Windows 7 Installation Hang up. Should I Re-Install?

scop8 · 13 Jul 2016

Hello,

I've read through a couple of Windows 7 installation threads, but none that I've seen have the same result. I re-installed Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit because my computer was stuck in a reboot loop when the Windows icon appeared. Sometimes it would boot after three tries, sometimes eight, sometimes none at all. System repair could never repair it, so I decided to just go from scratch again.

I deleted a partition, but didn't format, did a custom install, and all was good until the 'finalizing your settings' for several hours. I decided to just press the restart button, and it actually loaded Windows, went to the main page, set up final settings. My questions are: should I be reinstalling because of the 'finalizing your settings' glitch (I've read about resetting all BIOS settings and formatting HDD before reinstalling, neither of which I did). My concern is that the reboot problem may return as it did before. Also, I kept the net cable plugged in during installation. Is this dangerous to do?

All I wanted to do was set my PC up for a Windows 10 switch, but couldn't get all the updates installed, (that's when I was able to sometimes get past the reboot issue) but then when the installations required a restart, the reboots rendered the installations moot, and it would always reverse installations. I did a disk check, and memory check, no problems.

Thanks for your help.

Ranger4 · 13 Jul 2016

Hi scop8, welcome to the Forum.

Could you post & screen shot of your Disc Management, please. To do that follow this tutorial.

Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image

Also could you fill in your System Specs, which will help us see what is what with your computer. This download will help you find details of your computer.

https://www.piriform.com/speccy

granddaddypurpo · 13 Jul 2016

If I were you, I would just reinstall. Save yourself a headache in the future in case it does cause problems down the line and just reinstall. It shouldn't take that long to reinstall the OS. If it is hanging at a certain part I suggest burning a new copy or create a bootable USB.

winnseven7 · 17 Jul 2016

Yes reinstall.

'I deleted a partition, but didn't format, ' When you refer to deleted a partition , what drive? C? D? E?. re install & Delete ALL and make a partition for primary C and FORMAT it , make another for D etc and format. (of course copy files/folders to another HDD you want to keep before install)

Megahertz07 · 17 Jul 2016

Reinstall,
Does your disk has a factory recover partition?
Is the whole disk only for windows or it has other partitions?
If the disk does NOT have a factory recover partition and the whole disk is only for windows (no other partitions), this is what I would do:
- Remove all other HDD's, leaving only the one you want Windows to be installed.
- Boot from the Windows installation DVD or USB flash drive.
- On install wizard, go to custom - advanced - delete all partitions - create new - install. It will create the necessary partitions and format them.

scop8 · 19 Jul 2016

Hello everyone, thanks very much for the feedback.

Ranger4, I'm in the middle of another reinstall and currently posting on a netbook. Will post what you've requested once the reinstall finishes (fingers crossed). Thanks for the welcome

granddaddypurpo & winnseven7 - all partitions deleted, and there's only C drive. I tried booting through USB, but although I changed the BIOS to boot from the USB, and although PowerISO said that the USB was bootable, nevertheless, for some reason the USB was not recognized. I found the original disk I'd used which didn't ever have issues, and things were encouraging along the way, but once again I'm on the 'Windows is finalizing your settings' screen for the third hour now...

Megahertz07 - I did disconnect the other HDD and was following all those steps up until the 'create new' because I wanted everything to be on one drive without partitions. When I'd tried the 'create new' there were always two drives, the large C, and a 100MB D (but I'm trying to get around haveing a 'system reserved' separate drive). So I skipped the 'create new' (but doing this did not allow me to format the one C drive) and went ahead, and everything was fine up until this last 'finalizing stage'. Does not 'creating new' affect the install in a negative way?

p.s. Once again, I got tired of waiting, so I restarted, and got the 'Windows did not shut down properly' with options of which start I'd like, so I chose 'start normally' and got to the Windows is preparing your desktop' screen. Seems to be working ok (except the graphics are not as good), it's just that 'finalizing' stage is always stuck... but restart always seems ok...

scop8 · 19 Jul 2016

I've decided to now to a 'clean all' in command prompt as I'm once again reinstalling... following these instructions: SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation. Is there a point to having a separate partition for 'system reserved'? The link above gives the option for creating a 200MB one (as opposed to the standard 100MB that I don't even want). Hopefully this will wipe anything left over that may be preventing the installation from going smoothly...

Megahertz07 · 20 Jul 2016

You didn't give us your hardware specs.
On a UEFI system, after deleting all partitions, you get an partition that is raw, that is not formatted. To install Windows, the wizard creates a 100M FAT32 UEFI partition (for the boot loader(s)) a 120M Raw MS reserved and a big NTFS partition for C:
On a Legacy system, you have a MBR that points to a Boot Loader under C:\boot. In this case Windows creates only one active partition.

ThrashZone · 20 Jul 2016

Hi,
I believe you can use the win-7 to activate win-10
Clean Install Windows 10 Directly without having to Upgrade First - Windows 10 Forums

Otherwise the long route
When manually installing updates you need to switch your update settings to Never check for updates and restart the machine first.
It really helps if you download these to a flash drive and install them without an internet connection.

1st manually install KB3020369
Win-7 32 bit
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/down....aspx?id=46827
Win-7 64 bit
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/down....aspx?id=46817

2nd manually install KB3161608
Win-7 32bit
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/down....aspx?id=52976
Win-7 64bit
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/down....aspx?id=52974

After switch your windows update settings back to what you had prior and manually check for updates and the rest should show up shortly.

scop8 · 20 Jul 2016

Update: So after following the instructions above to clean the HDD completely, and then following this link Clean Install Windows 7 I was able to install Win 7 Ultimate quickly and with no problems whatsoever. The key after the HDD complete wipe was to leave the DVD in throughout the process (I'd previously always taken it out at the final restart). Thanks, everybody, for the feedback, I appreciate it. Awesome forum, very clear and thorough and helpful advice and tutorials.