System Fails to boot setup DVD - STOP ERROR 0x000000A5

[2 Bunny]

All right, this will probably turn into a really long post, but it is quite an interesting story even if you can't help solve the problem.

All right, so basically I am hoping to run Windows 7 on an old Laptop, an hp pavilion zt1250 (1GHz, 1GB RAM, 20GB HDD, DVD/CD, External WLan, XGA Screen, that sort of old). It isn't like a serious installation, it is more like a "post on YouTube to a "Windows 7 running on a nine year old laptop" or "wow your friends with your old computer running a newer os than their new one (possibly)"", and because it looks pretty darn cool. Anyway, I pop in the install DVD and we get past the gray progress bar and onto "Starting Windows", until all of the sudden out of nowhere, just a second before the cutesy Windows Logo animation appears, I am instantly greeted with a blue screen saying nothing more than:

STOP: 0x000000A5 (0x0001000B, 0x50434146, 0xFFd0ac0, 0x00000000)

It does it on all install discs that I've tried, and it gives me the same error consistently every time. I even tried starting the installer within xp, and that starts okay, but after the first reboot where it boots the partially installed os from the hard drive, it does the same thing before it can continue. Everything that is not essential has been unplugged, tried removing ram modules, on battery or plugged in, checked the extremely simple bios settings menu (you can change like three things, none of which pertain to the situation), and most other items that could possibly be covered here. This leads me to the conclusion, that since it my disc is fine and my hardware is fine (did a bios update), that the installation disc must be first modified in some way, perhaps to skip a certain unnecessary check?

Thanks for all your help!

- 2 Bunny

 

[IggyAZ]

All right, this will probably turn into a really long post, but it is quite an interesting story even if you can't help solve the problem.

All right, so basically I am hoping to run Windows 7 on an old Laptop, an hp pavilion zt1250 (1GHz, 1GB RAM, 20GB HDD, DVD/CD, External WLan, XGA Screen, that sort of old). It isn't like a serious installation, it is more like a "post on YouTube to a "Windows 7 running on a nine year old laptop" or "wow your friends with your old computer running a newer os than their new one (possibly)"", and because it looks pretty darn cool. Anyway, I pop in the install DVD and we get past the gray progress bar and onto "Starting Windows", until all of the sudden out of nowhere, just a second before the cutesy Windows Logo animation appears, I am instantly greeted with a blue screen saying nothing more than:

STOP: 0x000000A5 (0x0001000B, 0x50434146, 0xFFd0ac0, 0x00000000)

It does it on all install discs that I've tried, and it gives me the same error consistently every time. I even tried starting the installer within xp, and that starts okay, but after the first reboot where it boots the partially installed os from the hard drive, it does the same thing before it can continue. Everything that is not essential has been unplugged, tried removing ram modules, on battery or plugged in, checked the extremely simple bios settings menu (you can change like three things, none of which pertain to the situation), and most other items that could possibly be covered here. This leads me to the conclusion, that since it my disc is fine and my hardware is fine (did a bios update), that the installation disc must be first modified in some way, perhaps to skip a certain unnecessary check?

Thanks for all your help!

- 2 Bunny

Hi and welcome.

The first question I have is did you run the Free Windows Hardware advisor program that checks your system if it is compatible wiht Windows 7 prior to install?

Second it seems that your old laptop has had this same problem inthe past with other OS installs. It may be just a BIOS update needed but I have found a few others having similiar issues with Win7 installs.
I just Googled "Windows 7 hp pavilion zt1250"


UPDATE
I just did some checking and it seems your laptop hardware will not work with Win7. It is just too old of a system.

 

[S1ip9]

@ 2 Bunny I have this exact same problem and this is on 2 year old hardware. Everything you said above was to the T of what my problem is. I've posted recently http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/65273-failing-install-unlike-others-2.html and on top of the things I tried and things suggested i'm no closer to getting 7 installed than when i started. It just doesn't add up. I'm currently re-installing Vista 64-bit with no problems what so ever.

