Windows 7 Pro x64 hangs during startup even after fresh install

[jralston]

SOLVED-Windows 7 Pro x64 hangs during startup even after fresh install

Hello, I'm having a problem with a computer that I've had for a while now. It's a custom build that's several years old, but I have recently changed out the CPU and fan, video card, and hard drive all within the last year. The operating system, Windows 7 Professional x64, was installed by me almost 2 years ago. It has been running fine this whole time, through all the hardware replacements, until yesterday when I shut it down, left the house, came back and the system froze on startup. After several restarts in which it froze in exactly the same place, during the logo, seemingly just before it goes in to load the desktop, I ran memory and hard drive tests using my Windows installation disk, and also an Ubuntu Linux DVD. Both came back without problems. I tried partitioning a section of the hard drive and doing a clean install, but after installation it rebooted and had the exact same problem. I'm thinking it could be memory related, whether its a bios setting or maybe a bad stick, but I'd like to get some input before I go any further. My system specs are listed in detail on my profile.

 

[OldMX]

Load bios defaults and run memtest for some loops.

 

[Ageeb]

First thing I'd try if it were mine would be a safe mode boot to, possibly, determine software or hardware fault.

 

[jralston]

Sorry it seems I left those out, safe mode hangs during driver loading, and I have loaded the bios defaults with no avail. And after installing Windows on the seperate partition I made sure to take the disk out after the first reboot. I have even installed Ubuntu Linux and couldn't boot into the desktop, it kept bringing me to a command promt login, even tho I specified in the installation setup to log in automatically, and besides it should go to a login screen not a command promt. Remember the system ran beautifully until yesterday. I should also mention I'm typing all this on an Ubuntu LiveCD booted on this system.

 

[jralston]

Ok, so this still has me really confused, ive completely wiped my hard drive, I now have Windows 7 dual booting with Ubuntu Linux, and I can run Linux perfectly whereas Windows still hangs during that loading screen.

 

[Total]

Ok, so this still has me really confused, ive completely wiped my hard drive, I now have Windows 7 dual booting with Ubuntu Linux, and I can run Linux perfectly whereas Windows still hangs during that loading screen.

do you have a ide cd or hard drive ? I had the same issue -when I disconnected the ide cd drive and no pause , when I reconnect the ide cd drive , 40 sec pause ..

 

[gregrocker]

GRUB can corrupt Win7 when on the same HD. Best to use separate HD's booted via the BIOS, not GRUB.

How many times did you run Startup Repair on Win7 from the booted Win7 DVD Repair console or Repair CD? http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/105541-startup-repair-run-3-separate-times.html Using multiple tests and fixes, it can sort out causes of such problems but may need to be run repeatedly.

Test your HD using maker's diag/repair full CD scan: http://www.carrona.org/hddiag.html

 

[jralston]

It has the same issue even with windows installed by itself. The only reason I have Linux on here now is because Windows stopped working. I've ran startup repair a few times, it doesn't help.

 

[gregrocker]

Did you wipe the HD with zeroes before reinstalling Win7 by itself? GRUB corruption remains if not.

We need to rule out GRUB corruption before proceeding to troubleshoot why Win7 hangs at startup whereas Linux doesn't.

Tips for getting a purrfect reinstall based on hundreds done here: http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/125874-re-install-windows-7-a.html#post1086729

 

[jralston]

i dont believe its anything to do with grub corruption because ive never had linux installed on this hard drive until recently, because of this freezing problem. it ran with windows installed by itself for almost 2 years and then out of nowhere just started freezing during the loading screen. i then did a fresh install and it still froze. now i have linux installed just to have something to use but windows still freezes and i havent found a way out of it yet.

 

[gregrocker]

Did you wipe the HD with zeroes before reinstalling Win7? http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html

Run maker's HD diag/repair full CD scan: HD Diagnostic followed by http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/433-disk-check.html

Could be drivers or installed apps hanging Win7. Troubleshoot using these methods: http://www.sevenforums.com/general-...-lags-every-couple-seconds-2.html#post1131640

 

[jralston]

just a heads up, after doing some more research on numerous forums i have fixed the problem, although im not entirely sure why. i was reading one forum full of people who were having the same problem i was having, and came across a post where a user said to have fixed the issue by changing a couple of bios settings, one being plug&play os set to on. when i changed that setting windows booted fine and has run perfectly ever since. if someone has any insight as to why this would have fixed it, or any other info, it would be appreciated, but for now this case is closed. it should also be noted that safe mode froze during the driver loading which i stated in my original post, but the exact driver it hung at was classpnp.sys. here is a link to the forum which helped solve this problem just for future reference. Windows 7 hangs on startup