Solved Problems and errors trying to reinstall Windows 7

[bootstuck]

hello all...

in an attempt to reinstall windows 7 onto my sons laptop i pulled the hard drive and formatted it. the admin password was lost. now it brings up an boot error 0xc000000f. there is no option for bios to switch order for boot. what options are there for us?

 

[gregrocker]

I'm not sure why you expect the hard drive to boot since you removed and formatted it. The error is to be expected if there's no OS on the drive any longer and it tries to boot the hard drive. What should be booting now instead is the Win7 installation media to reinstall.

Since you intend to reinstall there was no need to remove the hard drive to format, just proceed with a normal correct Clean Reinstall Windows 7 during which you use the Drive Options at the Drive Selection screen to delete all partitions and create and format New.

The tutorial at the blue link above will assure you get and keep a perfect install, and includes information on how to confirm your installation media and then boot it correctly which should overcome that error.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[bootstuck]

i can't figure out how to boot from the dvd drive first. there is no option for bios..

 

[gregrocker]

If this is the Lenovo, it should say clearly on the first screen to press F12 for Boot Menu. Did you do that? Then choose DVD drive, unless it is a UEFI BIOS in which case you'd choose UEFI DVD drive choice and continue with UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - Install Windows 7 with - Windows 7 Forums

I'm not sure why you'd format the drive in another PC and then return it expecting it to boot, or not knowing how to boot installation media to do a Clean Reinstall Windows 7. Didn't you think of asking someone before you did this? The greatest success comes from studying to prepare for a Clean Reinstall Windows 7. Few have problems who makes the necessary preparations.

If the BIOS BOot menu won't respond, then follow these steps to boot the disk or flash stick:How to Boot your Computer from a Bootable CD or DVD or watch this video:

There's a possibility you have a UEFI BIOS which should have been ressearched beforehand by looking at Disk Mgmt to see if there was an EFI BOot Partition. Otherwise look on the BIOS Boot Menu or BIOS Boot Priority order in BIOS for any EFI or UEFI devices and choose the UEFI version of the installation media you're using as shown in UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - Install Windows 7 with - Windows 7 Forums . If you do indeed have a UEFI BIOS' and are using a flash stick installer you'll need to forma t it specially using Option One of UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows

Report back all progress and any questions. Remember that you will get and keep a perfect install to the exact extent you stick only the with tools and methods given in Clean Reinstall Windows 7 just like 1.5 million others who haven't had a single complaint or returned with a single problem.

 

[bootstuck]

Hello greg,



If this is the Lenovo, it should say clearly on the first screen to press F12 for Boot Menu. Did you do that? Then choose DVD drive, unless it is a UEFI BIOS in which case you'd choose UEFI DVD drive choice and continue with UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - Install Windows 7 with - Windows 7 Forums

>here is a video of whats going on with the machine.. i don't see the option of going to the bios to arrange boot order. i'm banging on the f12 over and over with no luck. f2 brings up a different screen which leads me to a endless loop of nothing.
https://youtu.be/VrHFq2mtmZQ

I'm not sure why you'd format the drive in another PC and then return it expecting it to boot, or not knowing how to boot installation media to do a Clean Reinstall Windows 7. Didn't you think of asking someone before you did this? The greatest success comes from studying to prepare for a Clean Reinstall Windows 7. Few have problems who makes the necessary preparations.

>i tried doing a clean reinstall of win7. i set restrictions on my sons account where he could not doing any installation and i lost the password to the admin account since i don't ever use his computer. i should have asked someone prior to doing it unfortunately i didn't and here i am asking the pros for advice. thank you in advance for taking time out to respond to my dilemma. it really means a lot just getting any response.

If the BIOS BOot menu won't respond, then follow these steps to boot the disk or flash stick:How to Boot your Computer from a Bootable CD or DVD or watch this video:

>i've created a bootable flash stick but i can't get it to run since there is no control option to set the boot order..

There's a possibility you have a UEFI BIOS which should have been ressearched beforehand by looking at Disk Mgmt to see if there was an EFI BOot Partition. Otherwise look on the BIOS Boot Menu or BIOS Boot Priority order in BIOS for any EFI or UEFI devices and choose the UEFI version of the installation media you're using as shown in UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - Install Windows 7 with - Windows 7 Forums . If you do indeed have a UEFI BIOS' and are using a flash stick installer you'll need to forma t it specially using Option One of UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows

Report back all progress and any questions. Remember that you will get and keep a perfect install to the exact extent you stick only the with tools and methods given in Clean Reinstall Windows 7 just like 1.5 million others who haven't had a single complaint or returned with a single problem.

