Several unsuccessful Windows 7 installations

[jimbo64]

Have been reading through the forums but unable to find the answer to my problem.
I purchased a new 500 GB SATA disk to install WIN 7 64-bit on it, but after several tries the installation always ends in "completing installation" step, reboots and then the installer tells me the computer encountered and error and it gets into a loop of restarting.
I have removed everything, even my pci-sound card, to no avail. The first time I burned the ISO, it was at 12x speed, later I reburned at 4x speed but I feel some data is there somewhere, even as I have formatted the drive several times. I have a functional Windows XP Professional SP2 on the main hard drive, so I´m not willing to torn apart my pc just to let Win 7 to install...seems an unnecesary annoyance to me.
I have a Quad Core Q6600, 4 gb RAM DDR2, a Nvidia 8600GT and two sata drives, one with windows xp and the other a brand new. By the way, now I have like 5 win7 failed installations in my boot menu.
Any help appreciated, I am about to resign to have XP all the way to a new version of Windows

 

[ignatzatsonic]

What is your ultimate intention: to have just Win 7? Or do you want both XP and Win 7?

Have you disconnected your XP drive before you attempt any of this?

When you attempt the Win 7 install, are you choosing custom install early in the process?

Are you trying to install 7 when you are booted into XP?

Or are you booting from the Win 7 disc?

 

[jimbo64]

I want to have both XP and Win 7. I didn't know if removing the XP drive could be a good idea, so I left it. I choose custom install everytime, launching from the bootable Cd since win7 is 64 bit and my xp is 32 bit

 

[richc46]

http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/34853-common-installation-problems.html

From our extensive library.

Your situation is one of the posts close to the end.

 

[Orpheous]

If you downloaded the iso image, there's always the possibility that it's corrupt...

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Does your XP installation appear to still work as well as ever?

Are you positive that your motherboard will support 64-bit Windows?

If yes to both questions, I would disconnect the XP drive and retry the Win 7 install.

Boot from the DVD, choose custom install. When you come to the partition screen, choose "drive options, advanced". At the next screen, make whatever partitions you want, choose one of them for Win 7, make it active, and install Win 7 on it.

If that does not work, post back here with exact error message and when it occurs.

 

[gregrocker]

Are you formatting the new HD before install from the booted Win7 DVD?

Did you burn the DVD yourself? Verify Disk against ISO with Imgburn. Make sure it says "bootable" in text for both ISO and DVD.

 

[jimbo64]

Hello everyone... I have attempted to install win7 removing first the xp hard disk, and the same kind of error appears. I downloaded again and reburn the dvd to eliminate the possibility of corruption...
The thing is... it always stops at the "completing installation" step. I have done a mem test and found no errors. It gets at that stage for about half an hour, then suddenly reboots and the setup tells me it has encountered and error and the installation cannot continue.
I have a Gigabyte 965-p motherboard, DDR2 800 Memory (4 Gb), Nvidia Geforce 8600 GT, Quad Core Q6600, a LG dvd-rw optical unit and 2 SATA hard drives from Seagate
Do I really have to strip my computer to the bare minimum (in this scenario, I could only remove the RAM modules) to install win 7? Seems unnecesary to me. I have good faith in this release from Windows, but if it gives me such a pain at installation...

 

[gregrocker]

It isn't Win7 but some hardware or setting that is causing this.

Try removing all but 2 gb of RAM. Then try switching the sticks. Next test your RAM overnight using memtest86.

Do you have onboard graphics you can default to? If so, try unplugging video card during install.

Check SATA controller setting in BIOS. First try AHCI, then IDE. Next check your BIOS version against the latest update on your computer or mobo maker's Support Downloads webpage for your model.

Try resetting the CMOS: Clear CMOS - 3 Ways to Clear the CMOS - Reset BIOS

Download and burn to CD the Seatools for your HD model from Seagate's Support Downloads page for your model. Run full diagnostic/repair scan. Then zero the HD before trying install.

 

[Tepid]

It is quite possible that something on that mobo is not compatible with 7.
Or some other hardware. Could still be a bad ISO and/or burn.

Try this method instead...

also, as stated,, clear BIOS and update it. This is not a Win 7 problem.