Solved Windows 7 Installation

[gregrocker]

If it gets to Installing Devices and won't finish, you may then have access to Device Manager to uninstall Display or other hanging driver to see if installation will complete to desktop where you can install driver.

Device Manager - Access During Windows 7 Installation

However it is likely not a driver which would be dragging out install as you're seeing, but hardware like RAM or the actual display device.

But access to the Device Manager may get it over the hump of failing during Device Install phase so that you have an install.

 

[dustywoodworker]

If it gets to Installing Devices and won't finish, you may then have access to Device Manager to uninstall Display or other hanging driver to see if installation will complete to desktop where you can install driver.

Device Manager - Access During Windows 7 Installation

However it is likely not a driver which would be dragging out install as you're seeing, but hardware like RAM or the actual display device.

But access to the Device Manager may get it over the hump of failing during Device Install phase so that you have an install.

This is becoming quite an experience for me. A long and tedious experience.

Right now it has advanced to "Completing Installation..."

I am hesitant to do anything other than let it run the course. I don't want to upset the sequence if it might work out.

 

[gregrocker]

Have never heard of a 24 hour install, as it normally takes about 24 minutes.

RAM is what jumps out, especially since you said you pulled a stick and I'm wondering if you left remaining stick in first slot (next to CPU), what would have happened with other Stick, or stress tested with memtest.

I'm asking for more help because this is something else.

 

[dustywoodworker]

Have never heard of a 24 hour install, as it normally takes about 24 minutes.

RAM is what jumps out, especially since you said you pulled a stick and I'm wondering if you left remaining stick in first slot (next to CPU), what would have happened with other Stick, or stress tested with memtest.

I'm asking for more help because this is something else.

Are you saying that the two memory sticks may not be in the right slots?

The memory sockets are color coded (two yellow and two black).

I have the two yellow sockets (DIMM A1 and DIMM B1) occupied.

 

[gregrocker]

Sorry if I misunderstood - thought you said you had removed a RAM stick to try this install.

If these are matched DIMM's let's make sure you have them in the correct slots, and that the sticks and slots are tested following Jonathan's process here for 5-6 passes or overnight: RAM - Test with Memtest86+

 

[marsmimar]

It sounds like the sticks are in the correct slots.

Memory slots are usually color coded. When you have 2 memory sticks, you will want to install both modules in the same color slots. If you do not have color coded slots, then look in your motherboard manual for the 2 slots that go together.

Source

 

[dustywoodworker]

Sorry if I misunderstood - thought you said you had removed a RAM stick to try this install.

If these are matched DIMM's let's make sure you have them in the correct slots, and that the sticks and slots are tested following Jonathan's process here for 5-6 passes or overnight: RAM - Test with Memtest86+

I did remove a RAM stick to get down to the recommended 2GBs. This machine originally had 3GB. One stick was removed due to a memory failure. I have been operating on 3GB until I started this.

 

[dustywoodworker]

It sounds like the sticks are in the correct slots.

Memory slots are usually color coded. When you have 2 memory sticks, you will want to install both modules in the same color slots. If you do not have color coded slots, then look in your motherboard manual for the 2 slots that go together.

Source

My manual is a little confusing to me.

I have the 2GBs in the yellow slots (A1 and B1). The two black slots are unocuppied (A2 and B2).

If testing a single stick, intuitively I would do that in either A1 or B1. I don't know for certain that is correct. I will try to make more sense out of the chart in the manual.

 

[dustywoodworker]

It ran all night long "Completing Installation..". I think the next scripted step is a restart.

Since it did not restart after all this time (over 12 hours doing "Completing Installation"), my question is "What now".

Should I just throw in the towel and power down or are there ways to get into the inner workings without disrupting what might have been loaded.

Sure hope it comes up operating in one of the two (XP or W7). If it doesn't, I have no way to test the memory or anything else without reloading xp. I've put xp back soooo many times.

 

[TVeblen]

Here is a snip from the manual. It looks like the RAM has been installed correctly according to the manual.

If you are going to test with only one stick it is always best to use slot A1.

 

[dustywoodworker]

Sorry if I misunderstood - thought you said you had removed a RAM stick to try this install.

If these are matched DIMM's let's make sure you have them in the correct slots, and that the sticks and slots are tested following Jonathan's process here for 5-6 passes or overnight: RAM - Test with Memtest86+

I have checked the manual for directions and I have checked the machine for compliance. The DIMM are located in the two yellow slots (A1 and B1) nearest the processor.

The sticks may be marginal but they are properly located.

My ASUS manual does recommend that for XP I operate with less than 3GB of ram. It goes on to state that operating with 3GB will cause no operational difficulties but that there is no performance advantage.

Until I removed one stick a couple days ago, I have been operating with 3GB.

When I get W7 operational, what should I do (2GB or 3GB). That may be a rhetorical question because I may have to replace it all. In which case I will likely go to either 4GB or 8GB.

 

[dustywoodworker]

Here is a snip from the manual. It looks like the RAM has been installed correctly according to the manual.

If you are going to test with only one stick it is always best to use slot A1.

Thank you for that feedback.

 

[dustywoodworker]

It sounds like the sticks are in the correct slots.

Memory slots are usually color coded. When you have 2 memory sticks, you will want to install both modules in the same color slots. If you do not have color coded slots, then look in your motherboard manual for the 2 slots that go together.

Source

Thanks for the feedback.

