Trying to install Windows 7, stuck on the blinking cursor page

[wompwomp]

Hello all,

I am trying to put my old (but recently purchased) HDD in another computer. I have the computer's original Windows cd in the drive. The HDD in question is a WD Black 500gb.

I will try to give as much information, as concise as I can in order to facilitate accurate help from the forum.

The original computer the HDD was in is an Alienware 14. I want to put it in my old Alienware m14x. The HDD was configured RAID by default when I reinstalled windows on the 14 last week. I have put literally nothing on the HDD before putting it in the m14x. I also have an mSATA (Samsung 840 EVO) in my 14 that is the OS drive. The HDD was there for additional storage, but my girlfriend's laptop broke so I'm giving her my old m14x. I will be putting another SSD in my 14. The original (or should I say, the 3rd replacement) HDD in te m14x went bad, which is why I need to put my new HDD in it.

When I go into BIOS on the m14x, the new drive is recognized, but the text is black and I cannot select it in BIOS. The default configuration for the drive is AHCI. I suspect this is the problem. I have the CD-ROM at the top of my load order, followed by the HDD. When I exit BIOS with the Windows CD in the drive, I am stuck on the screen which only has a blinking DOS cursor in the upper left hand corner. I left the computer on this screen for an hour last night, so I'm pretty sure I've waited long enough for any loading to occur.

As I said, I suspect the drive configuration is the issue. I am hoping there is a way to reconfigure the drive to AHCI without putting it back in the 14 and reinstalling windows to reformat the drive, or maybe I can set BIOS to RAID? I'm not sure if this will harm the drive in any way.

I hope I have given precise, clear description of my situation, but I would be more than happy to elaborate if I have been unclear or you need more info. Thank in advance!

 

[AddRAM]

You are re installing windows on the drive, you don`t have to re set anything on the drive itself, you are wiping it out.

But set the bios to defaults and try again.

You should be fine then.

If you don`t get the words "Press any key to boot from DVD" then your install dvd is no good.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi you don't say much about the installation media being used or booting to the install media

 

[wompwomp]

AddRAM:

There is a chance, I suppose, that the install CD is bad...Dell suspended my service tag a few years ago. I kind of didn't listen when they asked me to send them my old computer back. Short backstory, the m14x was a lemon. Had techs 'fix' it like 6 times, sent it to repair facility 3 times. I finally emailed Mike Dell himself and they finally granted me a replacement. I never sent them the original broken one and they sent me an email saying my service tag was suspended. I wonder if that also voided the Alienware Windows install CD I'm trying to use. I do have a windows install cd from my newer computer, the 14, which I can try to use as well, but since it is already installed on my 14 I don't think that will work. I will try resetting everything in BIOS when I get home though.

ThrashZone: I'm not sure what you mean, I mentioned I am using the computer's original Windows install disk, and the CD-ROM is at teh top of my load order.

 

[AddRAM]

They can`t void an install dvd.

An install dvd is not tied to any particular PC. (Everyone knows what I mean, I don`t want to get into the details)

Try whatever disc you have, as long as the version matches the key on your COA, you`re fine.

Good Luck

 

[ThrashZone]

I doubt dell is able to deactivate the install media only the activation key associated with it.
All I can see is the media is not being booted to with either using the Delete key or similar at startup that will give you a list of boot options to select.

 

[AddRAM]

Yes, you have to see the magic words "Press any key to boot from DVD"

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

 

[wompwomp]

I suppose the most likely problem I am having is the CD drive maybe isn't installed correctly. I did have to take it out before installing the HDD so maybe I didn't get the orange ribbon all the way in the crimp thing. That ribbon is such a pain

 

[ThrashZone]

Sounds like that's the issue to me

 

[AddRAM]

All this is supposed to be taken care of before you even attempt to install windows.

 

[wompwomp]

Wait, what do you mean all this is supposed to be taken care of? Of course I thought the hardware install was good before I tried installing Windows....that orange ribbon gave a few techs a hard time too, one tech removed the cream colored platic crimper thing and spent a good 25 mins trying to get it back on.

I can hear the CD drive spinning, its rather loud. Maybe a pin isn't lined up right or half the ribbon is properly seated. If I'm still having issues I'll have to assume I'm having more hardware related problems. It wouldn't surprise me at all

 

[AddRAM]

OK then, come back when that`s all fixed, we can`t do that for you, even if we are in the same general area

A ribbon cable takes 5 seconds to install.

OK 10 if you count both ends

 

[ThrashZone]

You can always try a usb flash media install
That is until Microsoft removed all of digital rivers downloads :/

You might look into how to create an iso from the disk media ?

 

[gregrocker]

Work through the steps to Troubleshoot Windows 7 Installation Failures - Windows 7 Help Forums.

You said you had a RAID setup, which normally means there are more than one hard drive in an array. You do not want this with Win7 as it only leads to problems, so set the SATA controller in BIOS to AHCI as it says in the steps above.

If the hard drive is not detected then you'll need to get it to be seen by BIOS. If not test it with the maker's HD Diagnostic extended CD scan.

I don't know what you mean by putting the hard drive "back in" another PC to reinstall. You want to install on the target PC. You should have sent the replaced PC back to Dell by now anyway, lest you've stolen from them when they granted you a replacement by special action of the owner who you wrote.