How do you do a High Level Format

F5ing · 10 May 2012

After the reboot, run the sfc command a couple more times, or at least once more to see if it will run to completion without encountering any problems.

kegobeer · 10 May 2012

Did you originally install the OS, or did it come preinstalled on your hardware? Where did you get this copy of Windows - on DVD, downloaded from MS, etc?

TheCause · 10 May 2012

The first time I ran SFC it said it found an error that will be fixed on reboot. I rebooted and not sure what changed. My memory still stayed around 1.5GB usage when I restarted. The log file was over 5MB so Im not sure what it changed.

The second time, it found no errors.

Also, my PC came with Vista, but a friend gave me a W7 CD to upgrade. I never had any problems until I changed that msconfig setting, which the problems started immediately after that.

TheCause · 10 May 2012

I saw a format option on Hiren's boot CD. Maybe it would work?

F5ing · 10 May 2012

TheCause said:

I saw a format option on Hiren's boot CD. Maybe it would work?

Can't hurt, but if you followed the tutorials mentioned you should have already started each install with a clean disk.

That's why I think you should probably continue hardware checks metioned in post #9, and it would be helpful to answer the question posed in post #12.

gregrocker · 10 May 2012

It couldn't be boot code requiring wiping the HD that creates such a condition so it must be either something added to the installer or something you're doing during initial setup.

Where did you get Win7? How do you plan to activate it? Did you burn the DVD yourself?

Are you doing anything other than the steps in this tutorial when you Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7? These steps are pretty much the same as for retail and represent the best practices for installing.

dsperber · 10 May 2012

TheCause said:

Also, my PC came with Vista, but a friend gave me a W7 CD to upgrade. I never had any problems until I changed that msconfig setting, which the problems started immediately after that.

Seems impossible that anything you do with MSCONFIG in a specific previously installed Win7 could have anything to do with a "fresh reinstall from scratch", where all of the MS defaults are clearly stored into your brand new Win7.

There's also that nagging symptom that your page file management options do not retain your "system managed" check values across a re-boot. Very odd (and obviously a problem).

Never heard of running with "no page file" as a voluntary performance-related option.

If you have a valid license code for your machine (which you must be using if you've tried reinstalling Win7 from scratch six or more times using your friend's installation DVD), maybe it's time for you to download a true fresh "official" ISO copy and burning a new DVD, and trying that along with your in-hand license code.

You can download "official" ISO files from here.

TheCause · 11 May 2012

Guys......GUYS!!!
I FIXED IT! I cannot tell you how horrible it is, to not be able to have more than two main programs open at the same time (chrome, skype, msn etc.).
Its been months since this happened.

I ran Hiren's boot cd, and it had its own format option. It made 3 passes, which took a total of 5 1/2 hours. Either way, IT WORKED! Thanks for all fo the support though guys, learned some things from this thread.

gregrocker · 11 May 2012

Then it was likely boot code causing the problem since the value of wiping the HD to correct performance problems or solve installation failure is to overwrite boot sector code which is conflicting.

Ironically this could have been done with Diskpart Clean Command which only takes seconds, since most of the time you spent with whatever wiping regimen you ran is to overwrite all of the other data on the HD so it can't be recovered.