Need Immediate Help!

[mccoady]

I'm right in the middle of installing Windows 7 home Premium (32 bit) on a Dell E520 desktop I ran Upgrade Advisor and everything was ok. This is an upgrade from XP Pro so I'm doing a Clean Install and have selected "Custom". This install is also on a brand new hard drive.

I'm on step 9 http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html and it ran through everything including the last item "Installing Windows" then rebooted a couple of time.

It's been 15 minutes now and all I have is a black screen and it doesn't sound like the disk is doing anything.

Help what do I do start over??

 

[Cornholio]

Maybe your PC has hanged and you have to hard-reboot it... I don't really know, though......
Can you do ANYTHING at all? Move the mouse, etc?

 

[mccoady]

No nothing icon or nothing I just shut it down and in the process of starting over I did unplug anything USB this time except for mouse and keyboard.

I'm on Step 9 again but Step 8 was different this time it showed 2 partitions (1) 100GB for reserved space and (2) Unallocated 930GB for new drive. The first time through it only showed 930GB unallocated so maybe I'm on the right track this time I'll post back.

 

[mccoady]

Ok it's been 10 minutes now on black screen on Step 9 after leaving leaving "Installing Windows" it seems to booted a couple of times.

Should I be seeing something by now or does it sound like it hung again?

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello.


A clean install takes less than 20 minutes if there's no issues.


You need to have a look a look at the info below, you may be one of the ones that have issues installing Windows 7 to too large a partition and be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.

Since the Hard Disk Drive is new you can use the clean command in Step One instead of the clean all command to just remove the format configuration data then create a 100GB Primary partition to do the install to.


After you have copied out or made back-ups of the data you need to save to external media, use Step One of this tutorial at the link below to do a wipe (secure erase) to the entire Hard Disk Drive / Solid State Drive.

• Then if you do not want to create the new Windows 7 "System Reserved" partition use the outline in Step Two #2 to create, format and mark Active a single 100GB partition to do the installation to.
• If you do want to create the "System Reserved" partition use the outline in Step Two #3 to create, format and mark Active the System Reserved partition and then create and format the 100GB partition to do the installation to.

Either way, running the "clean all" then creating and formatting the partition(s) using diskpart will get you the best possible space to do a clean install of Windows 7 to; you can always extend the Windows partition to include the remaining unallocated space on the HDD / SSD or create additional Primary partitions or an Extended partition after the installation completes if you choose.

SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

DISKPART : At PC Startup

Do a Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

 

[mccoady]

Ok finally it got it to install turns out I had a DVI cable plugged in going to a tv and that was causing it to hang.

Now here's my issue though this DVI to HDMI cable runs out of my son's computer to his Plasma's HDMI input and anytime I plug this back in Windows hangs at startup. There were no issues with this before the Windows 7 upgrade.

This is a must to get going what do I need to do? Thanks!

 

[gregrocker]

Update the driver for the plasma from optional Windows updates after enabling hardware auto-updating: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/...mmended-drivers-and-updates-for-your-hardware

If no driver cues in optional Updates, go to the manufacturer's Support Downloads webpage to get the driver.

Install in Safe Mode if necessary.

 

[mccoady]

Greg "Device Installation Settings" is already checked to automatically update.

His Plasma is already listed as compatible Windows 7 Compatibility for LG ELECTRONICS 50PG20 50" Widescreen HDTV Plasma: LG ELECTRONICS. Drivers, Updates, Downloads

With the DVI cable plugged and starting computer it makes it to the desktop but then hangs... nothing is displayed except the cursor.

Any other ideas I've got to get this to work?

 

[scrooge]

if it makes it to the desktop and then go's blank maybe it's the video card drivers that need to be updated .

scrooge

 

[gregrocker]

You may need to borrow a VGA monitor to get this started so you can update the HDTV driver which appears to be hanging the startup.

Try to get into Safe Mode which will default to a standard VGA driver which might work on the TV, then update the hdtv driver. If it won't install driver then in Device Manager uninstall the listed Display adapter to try to get it to start with standard vga driver.

