Windows Vista Blues Screen when Trying to Install Win7

Sideshow Bob

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2009
I've tried several times to install Windows 7 but I keep getting a blue screen. I've been running Windows XP Pro so I purchased the Win7 upgrade software. I know going from XP I need to do a clean install so I have backed up my data to an external drive as instructed. I've tried installing two different ways, first booting on the Win7 upgrade disk. It loads several files then the screen showing windows is starting with the logo, then the screen go's blank and I get a blue screen that says:Stop:c0000221 Unknown Hard Error \systemroot\system32\NTDLL.DLL.
I then tried installing after XP is running. Again, it starts loading files and everything looks go until it does its first reboot then, blue screen. The bad news is by this time XP has been renamed and I can no longer start XP and have to reinstall XP. After doing this a few times (spending hours"s), I decided to start with a brand new drive. Installed the new hard drive in my computer and disconnected my other drives. Then installed XP on the new drive (because I have the upgrade software) and downloaded all the updates and service pack's (SP3). The only drivers I installed was for my WiFi device so I could access the web. After all this, BLUE SCREEN!!! I guess I my have a hardware issue but I have no idea where to look. Can anybody help me please!!
Thanks,
Gale
 
Does this happen when you are reading a disk? Maybe a problem with your dvd? If you burned Win 7 from an iso it will do this too.. unless it was burned slow.. like 4x.

When you install win 7 to a hard drive.. do not provide any drivers. Windows 7 requires almost all newer drivers.... that's why so many people are struggling with updating Vista... when 7 uses the drivers from vista they fail under 7. So a clean install solves that problem.
 
Thanks for the fast reply. I thought about the dvd player so I swapped it with another and am still having the problem.
"f you burned Win 7 from an iso it will do this too.. unless it was burned slow.. like 4x" Sorry, I don't know what this means? I'm using the Microsoft Win 7 disk.
One thing I didn't mention is when I try to install after XP is running (put Win 7 dist in dvd player, click the install button on the installation screen) when it is finished loading, (whatever it loads) and does its first automatic reboot, the blue screen is different each time.
Do you know what the "NTDLL.DLL" file/driver is for?
Thanks,
Gale
 
Back up a miute.... you have a factory disk... so forget about the 4x burning... I'm confused.. do you set your bios to boot to the dvd and run the setup on the disk? You can't first load xp then go to the dvd and install.
 
Yes, I'm using the factory disk and I have set BIOS boot order to first, dvd, second hard drive.
Like I stated in my original message, I have tried it both ways, If I boot off the factory disk it loads severai files\drivers and then I get the "starting windows" screen, it pauses for several seconds, the screen goes black, then I get the blue screen: Stop:c0000221 Unknown hard error \systemroot\system32\ntdll.dll.
If I first start XP then insert the win 7 factory disk it self starts and I get the screen that gives me the choise of backing up my data files or start installation. If I start the installation everything goes fine untill it does its first reboot, then I get a blue screen and the installation has stopped. Also the installation has renamed the WinXP files so when I try to reboot after the blue screen it won't because start up cannot find windows XP (it has been renamed). This is a REAL pain because I do not know how to undo what the Win 7 installation has done to XP.
I hope I've stated my problem more clearly, but if not, please let me know. At this point I've given up on Win 7 (unless someone can help me) and am going back to XP.
Thanks,
Gale
 
Yes, I'm using the factory disk and I have set BIOS boot order to first, dvd, second hard drive.
Like I stated in my original message, I have tried it both ways, If I boot off the factory disk it loads severai files\drivers and then I get the \"starting windows\" screen, it pauses for several seconds, the screen goes black, then I get the blue screen: Stop:c0000221 Unknown hard error \systemroot\system32\ntdll.dll.
If I first start XP then insert the win 7 factory disk it self starts and I get the screen that gives me the choise of backing up my data files or start installation. If I start the installation everything goes fine untill it does its first reboot, then I get a blue screen and the installation has stopped. Also the installation has renamed the WinXP files so when I try to reboot after the blue screen it won't because start up cannot find windows XP (it has been renamed). This is a REAL pain because I do not know how to undo what the Win 7 installation has done to XP.
I hope I've stated my problem more clearly, but if not, please let me know. At this point I've given up on Win 7 (unless someone can help me) and am going back to XP.
Thanks,
Gale

Several people found a fix but unfortunately they were usually required to replace hardware.

Link Removed due to 404 Error

You can google ntdll.dll error and find a lot to read about it.
 
Can you read what the stop error says?

You should also unplug any peripherals that are connect to the PC, such as a printer, USB external hard drive.

Haw much memory do you have installed?

32-bit or 64-bit?
 
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Yes, the stop error is "Stop: c0000221 Unknown Hard Error \systemroot\system32\ntdll.dll".
As I said in an earlier post, I tried installing Win 7 on a new hard drive with nothing externally attached except the WiFi adapter that is inter grated in my MB. I need connection to the internet so I can download the service packs from Microsoft.
I have 3 gig of memory installed.
I hope this helps you help me.
Thanks,
Gale
 
Yes, the stop error is "Stop: c0000221 Unknown Hard Error \systemroot\system32\ntdll.dll".
As I said in an earlier post, I tried installing Win 7 on a new hard drive with nothing externally attached except the WiFi adapter that is inter grated in my MB. I need connection to the internet so I can download the service packs from Microsoft.
I have 3 gig of memory installed.
I hope this helps you help me.
Thanks,
Gale

Clear your bios? Sounds like some kind of hardware confusion.
 
Check this link from Microsoft.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314474

The news isn't that good.

I can't remember if you can run sfc /scannow from a command prompt. Update, no it isn't, but you can run check disk by typing CHKDSK at the command prompt.

Check Disk - check and repair disk problems
 
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First off, thanks to both of you for all the help you have given me. The bad news, I still have the problem. I would like to try installation after XP is running but, like I said before, when I've tried it the Win 7 renames the windows file to windows.old and when I get a blue screen I can't reboot into XP. Does anyone know how rename window.old back to windows? I don't want to reinstall XP again, it takes hours.
Thanks,
Gale
 
Also, I forgot to mention that I installed a SATA DVD drive and in the BIOS, disabled the IDE. Didn't help.
Gale
 
Since there's already a directory named Windows, you cannot rename it so you can't rename windows.old.
 
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