defective disc?

[Zuko53]

Greetings: Windows 7 Pro O/S. Dell Inspiron computer.
Having a lot of problems with my computer I thought my best options was a wipe and reinstallation. I did the wipe with DBAN disc and got a clean hard drive which I just replaced about 6 months ago. My unit came with a Vista Business O/S and since I bought it so close to when Windows 7 came out, I had the benefit of getting a free upgrade when it did and I had possession of the upgrade disc. Anyhnow, after I did the wipe, I reinstalled the Vista Business with no problem and proceeded to do the upgrade to Windows 7 Pro. Everything was going Ok and it got to a restart point, I think after the phase where all the programs and files are updated and it restarted. The large Dell logo came on and then the colored balls effect and then all disappeared to a *not so black screen. Being aware that reinstalls can take a lot of time, I waited and saw that the restart happened twice at about 15 minute intervals and both ended with the same result, so I am wondering if the disc has a void that is preventing it from going further.

*not so black screen" meaning not black black since when I left the room on one occasion and put the light out, the screen had a glow. Too, a couple of times where I shut it down I noticed that the screen had a faint blink as it shut off.

 

[Megahertz07]

You don't need to install Vista to install Win 7. You do have the Win 7 key, don't you?
Download a Win 7 Pro SP1 Iso from here:Microsoft Windows and Office ISO Download Tool
If you have more than 4 G of memory, choose a 64 bit version.
To test the disk, boot the Win 7 installation disk, choose repair - command prompt - and type chkdsk c: \r
To install, boot the Win 7 installation disk, choose install - advanced - delete all partitions - create new. Windows will create the necessary partitions.

 

[Megahertz07]

With the ISO, create a USB bootable USB flash disk with Rufus Rufus - Create bootable USB drives the easy way
For the updates: MS releases SP2 for Windows 7

 

[Zuko53]

You don't need to install Vista to install Win 7. You do have the Win 7 key, don't you?
Download a Win 7 Pro SP1 Iso from here:Microsoft Windows and Office ISO Download Tool
If you have more than 4 G of memory, choose a 64 bit version.
To test the disk, boot the Win 7 installation disk, choose repair - command prompt - and type chkdsk c: \r
To install, boot the Win 7 installation disk, choose install - advanced - delete all partitions - create new. Windows will create the necessary partitions.

I would really like to check the disc, but I can't boot up the way you suggest. I can't get to the repair and when I try to use anything else to boot, I get a pop up that says installation will continue after restarting the computer and then the cycle starts again leading a dead event.

 

[Megahertz07]

How come you can't boot the installation disk?
When you hear the POST beep, aren't a option (F12?) on the screen to enter a boot menu?
Can't you enter BIOS and set CD/DVD as first boot option?

 

[Zuko53]

Tried that and when I get the "press any key to boot from CD or DVD, I get: Couldn't find boot manager

 

[Megahertz07]

How did you get the upgrade disk? By mail or download?
Anyway, do you have a a Win 7 key?

 

[Zuko53]

When I bought the computer, it came with Vista Business and because it was so close to the time when Windows 7 was coming out, my purchase included an update to Windows 7 Pro when it did come out. A tech came to my house and installed it and gave me the update disc that he used and yes, it included the Win 7 Key.

 

[Zuko53]

Previously, I was communicating with you on another computer and now I am on the computer in question operating with Vista Business. It's the second time in about three hours that I got to Vista Business. After the first time, I went right to the Windows 7 disc to try to upgrade and noted the sequences of the upgrade install which wasn't successful. I got through the installing, gathering & expanding files and then installing the features and transferring files and then there was a restart and then setup is doing something to the registry, after which it shut down and after 10 minutes it restarted and shut down for another 10 minutes and started again and shut down and never to restart again. There was activity with the activity light but nothing happened on the screen. I still think there is a problem with the disk and since I am on the computer in question, how would I do a chkdsk on it without screwing up what I have now.

 

[Megahertz07]

to run check disk under Vista, open explorer, right click on drive C:, Properties - Tools - Error checking.
As disk is in use it will schedule a disk check on next boot.

As you have the Win 7 key and probably your Win 7 disk isn't SP1, download from the link I gave you on post 2, make a bootable Win 7 installation USB flash disk using Rufus, boot with your USB flash disk, go to install - advanced - delete all partitions and install.

 

[Zuko53]

I have been back and forth, wiping, installing Vista trying to Install 7 Pro, etc. and at no time, even with the successful installation of Vista Business why it never asked for the key codes.

 

[Megahertz07]

OEM installation disk doesn't need a key.
As I said, you don't need to install Vista and then upgrade to Win 7.
Zuco, I gave you a link to download the latest Win 7 with SP1.
Download it, burn a DVD or, with Rufus, make a USB flash disk.
Boot the DVD (or the USB flash disk), go to Install, advanced, delete all partitions and proceed.
Clean Install Windows 7