Solved Windows 7 Ultimate x64 install issues

[Bino5150]

Ok so I’m attempting to do a fresh install of Windows 7 Ultimate x64 on my studio computer. Im installing via flash drive and USB 2.0 port. I’m having some issues here...

First off, the install was running SLLLOOOOOOOOOOWWW... it took forever to load. My computer wasn’t running slow, just the installation. The little thinking wheel spun normally, and my mouse had crisp response. I started the install at 6:45pm last night. At around midnight, it was at like 65% “Expanding Windows Files”. I let it run overnight. This morning I was at the part where I had to input user information, serial, establish profile & computer names, etc. that part still ran slow, but much faster than it did the night before. At some point in the installation, the computer rebooted (which is standard process, I guess). However, when I came in to check on it, it’s on Startup Repair. It seems to be running; it searched for problems, now it says attempting repairs. I love the part about “this may take several minutes”; it’s been doing this for several hours. The system isn’t frozen, as the little blue task bar thing is moving smooth and steady across the screen, the mouse is responsive with no lag in the cursor, and if I click Cancel, it immediately pops up with the message informing me “the current repair operation cannot be cancelled”. I just don’t know if it’s doing anything at all, or just spinning it’s tires and is hung up on something.

I’m installing to a Kingston SSD that’s brand new fresh out of the box, and it’s the only drive in the machine right now. Nothing is connected to the machine except the monitor, mouse, and keyboard.

As of right now, I’m about to hit the 24 hour mark on this install. What do I do? Should I just let it run? The only way to cancel this operation would be to pull the plug on it (well, hold down the power button). The installation isn’t finalized (I guess?), so I don’t want to corrupt something and have to start this all over again. I use this machine for my work, and I need to get it functional ASAP. Please help! Thanks in advance.

Intel QX6800 Core 2 Duo Quad Core Extreme Edition @ 2.93GHz
Intel DQ965GF
8Gb PC2-6400
Nvidia GeForce 8400GS
Kingston 240Gb SSD

 

[Snick]

Hi Bino5150,

Welcome to Sevenforums!

Where did you obtain Win7x64 Ultimate?

May be a corrupt install on the Flash Drive, bad flash drive or corrupt Win7x64 Ultimate.

 

[Bino5150]

Hi Bino5150,

Welcome to Sevenforums!

Where did you obtain Win7x64 Ultimate?

May be a corrupt install on the Flash Drive, bad flash drive or corrupt Win7x64 Ultimate.

I have 2 copies; one iso I got from a fellow co-worker here at the studio, and one I downloaded from Microsoft.

The flash drive ins functioning, and if I put it in one of the other machines that already have an OS, I can open it and run setup flawlessly from there.

I’ve tried a few times with this, it’s always an issue, and I end up going back to XP. I’d like to get this sorted out though.

 

[Bino5150]

So far this install has been 26 hours. The last 8 or so stuck on Startup Repair (still).

 

[Snick]

@SIW2 Any ideas?

SIW2 is our resident guru in this area. The blue is notification of this post.

With what you are saying, and after some research, I'd tend to think that you have a bad Kingston A400.

Click here for Amazon Reviews

I've always had good results with Samsung SSDs or less expensive Crucial SSDs

I have a Samsung and two Crucials in my desktop I'm using now.

Could you put the drive in another computer and try install then?

If you have the same result, that would pretty much point to the SSD as the problem.

 

[SIW2]

https://www.intel.com/content/dam/s...boards/965/DQ965GF/DQ965GF_ProductGuide03.pdf

Maybe you could do with a bios update. Hard to find now, unless it is on wayback machine.

https://drivers.softpedia.com/get/BIOS/Intel/Intel-Desktop-Board-DQ965GF-Bios-6088.shtml

You might also struggle to find drivers for win7 The vista drivers might work.

