Common Installation Problems and Their Solutions

[Orbital Shark]

Hi maxitis, welcome to the forums

From where did you get the Windows 7 DVD?


OS

i downloaded it from microsoft. i have a free academical licence to do so.

That's good to hear, hopefully a re-burn will help

 

[DocBrown]

Hi maxitis, welcome to the forums

From where did you get the Windows 7 DVD?


OS

i downloaded from microsoft. i have a free academical licence to do so.

As JK said BUrn the .iso file with ImgBurn (Freeware) at 4x speed with verify ON

 

[zapp22]

I ran the memtest overnight and got 11 pass 2 fail. Do i need the replacement? I mean the memory is brand new. Anyways, thanks for the reply

yep. rule of thumb is "any error is a no-fly". replace it.

 

[zapp22]

Media type

not all media are created equal. Does your DVD device show up as a "DVD-RAM" with a test program? DVD+ ?? these things need to be understood.

if you google something like "Best DVD Media for .iso" you'll see some good tips out there. On my fairly modern ASUS DVD-RAM/DVD+ burner, I have really good results with Ritek DVD+ media but it is not everyone's fave.. just works really well for complex tasks with this particular drive.

I have had Microsoft from-the-factory discs not read properly the very first time I stuck them in, but thankfully they WOULD copy, so when I moved a copy to good media, all was well....

Hi maxitis, welcome to the forums

From where did you get the Windows 7 DVD?


OS

i downloaded it from microsoft. i have a free academical licence to do so.

That's good to hear, hopefully a re-burn will help

 

[shiv]

I was going to start a new thread before just lazily brozing through this one and found out that mine and MosesBleek's problems were exactly similar! This sould help with my installation. What a great forum. Thanks!!

 

[Wakaranai]

I had problems installing Windows 7 Ultimate x64.
After Windows logo loading screen black screen appeared with some little white lines, no cursor.
None of modes in BIOS worked since installation wasn't complete yet. But after I tried safe mode, screen with "Setup is preparing Windows for first use" came and reboot-loop followed.
So, I came back to partition setup at Windows 7 setup screen. There were total 3 partitions "two with split 1TB HDD and one partition with small amount of "unallocated" space.
I read some suggestions here and simply deleted one of partitions ( the one with note "System"). It merged with that small "unallocated partition" and I tried my luck installing Windows on "unallocated" one. And it worked without any problems. Just that I didn't have half of HDD later xD Anyways, I just used "Disk management" and gave a letter to my lost 0.5TB space. And DONE !

My PC specs.
Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300 2.50GHz
Gigabyte Technology P43-ES3G
DDR2 4GB
nVidia GeForce 9800GT 1GB
Realtek High Definition Audio
BenQ G2222HDL DVI-D 1920x1080
Hitachi 1TB HDD

 

[Proximon]

This one should be added I think.

I was getting the missing CD/DVD drivers error and nothing I had read and tried resolved it.

What I finally found after many long hours was that the flash USB drive I was booting and installing from was in a USB 3.0 slot.

What I did to resolve:
Moved the USB stick to a USB 2 socket
Turned off all USB 3.0 hardware in the BIOS

Then, everything worked just fine.

This also indicates just how generic that CD/DVD driver error is. Don't assume that it has anything to do with the DVD drive. Think about any possible storage you have connected to the PC.

 

[txtinman]

I'm trying to install Windows 7 on the third hard drive in my system. I have a 102 gb partition formatted to ntfs. I get the Error message “Setup was unable to create a new system partition or locate an existing system partition.” At one time I had Windows 7 installed on the second hard drive and it worked fine, but it was a SSD and just not big enough for dual booting. The drive I want to nstall on is an EIDE drive. That wouldn't be the problem would it? I can only use GParted in Linux to edit the partition right now. If anyone can help I would appreciate it.

Mike

 

[Jonathan_King]

Hi txtinman,

Try changing the SATA setting in the BIOS to IDE; I'm assuming it's on AHCI currently. Once Windows is installed, use this guide to enable AHCI in Windows and then change the setting back: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/61869-ahci-enable-windows-7-vista.html

 

[txtinman]

Well SATA is already configured as IDE in the BIOS. I wonder if I should set it to ACHI and then try to install Windows 7? I just wonder what it might do to my Linux installation? will it still boot?

Mike

 

[txtinman]

Well I reset the configuration to ACHI, but I still get the same error message. I may have to re-size the SSD and install Windows 7 there. I need to find out how to use multiple drives with Windows.

Mike

 

[Jonathan_King]

Try cleaning the EIDE drive (assuming it has no data on it). See here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/52129-disk-clean-clean-all-diskpart-command.html

Then create a new partition on the hard drive using the Diskpart utility. Once in Diskpart and the proper disk is selected (Step 5 of the Clean tut), enter the following:

create partition primary /fs=ntfs quick

Just for good measure, make sure the new partition is marked as Active. I'm feeling too lazy to type it out now, so just skip to Step 5 of Method 2 here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/71432-partition-mark-active.html

See of you can now install Windows to the hard drive.

 

[caffemisto]

I'm trying to install Windows 7 on the third hard drive in my system. I have a 102 gb partition formatted to ntfs. I get the Error message “Setup was unable to create a new system partition or locate an existing system partition.” At one time I had Windows 7 installed on the second hard drive and it worked fine, but it was a SSD and just not big enough for dual booting. The drive I want to nstall on is an EIDE drive. That wouldn't be the problem would it? I can only use GParted in Linux to edit the partition right now. If anyone can help I would appreciate it.

