Can't install Windows 7 after purging HD

Teerex said:

You need to press (and keep it pressed) F12 as soon as you see the initial HP screen to choose to boot from your DVD drive. You can release that key when you see the option to boot from DVD.

I press the ESC (F12 doesn't do anything) key and it comes up with the options you state. I select the CD drive and it just goes to a flashing cursor for over 5 minutes.

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How do you know the DVD is booting? Did you get a prompt to "Press Any Key to boot from DVD?"

Unplug all other HD's and peripherals, wipe the HD from the booted DVD: SSD - HDD Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

THen the DVD will autostart and you'll have a cleaner slate to work with.
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Sorry I don't know the DVD is booting, I can't wipe the HD using ur link as it requires CMD which I can't get too.

gregrocker said:

Doublecheck your BIOS settings: How to Boot your Computer from a Bootable CD or DVD

If you wiped the HD and have no other HD"s attached to interfere, then the DVD if it is good should autostart.

If not then you'll need to check the DVD drive out or try another, or write the DVD or ISO file to flash stick to try install: Install UltraISO trial version, on File tab Open DVD, on Bootable Tab Write Disk Image, Format, Write, boot under USB, Removable or HD's.

I used an external DVD drive and still nothing, I just used this on a net book so I know the external DVD drive works. So what should I do? Would using the USB tactic still works?

It is one of these things - either you aren't doing the right moves to boot from DVD, or your BIOS is bricked, in which case we can't do much to help you, you need real world physical help.

Please, can you confirm to us that you can enter BIOS (press F2, Del or ESC during boot). If you can, verify the boot sequence in it and change it if necessary.


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Or your Windows 7 disc is not bootable, or has become damaged rendering it unbootable. Try to obtain another disc.

Teerex said:

It is one of these things - either you aren't doing the right moves to boot from DVD, or your BIOS is bricked, in which case we can't do much to help you, you need real world physical help.

Please, can you confirm to us that you can enter BIOS (press F2, Del or ESC during boot). If you can, verify the boot sequence in it and change it if necessary.


.....

Or your Windows 7 disc is not bootable, or has become damaged rendering it unbootable. Try to obtain another disc.

I can verify I got into the BIOS
The boot order is:
1: ATAPI CD/DVD ROM Drive
2: Notebook Hard Drive
3: USB Floppy
4: USB Hard Drive
5: USB Diskette on key
!6: Network Adapter

Also I have just used the CD to install on another Net book, after I tried to install it on this Laptop.

It follows then that the disc you are trying to install from is not bootable. You have to try to obtain another disc, either by donwloading and burning an image, calling a friend, or any other possible way.

Also I have just used the CD to install on another Net book, after I tried to install it on this Laptop. So the CD is fine especially as the other laptop can still read it.

Salzus said:

I can verify I got into the BIOS
The boot order is:
1: ATAPI CD/DVD ROM Drive
2: Notebook Hard Drive
3: USB Floppy
4: USB Hard Drive
5: USB Diskette on key
!6: Network Adapter

That looks like the built-in DVD drive is set first to boot. A USB DVD drive would say USB, or almost always does.

Click on first boot device and see if there are other options in the cue, or look further down the list to see if you need to move USB DVD drive up to top. Or use the BIOS boot menu key to select.

If this fails then use the USB stick method which should appear under USB items or HD's.

Maybe the DVD drive got broken? Try making a bootable Windows 7 USB stick, consult this tutorial.

Change the boot order to an USB hard drive when you are ready to install, obviously.

Oh this is without using the USB external drive, with the USB drive I would have it at the top and it still has the same issue. Just a flashing cursor.

I have an external drive too, both drives can't be broken. Especially if I just used it on the netbook to double check.