Windows 7 64bit Installation freezes during expanding files

Hello, this thing has been frustrating me for last one month. I am trying to install Windows 7 64 bit on my system and it freezes during expanding files. I searched all forums and information thats available online, tried everything that was listed but no solution yet.

My system is Foxconn P9657AB-8EKRS2H LGA 775 Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard, Intel Quad Core Processor, 6 GB RAM on 3 slots, I had a 250 GB before this process but i bought a 1 TB 7200 RPM HD thinking that it would solve the problem somehow.

I took out all USB items including mouse & keyboard and using PS2 mouse/kb now. Also took out 2 RAMs leaving only one 2 GB. Now the machine only has the mother board, processor, video card, 2 gb ram, ps2 mouse & keyboard, and the monitors.

I checked BIOS, and i have the latest update. Tried everything on BIOS from setting it to Safe Mode, Disabling all USB ports, Internal Audio Device, and pretty much everything that i found online. Im just yet to flush the BIOS, change DVD drive and install it from a flash drive.

Can anybody help me out?? Any suggestion would be appreciated..

It's probably a slow dvd drive or dvd read errors causing the problem. Although windows 7 installs generally get stuck at 0% expanding for about 40-60% of the total time it takes to install windows (kind of like the opposite of the average gas gauge in a car). I would reset all bios settings to factory default, reinstall the RAM, one of your HDDs, and try installing from a flash drive.. which can be read more than 5x as fast as even the fastest of DVD drives.

Hey guys..thanks for all your replys. I downloaded the Windows 7 from MSDN with a valid serial number. I burned the ISO with Power ISO at 4X and verified the burn process at least 4 times. And they all were same. But the freezing doesnt occur at the same time, initially the expanding file would go upto 2-3% then 40-50%, once it finished and restarted then froze but windows did not install properly so i had to redo the entire process. Now its getting stuck at 0%. I have a feeling its my old DVD drive. So ill first try the USB installation, if doesnt work then will try a different DVD drive.

So if I'm installing from a USB drive, i need to pur all the extracted files from the ISO then set in BIOS to boot from a USB device...am I right??

Thanks for all your helps again guys...

poltoo said:

Hey guys..thanks for all your replys. I downloaded the Windows 7 from MSDN with a valid serial number. I burned the ISO with Power ISO at 4X and verified the burn process at least 4 times. And they all were same. But the freezing doesnt occur at the same time, initially the expanding file would go upto 2-3% then 40-50%, once it finished and restarted then froze but windows did not install properly so i had to redo the entire process. Now its getting stuck at 0%. I have a feeling its my old DVD drive. So ill first try the USB installation, if doesnt work then will try a different DVD drive.

So if I'm installing from a USB drive, i need to pur all the extracted files from the ISO then set in BIOS to boot from a USB device...am I right??

Thanks for all your helps again guys...

Do you load motherboard and ACPI drivers in the install window before you begin the installation?

In my experience, it`s the only way you can get a proper install on any machine.

danielg said:

poltoo said:

Hey guys..thanks for all your replys. I downloaded the Windows 7 from MSDN with a valid serial number. I burned the ISO with Power ISO at 4X and verified the burn process at least 4 times. And they all were same. But the freezing doesnt occur at the same time, initially the expanding file would go upto 2-3% then 40-50%, once it finished and restarted then froze but windows did not install properly so i had to redo the entire process. Now its getting stuck at 0%. I have a feeling its my old DVD drive. So ill first try the USB installation, if doesnt work then will try a different DVD drive.

So if I'm installing from a USB drive, i need to pur all the extracted files from the ISO then set in BIOS to boot from a USB device...am I right??

Thanks for all your helps again guys...

Do you load motherboard and ACPI drivers in the install window before you begin the installation?

In my experience, it`s the only way you can get a proper install on any machine.

Did that too...Btw, before I started this installation process, my system was working fine with Win XP SP2. After having issues with Win 7, I tried the same with Vista but got the same results.

The easiest way i've found to write ISO to flash stick is using UltraISO trial version: load iso in, select Write Disk Image on Bootable tab, format first, write to stick. Then boot it using one-time BIOS boot menu under Hard drives.

Try clearing the CMOS: Clear CMOS - 3 Ways to Clear the CMOS

Try wiping the smaller HD before install: SSD - HDD Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

Try creating a smaller 100gb partition on the 1tb for install. Only have one HD plugged in at a time.

Did you try running the installer from XP? Works sometimes.

I have an easier way than that but it requires linux.. just insert the DVD or mount the ISO image and copy the contents directly to a flash drive.. it takes less than 10 minutes

so? what happpened at the end??