Mike

I got the exact same message when trying to install a second copy of Windows 7 on my computer. Finally, this is what worked for me:

Disconnected all the drives except the one I wanted to install the 2nd copy to
Installed Windows 7 to the second drive
Reconnected all the other drives
Installed EasyBCD and using that program renamed the first install to 1 - Windows 7
Added the 2nd install to the boot menu: 2 - Windows 7
Rebooted and was able to start into the second installation just fine.

My setup:
Drive 0: 100mb System partition, 74gb Windows 7, first install
Drive 1: 100mb System partition, 74gb Windows 7, second install
Drive 3: 200GB
Drive 4: 250GB
Both drives 3 and 4 combined into 1 volume

If for some reason after you reconnect the drives, your system complains about a missing boot manager, just reboot off the install DVD. Then go into a command prompt and using diskpart, set the small 100mb partition of your 1st install as active. That's the only problem I ran into.

Hope this helps. I sort of had to piece it together from several answers found everywhere, this forum included.

 

[wpo3428]

I am not sure where to put this question but here goes:

The initial problem was that Startup Repair (Windows 7) would not do the trick, the main message being 'Problem Signature #7: Corrupt File.' So, having been given a set of Recovery Disks at the Store I decided to just use those. In any case I did not have the passwords do use the System Recovery Options. After a while I realized I needed to change the boot sequence to use the disks. So I managed to go through the process of restore, receiving the message that it was 100% complete.

The current problem is that I am stuck in a loop comprised of the following messages and associated operations:

1. I am asked for a password (and the one that I supplied at the BIOS page works)
2. 'Setup is preparing the computer for the first time'
3. I get the blue screen and the 'Welcome' message
4. 'Factory Installation is in progress' and I am not to interrupt it
5. 'Configuring the system'
6. 'Logging off'
7. Computer shuts down
8. Computer restarts
9. 1 repeats, etc.

I might note that when I was given the choice towards the end of the use of the two recovery disks I choose to install not just on one partition but on two (this wording might not be quite right).

Any advice, suggestion, etc are appreciated in advance.
Thanks,
Bill

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I am not sure where to put this question but here goes:

So I managed to go through the process of restore, receiving the message that it was 100% complete.

The current problem is that I am stuck in a loop comprised of the following messages and associated operations:

1. I am asked for a password (and the one that I supplied at the BIOS page works)
2. 'Setup is preparing the computer for the first time'
3. I get the blue screen and the 'Welcome' message
4. 'Factory Installation is in progress' and I am not to interrupt it
5. 'Configuring the system'
6. 'Logging off'
7. Computer shuts down
8. Computer restarts
9. 1 repeats, etc.

I might note that when I was given the choice towards the end of the use of the two recovery disks I choose to install not just on one partition but on two (this wording might not be quite right).

You might want to start a new thread on this in the general discussion or installation areas.

After you successfully restored, did you then remove the recovery disk from the DVD drive?

You installed on two partitions?

You should probably post a screen shot of Disk Management--maybe in a new thread with a brief explanation.

 

[wpo3428]

Thanks. Yes I removed the recovery disk. Yes, I believe I installed on two partitions. I am not sure what you mean by a screen shot of Disk Management but I will try to figure it out. I will start a new thread on this in the installation area of the forum.

 

[Ztruker]

To open Disk Management, press Winkkey+r, type diskmgmt.msc and press Enter or click GO.

Vista and Windows 7: How to Use the Snipping Tool in Vista - Vista Forums (says it's for Vista but also works with Win 7).

Click on the down arrow head next to the paper clip icon (by smiley face) then browse to where you saved the picture and upload it. Close that widow then click on the arror head agan and insert the uploaded picture into your post.

 

[Dave76]

I am not sure where to put this question but here goes:

The initial problem was that Startup Repair (Windows 7) would not do the trick, the main message being 'Problem Signature #7: Corrupt File.' So, having been given a set of Recovery Disks at the Store I decided to just use those. In any case I did not have the passwords do use the System Recovery Options. After a while I realized I needed to change the boot sequence to use the disks. So I managed to go through the process of restore, receiving the message that it was 100% complete.

The current problem is that I am stuck in a loop comprised of the following messages and associated operations:

1. I am asked for a password (and the one that I supplied at the BIOS page works)
2. 'Setup is preparing the computer for the first time'
3. I get the blue screen and the 'Welcome' message
4. 'Factory Installation is in progress' and I am not to interrupt it
5. 'Configuring the system'
6. 'Logging off'
7. Computer shuts down
8. Computer restarts
9. 1 repeats, etc.

I might note that when I was given the choice towards the end of the use of the two recovery disks I choose to install not just on one partition but on two (this wording might not be quite right).

Any advice, suggestion, etc are appreciated in advance.
Thanks,
Bill

When the computer is at #6. Logging off, eject the disk, before it re-starts.
It will install a second time if you don't.

 

[sakyash]

Respected sir,
I was having problems with my windows 7 home premium x64. So I decided to do a clean install. I formatted my c: which contained my OS. But when I am installing new windows 7, I am getting error as 'windows cant update boot configuration. Installation cancelled'

Please help me. I have already tried many times, and I dont have dual boot, so please tell me what to do..

Yash

 

[Jonathan_King]

Respected sir,
I was having problems with my windows 7 home premium x64. So I decided to do a clean install. I formatted my c: which contained my OS. But when I am installing new windows 7, I am getting error as 'windows cant update boot configuration. Installation cancelled'

Please help me. I have already tried many times, and I dont have dual boot, so please tell me what to do..

Yash

Hello,

What Windows installation media are you using? Could you possibly try another?