Boot Up Freezes at "Windows Loading Files"

[starbucks107]

Hello....
I just completed a "Clean ReInstall" of Win 7 (Pro) 64 bit.
on a Lenovo E545 Think Pad 2 months New, **Came with both Win 7 Pro/Win 8.1 Pro Discs
(the Clean Install was done to remove a Virus that would not allow me to Update)

With all Bios set to Start from the DVD 1st.
No peripheral attached
Bios is Set to Factory Defaults (Except with the DVD player being 1st)
This is my THIRD SET of Recovery DVD's from Lenovo

What I get is the DVD starts (I tested the DVD on another Machine, It is Good)
The E545 goes to the Windows Loading page and freezes.
"Normal Startup" (Not working) goes to colored Icon page and stops.

Any suggested Help is Much Needed

Thank You Steve

 

[gregrocker]

Hi Steve -

Did you disable Secure Boot in BIOS setup? This is required to install Win7 on a Win8 PC. Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7. Then boot the installation DVD as a UEFI device, delete all partitions during install.

I would not use a Factory Recovery disk as this includes all of the bloatware which interferes with WIn7 performance. Instead follow these steps to do a Clean Reinstall Windows 7. It discusses in Step 1 how to find safe reinstallation media for your licensed version.

However if the PC came with Win8, then most likely any Win7 media is a clean Installation disk without the bloatware, perhaps with some branding and self-activation included if there was no COA sticker provided with the Win7 Product Key due to it being a 7 Downgrade. Either way you don't want the added crap.

If problems persist please take a picture of your install media, if possible check its size on disk in another PC and provide a screenshot of file content. Also in BIOS setup let us see settings related to EFI, UEFI, CSM, Legacy BIOS, Secure Boot and Boot order. Screenshots and Files - Upload and Post in Seven Forums - Windows 7 Forums