I did locate a version of my MOBO that co-mingles the slots; ie, yellow-black-yellow-black where mine are yellow-yellow,black-black.

 

[gregrocker]

It ran all night long "Completing Installation..". I think the next scripted step is a restart.

Since it did not restart after all this time (over 12 hours doing "Completing Installation"), my question is "What now".

Should I just throw in the towel and power down or are there ways to get into the inner workings without disrupting what might have been loaded.

Sure hope it comes up operating in one of the two (XP or W7). If it doesn't, I have no way to test the memory or anything else without reloading xp. I've put xp back soooo many times.

I gave you what to do next earlier:

If it gets to Installing Devices and won't finish, you may then have access to Device Manager to uninstall Display or other hanging driver to see if installation will complete to desktop where you can install driver.

Device Manager - Access During Windows 7 Installation

However it is likely not a driver which would be dragging out install as you're seeing, but hardware like RAM or the actual display device.

But access to the Device Manager may get it over the hump of failing during Device Install phase so that you have an install.

 

[Dave76]

You can download your motherboard manual from here:
M2N32-SLI Deluxe User's Manual for English Edtion(E2697)

This manual shows the two yellow RAM slots closest to the CPU, the two black slots on the outside.
If this is the same as your motherboard, this manual you need to use.
If you have a manual that shows yellow-black-yellow-black RAM slots and your motherboard isn't configured that way, it is the wrong manual.

You can install your RAM cards in the two yellow RAM slots, they should be together and closest to the CPU.
When running memtest86+ you can put a single RAM card in any slot for the test. It is best to test with the slots that you are using now.

I recommend running memtest86+ with both RAM cards installed, in slots A1 and B1.
It is best to run the test for a full 7 passes, overnight is the easiest.
If you get any errors you can stop the test.

If the tests has no errors or does not stop by itself, that means it has passed this test.

If you get any errors in the first test, then follow the instructions below.

For the single RAM card test:
Take the RAM card out of slot B1, test the RAM card that is in slot A1.
It is best to run the test for a full 7 passes, overnight is the easiest.
If you get any errors you can stop the test.

Pass or fail, take the RAM card out of slot A1 and put the other RAM card into slot B1 and run memtest86+ again, same as above.


Have you checked you CPU core temperatures recently?

Are you installing Windows 7 32 bit or Windows 7 64bit?

 

[Dave76]

The chart says you can run a single RAM card in slot A1 or B1.

For testing the RAM, use the slot that it is in now.

 

[dustywoodworker]

It ran all night long "Completing Installation..". I think the next scripted step is a restart.

Since it did not restart after all this time (over 12 hours doing "Completing Installation"), my question is "What now".

Should I just throw in the towel and power down or are there ways to get into the inner workings without disrupting what might have been loaded.

Sure hope it comes up operating in one of the two (XP or W7). If it doesn't, I have no way to test the memory or anything else without reloading xp. I've put xp back soooo many times.

I gave you what to do next earlier:

If it gets to Installing Devices and won't finish, you may then have access to Device Manager to uninstall Display or other hanging driver to see if installation will complete to desktop where you can install driver.

Device Manager - Access During Windows 7 Installation

However it is likely not a driver which would be dragging out install as you're seeing, but hardware like RAM or the actual display device.

But access to the Device Manager may get it over the hump of failing during Device Install phase so that you have an install.

Thank you for the response, greg but I was asking about right now while it is still in the installation mode. In view of your response, I will shut her down and see what happens when I turn it back on.

 

[gregrocker]

If you can't enter Device Manager to uninstall Device(s) in error - likely vid card driver - following the tutorial's final steps, then work back through the thread to complete all of the steps starting with Dave's suggested hardware checks.

 

[dustywoodworker]

Sorry if I misunderstood - thought you said you had removed a RAM stick to try this install.

If these are matched DIMM's let's make sure you have them in the correct slots, and that the sticks and slots are tested following Jonathan's process here for 5-6 passes or overnight: RAM - Test with Memtest86+

I have checked the manual for directions and I have checked the machine for compliance. The DIMM are located in the two yellow slots (A1 and B1) nearest the processor.

The sticks may be marginal but they are properly located.

My ASUS manual does recommend that for XP I operate with less than 3GB of ram. It goes on to state that operating with 3GB will cause no operational difficulties but that there is no performance advantage.

Until I removed one stick a couple days ago, I have been operating with 3GB.

When I get W7 operational, what should I do (2GB or 3GB). That may be a rhetorical question because I may have to replace it all. In which case I will likely go to either 4GB or 8GB.

I am a little confused. I have the referenced memory test operating right now. It has been stated that I should run this test multiple times or maybe overnight.

I see no option to define the number of times that the test shall be run. Therefore I assume that if I boot with that CD and run the test for an hour or so that counts as one test. Reboot for test #2, etc.

OR

Start this test and go to bed. Check the results in the morning.

Is this a correct interpretation?

Similarly, I was told to test one stick at a time. At the moment I am not doing that. I started the test with both sticks installed; not in defiance but rather neglect. If I continue to run like this, is the test equally revealing as doing the same thing one stick at a time?

If not, I will do it all again.

Last Question (for now

 

[gregrocker]

The memtest86 CD will continue running passes until you stop it. I would run at least 5-6 passes, or overnight to really stress test the RAM good.

What happened when you tried to get into Device Manager using steps in tutorial?

Have you looked over the rest of Dave's posts? Follow his guidance closely.