Having trouble installing Windows 7

[NoeG89]

Hello I'm having trouble installing a new copy of Windows I purchased. A little background before I get into the details, I'm currently running some ancient parts. A ECS geforce 6100 mobo, AMD Athlon Dual Core, 4 Gb of DDR2, 160 Gb Maxtor hard drive (sata), a brand new Pioneer DVR (sata), a Nvidia Geforce GTS450 and a Creative Audigy 2.

Before I purchase windows 7 I was running Windows Vista for several years. Slowly I experienced blue screens I believe from installing and uninstalling programs. My original DVR was about 8 years old which I replaced with the Pioneer. It's my understanding Vista was loaded with bugs so I figured upgrading to Windows 7 would be much better than redoing it in Vista. When I tried to install windows 7 for the first time it froze during the installation, and I had already wiped my hard drive clean so there is currently no OS on it. I figured it was the DVR because it was so old and at times it wouldn't even read the disk so I replaced the DVR and tried again. By the way my old DVR was running off IDE. Now when I try to install windows it stays at 0 percent at expanding files. I've tried to go into the motherboard BIOS and reset the BIOS to default. Another problem is once I'm in the BIOS my keyboard will not allow me to scroll through the menus.

I am NOT as tech savvy as I used to be so any help that could be simplified would be greatly appreciated

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hello and welcome Noe mate first how did you clean the drive? if you just formatted it then you really need to wipe the drive with a clean all or use an app that will take everything off.

In the BIOS have or did you set the first boot device to the optical?

Sounds - sorry - the system really needs a replacement mate.

One more thing you can try is a memtest make a memtest bootable disk set the BIOS if yo can to boot from the optical and insert the disk and exit the BIOS saving changes. You need to run that at last 8 passes - it takes along time I am currently doing it on an older machine (a Vista) and the first boot came up with a ton of errors on one stick of RAM so it has gone and so far the rest is good so try that first.

See http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/105647-ram-test-memtest86.html

Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool

 

[gregrocker]

Unplug all other HD's and peripherals,

Boot into BIOS setup, reset to defaults, save changes. Set DVD drive first to boot, HD second, set SATA controller to AHCI, Save changes and Exit.

Then boot into Windows 7 installer DVD or flash stick burned or written using tool and latest ISO for your licensed OS version here.

At first installer screen Press Shift + F10, or enter System Recovery Options to open a Command Box, type:

DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK 0 (after confirming Windows 7 target HD #)
CLEAN
CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY SIZE=102400 (for 100gb partition, adjust as desired)
FORMAT FS=NTFS LABEL="WINDOWS 7"
ACTIVE
EXIT
EXIT

Next click Install Now, then Custom install to Clean Install Windows 7 to the partition you created. If it fails then report back at which step and the verbatim error message.

In addition read over these steps to understand the tools and methods which work best to get and maintain a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7. The steps are the same for retail.

After install you can adjust partition size or Create new partitions for data, etc. in Disk Mgmt. You are creating the partition here for the purpose of wiping the HD and marking Active which overcomes certain install failures.

 

[NoeG89]

So I managed to get through the first part of the installation, the computer restarted and began to boot up. The windows logo showed with the text "updating windows registry" then it restarted again, now it's stuck at the second boot screen with a blinking cursor.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hello Neo did you run the memtest by any chance?

 

[NoeG89]

No, I skipped over that step, I know I shouldn't have but I was trying to get through it without it, I don't have a spare computer to load it onto a flash drive, ill have to wait til next weekend, ill load it sometime this week and run it next weekend.

 

[NoeG89]

Is the memory diagnostics test that comes in the Windows DVD the same as the memtest?

 

[gregrocker]

You can run WMD from the disk but it's not as thorough as memtest.

Did you skip any steps I gave you above?

 

[ICIT2LOL]

No, I skipped over that step, I know I shouldn't have but I was trying to get through it without it, I don't have a spare computer to load it onto a flash drive, ill have to wait til next weekend, ill load it sometime this week and run it next weekend.

Actual Neo I found the disk was easier to make mate and Power2go does it in about thirty seconds

Free software | CyberLink

 

[NoeG89]

Thank you everyone for your help, I install windows successfully. Unfortunately I already got a bluescreen but I'm going to run the memtest and figure out what's going on.

 

[NoeG89]

At Gregrocker - No I followed the command prompt steps and the BIOS changes, although I couldn't find any menu regarding the sata controller

 

[gregrocker]

What changes did you make in BIOS? Did you wipe the HD with Diskpart Clean Command?

Test your RAM with Memtest86 - Download Page burned to CD with Windows Image Burner or ImgBurn at 4x speed. Run it over night to really stress it.

If RAM is okay then remove one stick to try install.