 

[2 Bunny]

Reply Reply

All right, this will probably turn into a really long post, but it is quite an interesting story even if you can't help solve the problem.

All right, so basically I am hoping to run Windows 7 on an old Laptop, an hp pavilion zt1250 (1GHz, 1GB RAM, 20GB HDD, DVD/CD, External WLan, XGA Screen, that sort of old). It isn't like a serious installation, it is more like a "post on YouTube to a "Windows 7 running on a nine year old laptop" or "wow your friends with your old computer running a newer os than their new one (possibly)"", and because it looks pretty darn cool. Anyway, I pop in the install DVD and we get past the gray progress bar and onto "Starting Windows", until all of the sudden out of nowhere, just a second before the cutesy Windows Logo animation appears, I am instantly greeted with a blue screen saying nothing more than:

STOP: 0x000000A5 (0x0001000B, 0x50434146, 0xFFd0ac0, 0x00000000)

It does it on all install discs that I've tried, and it gives me the same error consistently every time. I even tried starting the installer within xp, and that starts okay, but after the first reboot where it boots the partially installed os from the hard drive, it does the same thing before it can continue. Everything that is not essential has been unplugged, tried removing ram modules, on battery or plugged in, checked the extremely simple bios settings menu (you can change like three things, none of which pertain to the situation), and most other items that could possibly be covered here. This leads me to the conclusion, that since it my disc is fine and my hardware is fine (did a bios update), that the installation disc must be first modified in some way, perhaps to skip a certain unnecessary check?

Thanks for all your help!

- 2 Bunny

Hi and welcome.

The first question I have is did you run the Free Windows Hardware advisor program that checks your system if it is compatible wiht Windows 7 prior to install?

Nope, I figured it would yell at me.

Second it seems that your old laptop has had this same problem in the past with other OS installs. It may be just a BIOS update needed but I have found a few others having similiar issues with Win7 installs.
I just Googled "Windows 7 hp pavilion zt1250"

No, it hasn't acutally. Windows xp installs perfectly every time, as mentioned above.

UPDATE
I just did some checking and it seems your laptop hardware will not work with Win7. It is just too old of a system.

Then how do you explain those people installing it with pentium 2s and a quarter gigabyte of ram on YouTube?

@ 2 Bunny I have this exact same problem and this is on 2 year old hardware. Everything you said above was to the T of what my problem is. I've posted recently http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/65273-failing-install-unlike-others-2.html and on top of the things I tried and things suggested i'm no closer to getting 7 installed than when i started. It just doesn't add up. I'm currently re-installing Vista 64-bit with no problems what so ever.

I know, there is just something funky about the hardware, it should at least load the installer.

Keep the suggestions and comments coming! ☺

- 2 Bunny

 

[S1ip9]

What bios verison are you running. I am running AMI BIOS 0404 wondering if there is any relation

 

[2 Bunny]

What bios verison are you running. I am running AMI BIOS 0404 wondering if there is any relation

It is some kind of Insyde Software thing.

I also discovered that the first half gigabyte of ram is in fact not baked onto the motherboard, and that after reading the service manual it involved looking beneath the keyboard, which I did, then switched out the ram with a different extra one I found, and it still didn't work, so I'm quite sure it isn't the ram.

- 2 Bunny

 

[2 Bunny]

So nothing? Its back to the drawing board?

- 2 Bunny

 

[S1ip9]

Well I'll give you an update on my situation. I've gotten further than I've been able to get. I had a bios version of 0404 and ASUS had released a bios update of 0701.

I flashed the bios and just like that the install was able to get further than before. Everything went smooth. Although I still can't get into win7, it is installed, and I can finally get past the blank screen. It just hangs on "Windows is setting up your computer for the first time" with the pulsing light.

Not sure if it was stated above but if it's possible try a different bios or updated bios version.

 

[2 Bunny]

SOON TO COME UPDATES Reply

Well I'll give you an update on my situation. I've gotten further than I've been able to get. I had a bios version of 0404 and ASUS had released a bios update of 0701.

