Install freezes on 0% of "Expanding Windows Files"

[dw96]

Yo guys
I'm trying to install Win7 on my mom's laptop. I got to the custom install and I selected the HDD. I pressed the button for additional options and clicked format.After about 4-5 seconds it said it has been formated (although it seemed a little bit too quickly for me) and I continued to install. It gets to the install screen and shows "Copying Windows Files 0%...". It quickly and somehow, without showing 100% done "skips" the step giving it a tick and moves to expanding the files. Expanding stays on 0% and nothing else. No indication of the DVD reading, no indication of the HDD writing. It just stays like that and... NOTHING!!! This Win7 is from a torrent and the exact same edition is running on my PC, installed just fine. I tried several other CD's and on one of them it just got to the second restart and IT DIDN'T REBOOT! Even after waiting about 10 minutes it just did nothing. I restarted the laptop manually and then the install started from the beginning... Got any ideas what to do??? Please help, this is very VERY important!!!

 

[Jonathan_King]

Hello,

I know 10 minutes seems like a long time, but I do not want to move on until we can be more sure. Could you try leaving it for 30 minutes?

If nothing happens, we can go from there.

In the meantime, try reading my guide http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/34853-common-installation-problems.html, and follow the tips such as disconnect all unnecessary hardware.

Thanks,
~Jonathan

 

[richc46]

Jonathan is correct, you should wait. There have been many posters, who have commented on the long wait, which was finally resolved by not being impatient. If you performed the Microsoft upgrade advsior test and you puter was found to be compatible with 7, the installation should install correctly. If you have a problem with the installation, however, before retrying use the upgrade advisor from the MS, site. It will advise of any problems or changes that should be made.

 

[raf051888]

When you burned the DVD of the OS did you burn with verification? I had the same issue with any copies of the ISO I burned from my MSDAA school site.

 

[dw96]

Nothing. I even used KillDisk to low-level-format the C: (wipe it with zeros), but nothing.
I tried this with the advanced functions in the Windows DVD:
I erased all partitions and I hit the "New" button. Then two partitions pop up.The first is the regular new one that should really be there and the second is about 100MB and I beleive it is system backup or something??? Whenever I click "New" and then OK it says that Windows may create additional partitions for... god knows what and why...
I'm leaving the PC now, hopefully it'll work. Please write if you have any more ideas...

 

[Jonathan_King]

The additional partitions are system partitions necessary for the OS to work.

 

[dw96]

20 minutes passed. The DVD isn't making any noise, so it's not reading, the laptop HDD indicator isn't blinking so it isn't reading/writing. I'll keep on waiting though...

 

[Jonathan_King]

The fact that you downloaded from Torrent concerns me. Torrent is not exactly a reputable place to download Windows from. Can you get a hold of a legal, official version? Maybe from a friend, or contact Microsoft and they will send you a DVD for the cost of shipping.

 

[dw96]

The fact that you downloaded from Torrent concerns me. Torrent is not exactly a reputable place to download Windows from. Can you get a hold of a legal, official version? Maybe from a friend, or contact Microsoft and they will send you a DVD for the cost of shipping.

This torrent works on my PC, why not work on another? There are no scratches on the CD. It's just fine. And I tried several editions like 7100 and two different 7600 torrents. Nothing. I just don't get it... I'll try install XP on it now, then start the install as an upgrade from XP to 7. Hope it'll work... :huh:

 

[pparks1]

If you downloaded the software from a torrent, where are you getting the licenses for the install from? It's very hard to trust the contents of an operating system cd which is downloaded from a torrent. Although it works on one computer is no guarantee that it will work on another. Especially if this is a hacked/activated or otherwise pirated copy of the OS.

 

[digitalrurouni]

Barring aside the discussion whether this is a legal/or not copy of the OS, I think it also could be that your optical drive for some reason is having issues with it. Maybe there should be a firmware upgrade for the drive somewhere. But I am in agreement with the above poster. Downloading an OS from a torrent aside from not being legal, seems like will enable the user who is installing the torrent to be in a world of hurt because it could already be infested with a bunch of malicious software.