 

[Bino5150]

Snick this is like my 4th or 5th attempt. A while back my funny convinced me to make the switch. I was going to set up a dual boot system. I tried with both versions of the installation, and got very similar results to what’s happening now, minus the Startup Repair (that’s a new one). Neither of those attempts were successful. I then tried a clean install wiping the hard drive, and it took like 30 hours but it actually installed. When it booted, I could make it to the login screen for my profile. When I would log in, instead of going to the desktop, itnjust went to a black screen. I wiped that out and went back to XP. I read somewhere that 7 installs could be picky, especially with used drives and MBR something-or-other issues, so this time I disconnected all of the other hard drives that were in the machine, and started with a fresh new hard drive that’s never seen an operating system before. It’s possible, but I seriously doubt it’s the SSD.

 

[Bino5150]

https://www.intel.com/content/dam/s...boards/965/DQ965GF/DQ965GF_ProductGuide03.pdf

Maybe you could do with a bios update. Hard to find now, unless it is on wayback machine.

I have the most recent BIOS for this board.

 

[SIW2]

Have you checked the bios settings there are some raid settings that might be worth looking at, according to the manual.

The other thing is drivers - vista drivers might be ok if they can be found.

I came across a post where the poster said win10 took many hours to install on that board.

Out of curiosity, have you tried installing 32 bit win7 to see if that works? Unless that is what you meant by this?

I tried with both versions of the installation

 

[Bino5150]

No, I haven’t tried the 32 bit version.

So if I was to shut it down in the middle of this Startup Repair that I’ve been stuck on for over 11 hours, will that screw anything up?

 

[SIW2]

will that screw anything up?

Not any more than it already is.

 

[Bino5150]

Not any more than it already is.

At this point in the final stages (I’m assuming) of the installation, do I still need the flash drive or should I attempt to boot the hard drive without it?

 

[Bino5150]

Update: I reset the machine and selected “start windows normally”. It went to the windows splash screen for a second, then flashed BSOD and rebooted. When it came back on, I started windows again. After the splash screen, it’s just a blank black screen with the mouse pointer on it instead of the login screen.

Edit: I attempted to boot into safe mode, and it did the same thing. Black screen with the mouse pointer in the middle.

 

[Megahertz07]

Did you check the HDD for issues?
Boot from the Win 7 installation disk and hit shift+F10 to launch a CMD window.
Diskpart
list volume (take note of the drive letter assigned to the drive)
exit
chkdsk x: /f (Replace x with the drive letter)

 

[Snick]

Bino5150

Do you have another computer you could use to do the install, then move drive back?
You can't use an external connection to do install, has to be internal.

 

[Bino5150]

No, I don’t have another computer to use. I have my sons laptop with Win10 on it, that’s what I used to make the bootable flash drive with, but that’s it. But how would you do the install on another machine? I thought you couldn’t switch windows drives between computers because windows won’t accept a motherboard change.

 

[sverne]

Did you have Windows 7 installed on this same pc before, and did you change the motherboard?
I had an impossibility of installing 7 on a pc that originally came installed with 8 as the MB would not accept 7.
Ended up giving up, and installing 8 (and had to also tweek the BIOS.)

The fact that XP went well points to this possibility.

 

[Bino5150]

No, this motherboard has never seen a successful 7 installation (a few attempts like this, though). Other than that, I’ve just ran XP on it, which I’m this close > . < to going back to lol.

I’ve never fooled with 8. Those in the audio profession always steered clear of 8 like the plague.

 

[Megahertz07]

Did you have Windows 7 installed on this same pc before, and did you change the motherboard?
I had an impossibility of installing 7 on a pc that originally came installed with 8 as the MB would not accept 7.
Ended up giving up, and installing 8 (and had to also tweek the BIOS.)

The fact that XP went well points to this possibility.

sverne, Any computer that came with Win 8.x can have Win 7 installed.
You have to set BIOS properly and may have to add some drivers to the Win 7 installation disk.
If you wish, open your own thread and we will guide you.

 

[Megahertz07]

Bino5150, did you checked the drive?