Solved Error 0xc0000428 occurs installing on wiped formatted hard drive

[pickleman]

[FONT=&quot]I'm puzzled .... When booting Windows 7 Home Premium, my daughter was consistently getting 0xc0000428 error code under windows boot manager (The error stated: A recent hardware or software change might have installed a file that is signed incorrectly or damage) . To bypass the error I completely wiped out and reformatted the hard drive. However, when I boot the Windows 7 installation disc, error 0xc0000428 persists. If F8 or Enter is pressed the system reboots and loops back to error 0xc0000428. Why is error 0xc0000428 still occurring when installing if the drive is completely wiped out and reformatted? How do I disable Windows boot manager to proceed with the installation of Windows 7?
I searched all over this forum and other sites and have come up empty.
Any solution is appreciated[/FONT]

 

[Maguscreed]

You may want to have a look at this, it would appear you didn't manage to get everything with the standard format.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html

 

[gregrocker]

It sounds like the disk is not booting, but trying to boot the HD instead. Have you set the DVD drive first to boot in BIOS setup, or are using the one-time BIOS Boot Menu key given on first screen to boot the DVD? Do you get the prompt to "Press any key to boot DVD?"

If so and it still doesn´t boot, where did you get the installer? If necessary confirm the ISO integrity and burn another using ImgBurn at 4x speed. Or write to flash stick using Ultra ISO trial version: On File tab Open DVD or ISO, on Bootable tab Write Disk Image, Format, Write. Boot under USB, Removable or HD´s.

Boot sector corruption might also be the cause so next try wiping the HD with Diskpart Clean command in Magnus' link above.

Follow the steps in the Perfect Reinstall link in my signature picture below.

 

[pickleman]

Thanks for the reply Maguscreed. As you suggested I followed: SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation. After cleaning the hard disk. The only noticeable change is that booting from the install disc I now get the message "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD". But after that the same error appears. Any other suggestion is appreciated.

 

[Maguscreed]

That was my best shot to be honest. I'm almost curious if you have a hardware issue now.
The error you are getting is generally attached to damaged or improper system files.
This shouldn't happen at the first step of installation.
Greg's post up above covers a few more things to try that I missed in the realm of just making sure you have done everything possible to pave the road for a proper reinstall.

Edit if you have a retail win 7 key to use, you may also want to try downloading and making a new installation disc.

http://techpp.com/2009/11/11/download-windows-7-iso-official-direct-download-links/

That link will point you to where you can download all the various win 7 iso's from amazon directly.
This of course only works assuming you have a proper key for that version.

My guess would be she has a home premium key, that's what a majority of systems come with.

 

[pickleman]

Thanks for the reply Gregrocker. Yes, I get the prompt to "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD". I have set the DVD drive to boot first in the BIOS and also tried to boot from the BIOS boot menu.
The integrity of the install disc is fine. In fact, have used it to install several times in the past on the same hard drive. As you suggested, perhaps I can try booting from a flash stick?

I already wiped the HD with Diskpart "clean all" command following Magnus' link. Perhaps the boot sector was not wiped?

Another thing that I should mention is that I can actually attach the HD to my desktop using an external enclosure and use the HD normally. What I cannot do is boot from it from the laptop.

Thanks again. Any other suggestions are appreciated.

 

[gregrocker]

The boot sector was wiped with the Clean All command.

Verify the same disk boots and will commence to install in another machine.

Remove all external devices from machine, including USB keyboards or mouse. Remove all other devices but HD and DVD drive from BIOS boot order list, physically remove Floppy Drive if it exists.

Check connections to DVD drive, clean it if necessary, try another DVD drive.

If DVD drive still prompts Press any key but will not boot to run then try the flash stick alternative.

 

[pickleman]

Thanks for the suggestions. Since the problem is on a laptop, I cannot remove any devices. I have attempted the flash stick alternative. But that gives "Bootmgr is missing". I even tried reconstructing the MBR with testdisk utility to no avail. I will explore some more and post any solution. Any further thoughts are welcome.

 

[Maguscreed]

I'm starting to think you are dealing with a damaged hard drive here...

 

[gregrocker]

The error means the stick is not booting, but instead BIOS is trying to boot the HD. Did you write the DVD ISO to stick using Ultra ISO as suggested?

Let us know the result for each step given.

Magnus has a point: Test the HD with maker´s diagnostic/repair extended CD scan.

 

[pickleman]

Yes, I wrote the DVD ISO image to the stick using UltraISO as suggested. In addition I used MobaLiveCD_v2.1 to validate data. All processed fine which suggests that the problem is the hard drive not the stick.

