Windows 7 Freezes at Install Splash Screen

I just got Windows 7 Pro 32 bit as a early Christmas gift and was excited to try the new OS. I have been running XP pro for years and my current system works great. I backed up my files and tried to load it on a RAID 0 configuration. It started just fine then it got to the splash screen and froze. After about ten minutes I realized this was not normal so I ejected the disk and it moved to the next screen which is the windows wallpaper. It said windows is “starting up” and froze again and continued to freeze throughout the process. I did a custom install. I repeated the process until it started to expand the files then nothing. It said it couldn’t recognize my hard drives. I deleted all raid partitions and rebuilt the raid array. I tried to reload it again and still nothing. I reloaded XP then ran the installation disk. It loaded up Windows 7and after several ejects Windows 7 was running. I tried to load Office 07 and it wouldn’t load. The CD sounded like it was working but it seemed like the disk could not be recognized. I downloaded all the updates and correct drivers and Office 07 still wouldn’t load. After several hours and repeated attempts to get it working right, it crashed. I have not been able to get it to work at all. I tried again to load Windows 7 but I gave up thinking I am missing something but I don’t know what. I have since loaded XP back up and I am looking for any help at all as to what the problem might be. I ran the advisor and it said my system can run Windows 7. The Mobo disk has an updater but there were no new bios files available. I am stuck. My comp specs are below, maybe it might shed some light on the problem. Any and all help is greatly appreciated. Thank you so much. :0)

AMD Athlon 64 FX-55
Asus A8R32 – MVP Deluxe
2 – WD 740GD 8MB Raptor Drives
RAID 0 - ULi SATA/RAID Controller (M1575/M1697)
CDROM_NEC_DVD_RW_ND-3520A 16x
Creative SB Audigy 2 (WDM)
2 - ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT 512MB (Crossfire Mode)
2 x 1GB PC3200XLPT Corsair RT
NEC FD1231H-302 OEM 1.44MB

Win7 can be allergic to RAID. You might consider a single AHCI or SATA HD.

Try booting from the installer to do a Custom install, using Advanced drive tools to format before install.

You can even create a second partition to dual boot with your XP as a transition. Use a compatible free Partition manager like Partition Wizard to shrink your XP and then boot Win7 DVD to create and format a second partition in the free space before installing.

Thanks Gregrocker,

What are the advanced drive tools you are referring to? I just downloaded the Partition Wizard so I'll have to spend a little time to make sure I understand what I am doing here. When I actually had Windows 7 running before, after startup, I would get a DOS looking screen that would show up and ask which version of windows I wanted to run (Windows 7 or Older Version of Windows) Does that mean I had a dual partition set up already?

I was considering using a single sata drive after I wrote this as I also have a server that has a 300GB raptor drive too. I guess going to sata wouldn't be so bad since I really don't game much anymore. I would hate to lose the raid set up but I'm sure as time passes these problems will probably get fixed. I hope.

An additional response will help. Thank you again for taking the time to help me.

Aissa

I have had these types of problems also on a few different machines. I'm not sure what was wrong but clearing the cmos fixed it in every single case. Maybe it will work for you also.

When you boot from the Win7 DVD and select Custom install, there is a link under the drive selection window for Advanced drive tools. Here you can delete any/all of the partitions shown, create New ones as desired, then format before install.

If you already have partitions set up for a Dual Boot then just make sure you highlight the correct one where you want Win7 installed. It will configure the dual boot menu for you during install.

If you want to get rid of XP, highlight it first, delete and create New partition(s) as desired to format.

I had earlier suggested Partition Wizard because of the possibility your XP took up the whole drive and needed to be shrunk to create a second partition for dual boot. You can confirm your current partitioning by looking in Disk Management, or running Partition Wizard. You can also change your partitions size using PW.

Hello, I thought I would post the things I had to do to get Windows 7 to work.

First of all I tried just about everything under the sun to get Windows 7 to run RAID 0 with no success. I actually got to the point where it said starting up for the first time but it uninstalled on its own 3 times before I came to the conclusion that the Vista Driver not going to work and that it was a hardware compatibility problem. While my old drive while it would load XP, It would not recognize the Windows 7 disk. I decided to do the following:

I went to Best Buy and bought the new DVD ROM since they have a 30 return policy so I figured if his doesn’t work I would just return it and get my money back.

I had to load XP Using my old DVD ROM. Then I placed the Windows 7 OS disk in the new SATA DVD ROM (HP DVD writer for Windows Vista) and then loaded Windows 7 over XP. Windows 7 would not load on a blank formatted disk for whatever reason (probably more hardware compatibility issues). After that it was smooth sailing.

Windows 7 loaded really fast and did not hang at startup like it did before but it was not in RAID 0 like I wanted. I just went to a single disk standard installation. I am running a couple of older 74 GB Raptor drives so I loaded the OS on one drive and my programs to the other drive (mostly games and other programs I consider to be important). Now my old DVD ROM is there strictly as a drive to load XP in case Windows 7 crashes and I have to start over again. How bizarre!

It did crash once and I lost some info but I have been running the Windows 7 OS for a couple of weeks now with just a couple of incidents; a couple of times it froze at the bios screen at startup. I have updated 7 with all Microsoft updates and it seems to be running well. I love it. All my programs seem to load much faster especially any Office 07 programs.

Windows 7 would not accept the Creative Media Audigy 2 program from the installation disk for the sound card but an update was accepted. I removed the program and all is well. I spent 6 days and nights trying to figure this out but it is working now. I am going to say that hardware compatibility is a major issue so until I can afford to build me a new system, I will stick with what I have. The "Rate this System" feature on Windows 7 says my board and processor are the weakest parts of my system.

Processor 4.4
RAM 4.8
Graphics 5.8
Gaming Graphics 6.4
Primary Hard disk 5.8

Overall score 4.4 Scale Range (1.0 - 7.9) System info is in the first post.

I know my system is old now but I am surprised that an AMD 2.6 is rated so low. I love my computer but I am just going to upgrade in the future. It is running well and in my opinion, I am quite thrilled with it performance. I run XP on my family server (5 comps) and I will leave XP on the server since I am going to expect a Hardware upgrade there too.

I just wanted to post back to let someone else know what I had to go through to get it to work and hopefully save them some of the aggravation I experienced. What a crazy time the whole experience was.

Thanks for the help.

Aissa

Have you tried installing incompatible programs using Win7 compatibility mode? You may have seens its wizard pop up after installs saying "This program might not have installed correctly."

That Wizard will reinstall the program in a Compatibility Mode it deems correct for the program. Always worth trying.

To manually use Compatibility Mode, find the .exe file for program installer, right click choose Properties then Compatibiity tab. Try XP SP2 first, then Vista, or whichever you can get it to install. I have had some older programs work only in WIn2000 or 98 mode. Balky Drivers can also be installed this way.

If you have a game which installs in Compatibility mode, you may need to run its disk or Game .exe in that same mode, not just its installer.