash stick using Universal USB Installer with Win7 in dropdown menu. See if install by either method varies.

Again at what step in install is the failure and what is the exact wording of the error message?

If this is during driver-loading phase, enter Device Manager during install to disable any erroring devices shown by an ! mark, then see if installation will complete to update the driver on desktop: Device Manager - Access During Windows 7 Installation

The error was 'Verifying DMI Pool Data'....it would hang for more than 30 minutes.
The DVD was supplied to me....I didnt write it.



Resolved by using Hirens Boot CD to access a partitioning software, delete C drive, reformat it. Then boot from Windows 7 DVD and reinstall.

Was having an existing Vista installation the problem, even though I picked custom install?

Could be an MBR conflict with Vista that was resolved by deleting C. If problems persist I'd wipe the HD with Diskpart Clean Command to overwrite all boot code.

This can also be a conflict in the BIOS Boot order.

Thanks a lot...will bear that in mind. Now I can back up the data in D before proceeding.

Alas, there is still a problem with my proposed RAM upgrade. Nothing earth shattering....just trying to get 4GB up and running, hence the switch to 64 bit. I have two pairs of 1GB sticks, all are PC2-5300, one pair are Acer and the other are in the system now and I cant remember the brand. None of the market leaders, though.

I know all four slots are working as I tested with 4x512. Both pairs work fine when inserted separately. Memtest86 didnt flag up any errors on any four of my 1GB sticks. However, when I put all four in, the system does not boot up. This happened when I had Vista 32, and I presumed it was because of the RAM limit.

Now I think there's something in the BIOS...but I can't see any option that would hint at a RAM limit. The current BIOS is PhoenixTechnologies R01-A4 from Dec 2006. I found some BIOS updates for my Aspire T180 on the Acer website, but when I run the WinFlash it says it's not compatible with the installed BIOS. Its running on an AMD Athlon 64 3500+

Any ideas where to find the appropriate BIOS update, if this is indeed the problem?

Many thanks.