Why can't I do a clean install?

gregrocker said:

It is a frequent cause of problems at the exact point where you are having them. The graphics card is trying to load its driver and is failing. The solution is to either: default to onboard graphics chip in BIOS (if you have one), insert display driver in Safe Mode in Device Manager, or use Vlite to slipstream the driver into the installation DVD: load in extracted ISO files, click Next and select Drivers then provide unzipped Win7 display driver, create ISO, burn using burner provided at 4x speed.

Download and Install Vlite version 1.1.6 first, then download and install version 2.1 over it so you don't have to install the huge MS W.A.I.K. vLite - Windows Vista configuration tool

Your description of how you burned copies of the retail DVD sounds wrong. You would have to extract the ISO using a special program like ImgBurn or PowerISO to burn another DVD, or write to flash stick. It doesn't sound like you did that. Where was the copy of Win7 purchased? What does it say on the DVD?

Have you tested your HD using maker's full diag/repair CD scan? and your memory using memtest86 cd for 5-6 passes?

Greg, how hard/easy would you say this is for a beginner like me? Everything in the quote excluding memtest (i know how to use memtest)

These are not hard at all to do. Testing your HD using the two tests linked earlier is just booting the CD and running extended test Then use wipe feature to prepare to try install again.

Slipstreaming is a good experience to try too as you'll learn how to slip drivers, programs, service packs, etc into the Win7 installer. Start with just the video driver. You'll then know that it has it when it is struggling to install it at the point where it hangs.

As I said earlier, by now I usually am out of time for troubleshooting and just move HD to another machine to try install. It will start up so often when returned to problem machine that it makes it a viable alternative install method with Win7. I gave you the steps and workarounds earliier to do this.

On any of these, ask questions back if needed. That's how we all learn.

I fixed it!!!!
Finally decided to take apart my parents computer and threw my HD in. (thanks greg and doc)

But my graphics card is still really messed up. It is causing windows to perform slower than it should be, to my belief, and i'll see if i can fix it soon

also.. When finishing the setup, i made a password just for teh lulz and now it is saying invalid password. I typed in the password i use for everything and didnt do a typo

You installed on parent's computer with their HD unplugged, then returned HD to your computer and it started up?

But you cannot get past password?

Try booting into Safe Mode by tapping F8 at bootup, select Adminstrator account, then in User accounts remove your User password. Now boot in normally.

Wow.
So i restart my computer so it can find the usb i plugged in for a password reset, and now my computer won't go the windows screen. I does the welcome screen, than after the screen should go to the choosing of the user accounts/type pass in to log in screen, but instead it just goes blank.

it's being reeeally slow.. What is the reason for this?

Did you try booting into Safe Mode as Administrator and removing the password in User Accounts as I just suggested?

Also install the Win7 video driver in Device manager while there.

The USB stick may be blocking startup due to bootsecting for install.

gregrocker said:

Did you try booting into Safe Mode as Administrator and removing the password in User Accounts as I just suggested?

Also install the Win7 video driver in Device manager while there.

The USB stick may be blocking startup due to bootsecting for install.

Do i do this in safe mode? Because it isn't lettibg me go into safe mode. No matter what "mode" i try going into, the screen goes blank and the mouse arrows appears. That is it.

Try booting the Win7 DVD Repair console, click through to Recovery Tools list to run Startup Repair. See what it says.

Start up repair result: boot status indicates that the OS booted successfully.