 

[gregrocker]

Have you tried also holding the FN (Function) key, or reversing the need for holding FN key for F# keys which may be offered in BIOS setup? The FN keys are most often on Lenovo set to be used for F-number keys so that they are easier to access for Volume, Screen Brightness, etc. without using the FN key. Hope this is clear.

 

[bootstuck]

yes i've tried that also. will replacing the hard drive w/ a new one from the store work?

 

[gregrocker]

You should be able to boot into BIOS Boot menu or BIOS setup irrespective of the HD condition. But to be sure unplug the hard drive and DVD drive and try booting both BIOS choices again, so that you know for sure that it isn't one of those drives interfering. If not then replacing the Hard Drive would likely not help, unless it's HD Diagnostic CD test shows it is failing.

 

[bootstuck]

disconnected both and can see boot menu now.

it says exiting pxe rom and goes to boot menu

 

[bootstuck]

so i plugged the bootable usb w/o hard drive and optical drive hooked up.. it loads the windows installation.

 

[gregrocker]

Now see if you can plug back in the hard drive alone to Clean Reinstall Windows 7 . THis would mean the DVD drive is blocking boot.

If the HD continues to block boot itself, then you'll need to replace it or slave it to another PC to wipe it with Diskpart Clean Command clear the boot code that's interfering, then do a full format in Disk Mgmt before returning it to PC.

If you cant slave it to another PC, its possible you can wipe it from Command Line in System Recovery Option but if it will boot into installer to do that then it should proceed with install from the drive selection screen where you can delete all partitions, create and format new.

 

[bootstuck]

hi greg,

i'm trying to install from usb boot installer.. it won't allow me to install on any of the 4 partitions.

 

[gregrocker]

Have you confirmed the ISO and know for sure the installer is correctly formatted from Step 1 of Clean Reinstall Windows 7.

If so and the installer is correctly formatted and you still cannot boot it or into BIOS setup, try with only the DVD drive unplugged. If it still won't boot the hard drive is pretty much confirmed blocking boot so you'll need to try wiping it with the steps I gave before to see if it will then let the stick boot.



Make sure you are using a USB2 port and if the PC has a UEFI BIOS you have formatted the stick for it. You can boot inot BIOS setup to look for evidence of UEFI BIOS.

Can you boot DVD to try install?

 

[bootstuck]

greg

i did the diskpart command clear

how do you do the full format in disk management?

 

[bootstuck]

when i try booting with dvd to install it gives me the original error.

when i remove it out of the equation it can load the bootable windows usb

greg i'm not sure about this "Have you confirmed the ISO and know for sure the installer is correctly formatted from Step 1 of Clean Reinstall Windows 7."

 

[bootstuck]

jesus christ. i went through all of that thinking its going to install... went w/ mbt then the other one.

it says setup was unable to create new system partition or locate an exisiting system partition. See the setup log files for more information. on partition 2..

partition 1.. windows cannot be installed to this hard disk space. the partition is a miscrosoft reserved partition

 

[gregrocker]

The MSR partition means that you have a UEFI BIOS which was mentioned earlier for you to check for and change your approach if so.

Use a DVD booted as UEFI DVD drive, or format the flash stick using only Option One of UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows. Stick must be booted as UEFI flash stick only. If that doesn't show up on boot menu then it's not formatted correctly or BIOS settings are askew.

All partitions must be deleted to reset formatting if necessary to GPT disk for UEFI install. If it still fails then we need to look at BIOS settings for UEFI, EFI, Legacy BIOS, Secure Boot, BIOS Boot order. Pictures will help.

This should not be in this tutorial's comments section as it does not pertain. I am going to ask to have it moved to Install forum as its own thread.

 

[bootstuck]

banging my head on the keyboard here. i've changed to UEFI on the usb bootable and on the hard drive..

still not working

 

[AddRAM]

Let`s s start at the beginning.

What are you trying to use to install windows ?

And how did you set it up, if you created it ?

From post #16 it sounds like you are trying to use a normal installer dvd or usb stick to install windows onto a UEFI motherboard bios and a GPT partition styled hard drive or ssd. You can`t do that.

 

[gregrocker]

I told you what to do if it failed. Did you even read my post?