Damned Windows 7!

[pauls2909]

I purchased a copy of Windows 7 Home Premium a while ago and installed it. I kept Windows XP on the pc and had the option at start up of which operating system I would like at start up. Everything was running fine for quite some time until about 2 weeks ago. The system started to "freeze"....unable to do anything! The hard disk light was now showing as constantly on. The only thing to do was turn it off and restart. It didn't matter whether I was using windows 7 or XP.
Eventually I decided to do a clean re-install of Windows 7. The installation kept "freezing" at various points and eventually installed after about 5 attempts. I have installed NO programs, internet, peripherals or anything, so the systems is just "as is" after a clean reinstall but the system STILL freezes after various amounts of time....sometimes 5 minutes...sometimes as long as 30 minutes.I am only playing the in-build solitaire or Freecell to "test" how long till it freezes! Usually now tho the hard drive light is not constantly on when it freezes! Does anybody have any idea how to resolve this. I (foolishly!) thought that doing a clean install would sort everything as the hard drive is formatted at the beginning of the installation.
I took a print out of the system details and installed programs (eventually!) using Belarc Advisor before reinstalling.
Many thanks in advance
Steve

 

[Golden]

Hi Steve,

This could be a hard disk issue/potential failure. What sort of hard disk/s do you have?

Regards,
Golden

 

[Ageeb]

Do the same problems exist in the XP side of your setup?

If so, it would suggest a hardware issue
If not, it would suggest software

It will help determine the course of action.

edit:
damn your fast fingers Golden

 

[gregrocker]

Test your RAM using memtest86 CD for 5-6 passes or overnight.

Next test your HD using maker's diag/repair full CD scan: Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities (Storage) - TACKtech Corp. followed by http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/433-disk-check.html. Back up your files first.

If your hardware comes up clean try these other troubleshooting steps: http://www.sevenforums.com/general-...-lags-every-couple-seconds-2.html#post1131640

I would wipe the HD to clean reinstall following these tips to get a perfect install: http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/125874-re-install-windows-7-a.html#post1086729

XP programs can be made to run in http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/316-compatibility-mode.html or use Virtual Box or Virtual Player. Or reinstall XPired on a separate HD booted via BIOS.

 

[Golden]

Hi Steve,

Please download Crystal Disk Info from this link : http://crystalmark.info/software/CrystalDiskInfo/index-e.html, and the run the program.

The program will allow you to test the integrity of your disks - lets start with that since it sounds suspiciously disk related. Please post back the results so we can have a look at this for you.

If you haven't already done so, please backup up your data to an external drive as soon as possible.

Regards,
Golden

 

[pauls2909]

Hi Golden (and Gregrocker too!)
Firstly, thank you both for posting back. I have downloaded the crystalmark program and am gonna try that first. Will advise on here the outcome of that. I DO indeed get exacly the same problem(s) when booting into XP too! :-(

Gregrocker - Will download the memtest86 that you mentioned and will advise on results of that too. Am hoping it's NOT gonna end up being either of the Hard Drives. They were BOTH purchased and are not that old.

My hard drives are both ST350063 0AS SCSI drives and are 500gb each (Seagate Barracudas?)##Again many thanks guys and will advise results on here

Steve

 

[pauls2909]

Hi again Golden,

Downloaded the Crystal disk software. It scanned bth hard drives and said they were good and temperature ot them was fine. You said to post back the results so you could have a look.
Erm.....how do I do this to you? :-(

 

[pauls2909]

Hi Gregrocker,
Re:memtest86 you suggested downloading. The floppy drive I have will format but not write to.....so guess thats broken (not that I ever used it anyways!....until now that is!)
Read the instructions about making an ISO file on to a cd and doing it that way. Got totally confused on that I'm afraid to say :-(

 

[gregrocker]

Download memtest86 to desktop. Left click on it to burn to CD with Windows Image Burner. Reboot computer to run it.