I flashed the bios and just like that the install was able to get further than before. Everything went smooth. Although I still can't get into win7, it is installed, and I can finally get past the blank screen. It just hangs on "Windows is setting up your computer for the first time" with the pulsing light.

Not sure if it was stated above but if it's possible try a different bios or updated bios version.

Huh. Thats really interesting. I'm gonna try some more stuff, and then put in an update. Is that laptop you're trying it on an old laptop?

I really wish that someone would post a list of what these error codes really mean. They're supposed to be for support to diagnose stuff, but the support never knows what they mean.

I'll keep you posted!

- 2 Bunny

 

[S1ip9]

Yes the laptop is 5 - 6 years old. An emachine m6811. It's been through hell, but still runs nicely. I would defiantly try updating bios if at all possible.

 

[theog]

Hi 2 Bunny & S1ip9

Try this:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/68505-sata-driver-load-windows-7-vista-setup.html

 

[2 Bunny]

MULTIPLE ITEMS Reply

Yes the laptop is 5 - 6 years old. An emachine m6811. It's been through hell, but still runs nicely. I would defiantly try updating bios if at all possible.

Well, I may have a few options there. Here is the full story:
A while back (before the whole Windows 7 dilema) I decided to update the bios. The problem is, the installer requires a floppy drive, which the zt1250 does not have or support (even though the option is there in the bios). I ended up using a virtual floppy disk program, and then made an image of the disk and burned it to a disc. It booted up, but told me that a current or newer version was already installed (likely the current one), but I installed the update anyway. It went fine. Nothing seemed really different at the time, but in between time, I found that the Bios has this thing called "hp diagtools" that has a bios update button in there. It updates the bios as well, but that just doesn't make any sense. What version would that come with? Since it is in the bios, and a broken bios update would break the ability to do that, what is the point? I will try booting from the bios update cd again though and keep you guys posted.

Thanks for your help.

Hi 2 Bunny & S1ip9

Try this:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/68505-sata-driver-load-windows-7-vista-setup.html

Thats a good one. I wish I had this problem instead of my current dilema. No help at all, but thanks for the encouragement!

- 2 Bunny

 

[MilesAhead]

You could try this forum if you haven't already:

HP Business Support Center

It's named "business support" but it's not a paid support provided by HP. It's users of HP business machines who volunteer their answers. HP just hosts it on their servers. Sometimes you can get some info about HP machines you can't find anywhere else.

All it costs you to try is time to do the free registration. If you want to stay anonymous, hotmail addresses are accepted.

 

[theog]

Check with the Upgrade Advisor:

Download details: Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor

 

[2 Bunny]

MULTIPLE ITEMS Reply

You could try this forum if you haven't already:

HP Business Support Center

It's named "business support" but it's not a paid support provided by HP. It's users of HP business machines who volunteer their answers. HP just hosts it on their servers. Sometimes you can get some info about HP machines you can't find anywhere else.

All it costs you to try is time to do the free registration. If you want to stay anonymous, hotmail addresses are accepted.

Actually, I am already registered there. Funny thing is, someone else on that board posted the same attempt at trying to install on that computer (zt1000 instead of zt1250, but they're still the same machine, just slightly different hardware configurations). I posted a long speech in a reply to that post (which was originally posted in the Windows 7 RC forums) and haven't received any replies since, but I still have yet to try that other bios cd I was talking about, and then I will try and post a new, different thread on that board. Thanks anyway!

Check with the Upgrade Advisor:

Download details: Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor

I don't think that it would say it would work anyway. Beside, the problem is that it is:

NOT BOOTING THE INSTALL DVD, which should boot anyway - haven't you seen the people do it on YouTube with Pentium 1s?!

This is not for a functional install, it is for an interesting YouTube video (and to awe friends and family). Basically, what I mean is that I don't think it would give me a "green light" anyway.


Keep the answers coming guys, I'll take a look at the BIOS adjustment.

