Completing Installation

gregrocker said:

Have you updated to the latest BIOS version for your mobo? This is important.

Check also your SATA controller in BIOS setup. Try ACHI.

Try clearing the CMOS in BIOS: Clear CMOS - 3 Ways to Clear the CMOS - Reset BIOS

Sometimes the HD needs to be deep cleaned to get GRUB out. Try using CLEAN ALL in diskpart commands given earlier to zero the HD. Or download and burn to CD DBAN to nuke the HD.

I can't upgrade the BIOS as the problem machine is the only computer I have with any kind of disc burner and I have no spare OS' I can install except 4 year old linux live discs. I will try the clean all command.

Zidane24 said:

Sometimes a device can cause it to freeze during setup (GFX is a common cause)....

Try this...Device Manager - Access During Windows 7 Installation

Try disabling your GFX card, Audio card, Ethernet card, Wireless card (if you have one)

Thanks a lot I'm currently doing the clean all cmd in diskpart so it'll be a while before I can try this I will when it's done though :)

After the first restart when I press F8 to start in Safe Mode windows seems to ignore this and boots up any way. I've went through the install 3 times trying to do this. However if I'm to restart it manually and press F8 it allows it to go the safe mode choice screen which is no use since I have to start the installation again which cancels out what I've disabled in computer management...

How far does it get now? What happens exactly when it stalls?

It's the exact same as when I first started this thread, I've been tearing my hair out trying to get this installed since Monday. Gets to Completing Installation after the first restart with dots moving, mouse and keyboard functioning etc. But just seems to stay at this stage for hours before I give up, the longest I've let it run is 6 hours with no apparent change.

Can you make list of all hardware plug in when installing?

I sorted it, it was the monitor, switched it with a pnp one and it worked almost instantly, installation completed in 15 mins. Pretty annoyed I didn't try this earlier, oh well. Thanks to any one that gave some input.