 

[Golden]

Hi again Golden,

Downloaded the Crystal disk software. It scanned bth hard drives and said they were good and temperature ot them was fine. You said to post back the results so you could have a look.
Erm.....how do I do this to you? :-(

Hi Steve,

You can use the Snipping Tool (Start --> type snippping in search box) to capture an image of the screen and then just upload it here. From yout post though, it sounds as if the disks are OK - post the image anyway in case we get back to the disks at some point. I would go ahead with gregrockers memtest suggestion at this point.

Regards,
Golden

 

[pauls2909]

Hi Gregrocker.
Maybe I am just being really dumb here? I have downloaded the metest program to my desktop but am unable to even locate the windows image burner you talk about. When I left click on the memtest folder, nothing happens. If I double click on it, Nero Disc burner opens up. I did copy the folder to a CD using Nero but it wouldn't 'boot' the computer when I put the CD in the cd drive and rebooted.....after a couple of minutes the computer just booted up normally. (The BIOS is configured to boot from cd drive first)

 

[pauls2909]

Golden,
Am using my laptop to post etc on here as I do not have any programs (except the crystal program you told me to dwnalod, which I downloaded to a memory stick) nor internet on my problem pc. Although I havent tried capturing the results of the crystal set on the problem pc yet, but when I do, how do I get the captured information from the problem pc to this forum as I have no internet or anything on the problem pc. Am hoping I am making sense here!

 

[mikedl]

Sneaker net will work.

Just use a thumb drive to copy the screen cap from your problem PC to your laptop and then upload it.

 

[DocBrown]

Did you download the .iso image from here for Memtest86 ?

:ar: Memtest86.com - Memory Diagnostic

 

[Ageeb]

I don't mean to interrupt the flow here, but...

In addition to Memtest, Parted Magic (choose the second link, pmagic-5.7.iso) has some wonderful utilities that can used from a boot cd! Food for thought, since you're burning anyway.

Good luck!

 

[gregrocker]

I have downloaded the metest program to my desktop but am unable to even locate the windows image burner you talk about. When I left click on the memtest folder, nothing happens. If I double click on it, Nero Disc burner opens up. I did copy the folder to a CD using Nero but it wouldn't 'boot' the computer when I put the CD in the cd drive and rebooted.....after a couple of minutes the computer just booted up normally. (The BIOS is configured to boot from cd drive first)

The Win7 Image Burner is almost as good as the industry standard free ImgBurn. Apparently the Nero crapware has edged it out as default. You can either go to Control Panel>Default Programs to Set Default as Win7 Img Burner, or install and burn the CD with ImgBurn - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com

To burn an image file you have to choose the actual ISO file itself, which is likely in the folder.

Once the image and not the folder is burned to CD, you can just restart the computer and memtest86 should autostart, although you may have to press any key to boot CD.

 

[Golden]

Golden,
Am using my laptop to post etc on here as I do not have any programs (except the crystal program you told me to dwnalod, which I downloaded to a memory stick) nor internet on my problem pc. Although I havent tried capturing the results of the crystal set on the problem pc yet, but when I do, how do I get the captured information from the problem pc to this forum as I have no internet or anything on the problem pc. Am hoping I am making sense here!

Doh! Sorry Steve. Yep use the USB and save the captured image onto that. Then on the laptop, when posting here, upload the image from the USB.

 

[wilfj]

windows 7 new update

just received a email from MS ?? recommending I update my Windows 7 to run XP programs etc etc all this for $89.95.. do it now.

Is this legit ?? Has anyone done this so called update from the net ? :huh:

 

[mikedl]

I dunno. Show us a copy of the email ... sender address, Subject line, formatting etc..

 

[Johnathan Lyman]

just received a email from MS ?? recommending I update my Windows 7 to run XP programs etc etc all this for $89.95.. do it now.

Is this legit ?? Has anyone done this so called update from the net ? :huh:

I lolled for a good 20 seconds on this one. Not at you, wifj, at the scam.

If Windows 7 as it's installed doesn't run XP apps effeciently, it won't for $90. Windows XP Mode will, but that's free.

The only $90 addon I can think of is the Windows Anytime Upgrade from Home Premium to Professional.

And in regards to the original topic before we start driving too far off course, I'm giving +1 on the RAM being the culprit. If it was the hard drive, you'd get errors about copying files when you installed windows more so than freezes.