 

[dw96]

Installed XP and began a clean install from XP to 7. All steps seem to go OK, until we get to the last part. Before the install can continue a reboot is needed. That reboot ain't happenin'. It just stands there doing nothing. I waited 20 minutes and decided to reboot manually. Fortunately for me, I found myself in a selection screen where I have three options. The first and the last always seem to roll me back to XP with an error "This system is incompatible with Windows 7" and the second choice (Windows 7) brings me back to the install. All seems well, but it freezes there too. We're on "Completing Installation" and the three dots are moving, but yet again after MORE than 30 minutes waiting the green bar below won't budge. I now went back to XP and I downloaded the latest BIOS update for the laptop and I flashed it. Weird thing is - the laptop didn't restart after the BIOS flash was complete - it shut down - INSTANTLY! It was just like "phewwwwww..." (same thing that would happen if you press & hold the power button) (instant shutdown). I hope the BIOS is updated though, I'll retry the install now. I looked up freezing on the last step in google and I heard that disabling the USB's might work. Well, they're fully disabled now - from the device manager. WISH ME LUCK...... here goes nothin'...

 

[gregrocker]

Back up your Mom's files because failure is already an option: You will LOSE HER FILES!

Try booting from the DVD to do Custom install, formatting the HD first.

Don't know why you reinstalled XP. It doesn't even have compatible formatting with Win7 which is likely the problem if you're trying to overwrite it.

 

[Antony]

Not sure if this will help or even work for you but here's my penny's worth. A couple of days ago I had reason to reinstall 7 on my pc. I put up a thread in the hardware section on here as I thought Id had a hardware failure. All the symptoms suggested I had (I even bought a new HDD because of it). Anyway to cut a long story short I decided to install a differnt OS - in this case XP. The install went without a hitch proving it was not my hardware. Looking at threads on here I decided to reset my cmos to factory default setting. When I then tried to reinstall 7 it went without a problem. My system was halting a little earlier than yours but it might be worth a try.

 

[dw96]

Files are backed up a long time ago, I got nothing to worry about. I also tried making a HDD format. Nothing. And I haven't even tried to make an upgrade - custom install is what I've been trying to do from the beginning.
And last thing- isn't the link you posted about activating windows? I can't get it to install, if I install it there's a way I can activate it, don't worry... BTW I just got back to this frozen state:


**** **** ****!!!
Argh!

ANOTHER THING ALSO BOTHERS ME:
How come Doc (from SF) can run f***ing Windows 7 on a PC that is WAY LESS THAN 1 GHz, and is probably.... 20 YEARS OLD OR SOMETHING, and I can't get it to run on a friggin 2 Ghz 64-Bit AMD processor, VIA Onboard Video with 128 vRam and 1GB RAM memory! I don't get it! The Fujitsu Siemens website says the computer hasn't been tested with Windows 7 software, but I WAS CERTAIN IT WILL WORK!!! I mean, it ran on my old AMD 2GHz 32-Bit, Why not run on a AMD 2GHz 64-Bit??? It doesn't make any sense. I'll try some more s**t with it and if it ain't working my mom will have to stick with XP SP3...

 

[gregrocker]

Try clearing the CMOS as suggested: Clear CMOS - 3 Ways to Clear the CMOS - Reset BIOS

Check SATA controller setting when in BIOS. Try AHCI first, then IDE.

Remove all but 2 gb or memory and try again.

Test your memory with memtest86 CD for at least 6 passes, or overnight to stress test.

Get HDD diagnostics from maker's Support Downloads page for your model, run full test.

 

[dw96]

ZAEBI - Rude bulgarian phrase, meaning "Forget about it" or "Just leave it".
Looks like this won't work. Still, so that there are no angry people, rep for all who helped in this post. I'll just leave it with XP, I also have lot's of more work to do....

 

[dw96]

NEWS - IT WORKED!!! Dunno how I managed to do it - all I did was flash the BIOS again and quit all programs before install. Even though I was sure it won't work IT WORKED!!! My mom now has Windows 7 Professional x86. Hope you're happy for me! EVEN MORE INTERESTING: The printer worked without installing any drivers! I just plugged it in and it was there!!!


Edit: Admins, please mark this as solved.

 

[gregrocker]

Thanks for letting us know, and cheers for not giving up.