I also agree with Magnus, the hard drive may be damaged. I will test the HD with maker´s diagnostic/repair utility.

Thanks,

 

[pickleman]

[FONT=&quot]I tried the maker's diagnostic/repair but it is not user-friendly and simply does not work. So I tried something even better and more direct. I decided to replace the 3.5" drive in my desktop with the 2.5" drive to test... and voila! Windows 7 Home Premium booted just fine. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Pleasantly surprised, I booted several times to be convinced. [/FONT][FONT=&quot] This confirms that the drive is not damaged.

But the drive still would not boot when installed in the laptop. It gives error code 0xc0000428 under windows boot manager and there is no way to bypass the error.

Since the drive is not damaged, the question now is what would make the drive work in my desktop but fail in the laptop? I do not have the slightest clue at the moment on how to proceed.

Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks.
[/FONT]

 

[gregrocker]

I´m confused now. Your OP states you cannot boot the installation DVD to install to a formatted HD, then that you´ve wiped the HD and still cannot install because of the error message.

But now you say you moved the HD to desktop and it boots. What is it booting if you have a wiped clean HD which could not install? Are you saying the installer booted and installed Home Premium on the 2.5" plugged into desktop?

Clarify this so we can get some traction on the new info.

Try resetting the laptop CMOS, then set the DVD drive first to boot in BIOS setup, followed by the HD. Clear CMOS - 3 Ways to Clear the CMOS - Reset BIOS

 

[pickleman]

Ooops, My apologies. Here is my clarification. I should have said that I tried this two ways:

1. I moved the HD to desktop and from there restored the backed up image to the HD. After restoring, I disconnected the desktop regular HD (3.5") and replaced with the laptop's HD (2.5"). It then booted fine on the desktop. However, when I reconnected the HD to the laptop the error that appears is "Bootmgr image is corrupt. The system cannot boot".

2. Using the laptop's HD as the install hard drive connected to the desktop, I boote the Windows 7 Home Premium installer DVD and installed the operating system. After installation it booted fine on the desktop. However, again, when I reconnect the HD to the laptop the error "Bootmgr image is corrupt. The system cannot boot." again appears.

As you suggested, I will try resetting the laptop CMOS and see what happens.

Thanks again for the help.

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fixtheproblem/tp/clearcmos.htm

 

[pickleman]

Hi Gregrocker,

I did as you suggested and reset the CMOS in the laptop. Here are the results:

1. If I reset the CMOS and set the DVD to boot first in the BIOS, I get Boot Manager error 0xc0000428.

2. If I reset the CMOS and set the HDD to boot first in the BIOS, I get Boot Manager error: 0xc000000e

Windows failed to start. A Recent hardware or software change might be the cause. To fix the problem:
1. Insert your windows installation disc and restart your computer.
2. Choose your language settings, and then click next
3. Click "repair your computer."
Status: 0xc000000e
Info: The boot selection failed because a required device is inaccessible.
-------------------------------
Both these errors are different to the error (before resetting the CMOS): Bootmgr is corrupt. The system cannot boot.
Thanks

 

[Maguscreed]

I can't speak for the rest, but you are getting the changed hardware error because it was booted into the desktop.

 

[pickleman]

The bottom-line is why would the HD boot in the desktop and not in the laptop? Puzzled as to what would cause that effect.

 

[gregrocker]

Before you move a Win7 HD or its image to another machine to boot, you need to SysPrep it on the old hardware: SysPrep to move HD to another computer

The alternative is to run Paragon Adaptive Restore CD on the HD before starting.

Otherwise a moved HD or its image cannot be expected to start on new hardware except in rare cases.

Normally moving the HD to another computer to try install is the very last resort when troubleshooting time and steps run out. But there are steps which have been given that are not yet completed and/or reported back on, so please go through the thread and make sure everything has been tried and reported back.

 

[pickleman]

Here is an update. In order to eliminate the possibility that I was dealing with a defective hard drive, today I went and purchased a brand new one from Tigerdirect. Guess what? After installing the new HDD in the laptop, when I attempt to install Windows 7 Home Premium on the new HDD, I get the same 0xc0000428 error (Error reads: A recent hardware or software change might have installed a file that is signed incorrectly or damaged, or that might be malicious software from an unknown source). This suggests to me that the problem may be on the laptop itself (hardware failure) and has nothing to do with the drive. Perhaps the BIOS?

For what it is worth, I should mention that I can CD boot into DOS just fine; however, booting with a PEBart CD the system hangs with the message "Starting PEBART".

Any suggestions as to how to proceed is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[gregrocker]

Try installing to the HD when moved to the Desktop again, but this time SysPrep it before moving it back to the laptop as given in my post just above which was ignored.