Solved Install and restore image problems

[KGraves]

I have been trying to either clean install windows 7 or preferably restore a system image. The problem is in both cases they run about 3 -6 minutes and my screen goes blank and hdd activity ceases (hdd light stops showing activity). What to do? To verify problem wasn't the computer, linux installs fine. The only thing that seems to be written before failure is the 100mb system reserve file, viewed in linux live distro.

 

[AddRAM]

Bad disk ?

Where did it come from ?

Did you actually install Linux on the hard drive ?

 

[whs]

What did you use to make the image.

 

[KGraves]

I'll answer both.
The disk is from msdn - I used to run the msdna software program at a local university. The disk has been used at least 40 times, and is scratch free.
The image was made on the same machine, before i went away to linux for a bit. The image was created in windows, with their image option to an external drive.
The original win install was done with the same disk.

 

[KGraves]

Linux has been on the hdd since 10.12.14. Before that windows. The windows that was imaged.

 

[AddRAM]

The drive has to be wiped of linux code using Diskpart and the clean command with your install dvd at 1st boot.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/52129-disk-clean-clean-all-diskpart-command.html

 

[KGraves]

Will try and get back.

 

[whs]

Aha, you need to format the disk in NTFS. It's probably in ext3 or ext4 now.

 

[KGraves]

Same problem after running clean command, then attempting.

 

[KGraves]

Will format then try. Was ext4.

 

[KGraves]

Failure once more. Formated with gparted to ntfs, ran diskpart + clean. Failed at same point. Even tried another win 7 disk - same source.

 

[whs]

Check the disk with chkdsk /F

 

[KGraves]

Failure at same point. After using gparted to format to ntfs, then running clean that you recommended.

 

[AddRAM]

Very odd the hdd stops functioning during windows install, but you can install Linux fine.

This is an odd one

First you run clean, then create partition and format NTFS, not the other way around, and use diskpart to do all of it, not gparted.

Diskpart
List disk
Select disk n (where n is the number that was given for your SSD\HDD in List disk)
Clean
Create partition primary align=1024
Format fs=ntfs quick
Active (assuming you want to install an OS)
Exit

And you have unplugged all other drives, correct ?

 

[whs]

Very odd the hdd stops functioning during windows install, but you can install Linux fine.

This is an odd one

This is possible. Linux is much smaller than Windows and may never go to areas of the disk where windows goes. I suspect some HDD problem.

 

[KGraves]

Thank you so far for your time. I'll have to get back to this. My wife requires dinner and socializing for the evening. Oh,, and the disk shows healthy with linux utility... Also when I was trying to remember how to find out what drive to switch to (windows command line, been awhile) for chkdsk it shutdown also...

 

[AddRAM]

Very odd the hdd stops functioning during windows install, but you can install Linux fine.

This is an odd one

This is possible. Linux is much smaller than Windows and may never go to areas of the disk where windows goes. I suspect some HDD problem.

Very possible

 

[gregrocker]

Work through the steps to Troubleshoot Windows 7 Installation Failures - Windows 7 Help Forums

I'd try new media for your licensed version. If DVD attempts fail then try flash stick to compare.

 

[KGraves]

After becoming frustrated and angry, just about left linux on it and was going to just have my daughter teach the misses how to use it. (Was a work machine I brought home). But ended up taking the drive to an alternative computer and installed the image. Everything works fine now, just finishing catching up on updates. Still dont know what the problem was??? But it is fixed.