- 2 Bunny

 

[2 Bunny]

UPDATE Reply

You could try this forum if you haven't already:

HP Business Support Center

It's named "business support" but it's not a paid support provided by HP. It's users of HP business machines who volunteer their answers. HP just hosts it on their servers. Sometimes you can get some info about HP machines you can't find anywhere else.

All it costs you to try is time to do the free registration. If you want to stay anonymous, hotmail addresses are accepted.

Actually, I am already registered there. Funny thing is, someone else on that board posted the same attempt at trying to install on that computer (zt1000 instead of zt1250, but they're still the same machine, just slightly different hardware configurations). I posted a long speech in a reply to that post (which was originally posted in the Windows 7 RC forums) and haven't received any replies since, but I still have yet to try that other bios cd I was talking about, and then I will try and post a new, different thread on that board. Thanks anyway!

Check with the Upgrade Advisor:

Download details: Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor

I don't think that it would say it would work anyway. Beside, the problem is that it is:

NOT BOOTING THE INSTALL DVD, which should boot anyway - haven't you seen the people do it on YouTube with Pentium 1s?!

This is not for a functional install, it is for an interesting YouTube video (and to awe friends and family). Basically, what I mean is that I don't think it would give me a "green light" anyway.


Keep the answers coming guys, I'll take a look at the BIOS adjustment.

- 2 Bunny

And as an update, the above status is all still all correct, except for now I have tried that other BIOS update CD and still no luck with the setup DVD.

Now that we've ruled out pretty much anything with the hardware that can be done, can the setup be modified in any way to bypass a certain check that would give me that error?

Thanks for all your help, friends of the community.

- 2 Bunny

 

[JasRain]

I was dealing with this exact same problem for many many hours, and I came across an obscure article on the MSN knowledge base... Sorry I can´t find it anymore to post a link.
The problem it appears is to do with a conflicting driver or hardware (or most importantly) a boot file that the system cannot load correctly.
Anyway after many hours of playing with no result I found this solution.
1. resart into (F8) safe mode
2. Search for MSCONFIG
3. Right click and run as admininstrator
4. Click on the boot tab
5. on the tick box section check "NO GUI"
6. resart.

Wham thats it your into windows 7. Ok you don´t have the great boot up screen, but at least you got an OS that finally works.

Thanks for all your help guys.

 

[2 Bunny]

QUESTION Reply

I was dealing with this exact same problem for many many hours, and I came across an obscure article on the MSN knowledge base... Sorry I can´t find it anymore to post a link.
The problem it appears is to do with a conflicting driver or hardware (or most importantly) a boot file that the system cannot load correctly.
Anyway after many hours of playing with no result I found this solution.
1. resart into (F8) safe mode
2. Search for MSCONFIG
3. Right click and run as admininstrator
4. Click on the boot tab
5. on the tick box section check "NO GUI"
6. resart.

Wham thats it your into windows 7. Ok you don´t have the great boot up screen, but at least you got an OS that finally works.

Thanks for all your help guys.

Where do I search for MSConfig? How can I right click before I even get to a screen with a mouse?

- 2 Bunny

 

[JasRain]

As soon as the little BIOS flash screen disapear tap F8 the same as you would to enter safe mode in XP. As this mode only loads windows 7 core components it lets you boot and use the mouse and keyboard.

 

[2 Bunny]

NOT QUITE RIGHT, YET CLEVER Reply

As soon as the little BIOS flash screen disapear tap F8 the same as you would to enter safe mode in XP. As this mode only loads windows 7 core components it lets you boot and use the mouse and keyboard.

Yes, but the installer has not yet had a chance to start yet, so I cannot go into the start menu (you have to install an operating system first in order to use it, unless you can "live boot", which usually would require a USB drive or similar removable sizable storage, but USB booting is not supported by my bios).

Clever idea though, as I tried booting the installer in safe mode, and still got the same thing, even though the list made it down pretty far (if it would help, I could use a camera (ugh!) and take a video of the process, and then we can pause it where it fails, and perhaps make an adjustment from there. Good thinking, even though it was not the idea you intended! ☺

- 2 Bunny