Here is another way to get into the Device manager during install to uninstall the hanging Display driver - use the steps at the end of the tutorial skipping over reinstall: .http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/15856-device-manager-access-during-windows-7-installation.html

 

[theog]

For help with finding drivers
Can you post your specs.
http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/22550-filling-out-system-specs.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/6936-dont-know-what-hardware-you-have.html
VistaForums SysInfo Tool - Vista Forums

 

[mccoady]

I just want to make clear my situation if there's any confusion. My son uses a VGA monitor for doing things on his computer but also has connected a DVI to HDMI cable ran to his LG 50PG20 Plasma.

If I leave the DVI cable disconnected his computer loads fine no issues at all but if I connect it then it gets to his desktop and hangs although I do have a cursor. None of this was an issue before upgrading to 7.

After installing Windows 7 there was a Windows Update for his GeForce 7300LE video card and I had it update it.

So I'm a little confused on what Greg wants me to do since I have no problem getting to the Device Manager as long as the DVI cable is disconnected but as I said there was already a Windows Update for the video card?

 

[gregrocker]

If you can get to the desktop using the VGA monitor, then plug in the LG HDTV and see if it needs its driver updated. Updates should deliver one shortly, or browse on internet from the listing in Device manager to see if it picks one up.

The device is fully compatible with Win7 and says it should self-install. So absent a driver which remedies the situation, I would scour the logs and other resources for clues as to what is happening to cause startup to hang when LG is plugged in: Win7 troubleshooting fundamentals

 

[mccoady]

Are you saying I can plug in the DVI cable while the computer is already up and running and I'm already on my desktop? I didn't know you could plug in a DVI cable while the computer was running.

I did notice the driver it updated to had a date of 7/9/2010 and you can get a newer update from Nvidia website dated 1/18/2011. Would it hurt to update to it or would it have to come from Dell?

 

[gregrocker]

You can plug in the HDTV then observe it's driver loading by clicking bubble from the System Tray. I would have it query Windows Update for driver, examine the driver it's loading in Device manager, consider updating the driver.

You can certainly try the newer driver from Nvidia if it is for the correct display adapter as it may help.

As a general rule I never allow the full video software package to run at Startup as it can cause problems and conflicts. In fact, I don't allow anything in the msconfig>startup list except AV and gadgets/stikynotes as all others are freeloaders on RAM/CPU at all times and can spy on you.

 

[mccoady]

Ok thanks I learned something I didn't know you could hot-plug a DVI cable I will give it a try in the morning.

This looks like the Nvidia driver that matches my video card so I'll assume it's the right one NVIDIA DRIVERS 266.58 WHQL

 

[mccoady]

Ok this is what I've done so far but nothing fixes the issue. I hot plugged in the DVI cable and the screen flashes off and back on leaving me the desktop but having no icons or task bar or anything just like before. Now unplugging the cable causes the screen to flash again and when back everything is normal.

Next I updated the driver from Nvidia site but that didn't make a difference.

Next I rebooted to Safe Mode and then plugged in the cable nothing happens so I uninstalled the video driver and then rebooted with the cable still plugged in. After the desktop was loaded everthing was still fine so next I reinstall the driver which prompts a reboot.

After rebooting the desktop appears like before with nothing loaded so I unplug the cable, the screen flashes, and back to normal again.

This has got to be a driver issue right but it wasn't a problem before installing Windows 7 so what gives?

I thought the GeForce 7300LE was decent but would upgrading the video card be a solution? I have a new Gigabyte HD 4350 (ATI) that someone gave me would it be better than the 7300LE if not I'll buy something you recommend.

 

[theog]

Have you set up a 2nd monitor or TV in Display setting?

 

[mccoady]

No not yet because with the DVI cable plugged in I don't get a regular desktop and so no way to get to the Control Panel.

If I boot to Safe Mode with the DVI plugged in will Safe Mode detect the DVI cable (Plasma), if so I could set up a 2nd monitor?