Windows 7 Cannot Get Windows to Install

otacon239

Senior Member
I've tried for the past two days issuing everything I know to get a copy of Windows running on my computer.

Things to know:
-I'm planning on dual-booting with Linux.
-It is a desktop.
-I have access to a Linux machine that is currently running.
-I have the Digital River copy of Home Premium x64 iso and a key to go with it.

It was working pretty well until I got a new graphics card and decided I wanted to just reinstall both Windows and Linux to have fresh drivers, etc. I quickly realized that several of the methods I had previously used to install were not working or at least I'm not remembering them correctly. Here's what I've tried:

1. USB Image Writer included with Linux Mint 15
-reports success, does not attempt to boot when chosen in boot menu
2. UNetBootin for Linux
-reports success, loops at boot menu for UNetBootin
3. Copy-paste contents and set boot flag
-could not see any file when choosing 'Open with Archiver' even though file size is 3.3 GB
4. Disk Utility -> Restore
-reports success, blank screen with blinking cursor
5. Using a friend's Mac to create a Boot Camp bootable flash drive
-blank screen with blinking cursor

I have tried multiple ISOs that were on my hard drive as well as downloading a fresh copy from the site with no unique results.

Am I just missing something plainly obvious or should I start taking a look at hardware being the issue? I know it's not graphics because fallback drivers work for that and I had drivers working before I had attempted reinstalling Windows and Linux.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Sent from my Moto G
 
It might be helpful if you could describe what is happening when you try to install. But for now, I would say if you have the ability, to clean the drive prior to installing or at least during the install (Shift+F10 for command window and use Diskpart's clean command).

If you don't want to do that, at least remove any prior partitions so the Windows install will be able to create the partitions it needs.
 
I can't even get to any kind of boot screen. In my OP, after each attempt, I listed the results. None of my options even get me that far. I should also mention I've tried more than one flash drive, so that's another factor to rule out considering I use these drives on a regular basis outside of this.

Sent from my Moto G
 
Is it possible that sometime during the installation of the new video card you entered the BIOS and set something differently, like perhaps Load Optimized Defaults or another such option which may have turned on the whole TPM (Trusted Platform Module) stuff. With the new Safe Boot / UEFI stuff on newer motherboards booting some external devices with alternative operating system files can be an issue with all that enabled.

I generally will use this tool for creating bootable thumb drives from ISOs
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/universal_usb_installer.html
Seems to work reliably and doesn't require installing, runs like a portable application.
 
When you get a blank screen with blinking cursor, that usually means the boot is being directed to a non-bootable place.

A Windows 7 Install Flash drive normally is just a drive formatted as Fat32 and set as active with the Windows 7 install files copied to it from the mounted .iso file. You may need to burn the .iso to a DVD, the copy the files from it. But I would assume you have used the Install Media before so you would know if it was usable.

Is Grub being used as a boot utility? This really should not make a difference if you are using a Boot Device Menu to select the flash drive for boot, or have it set as first priority in the bios.
 
It might be helpful if you could describe what is happening when you try to install. But for now, I would say if you have the ability, to clean the drive prior to installing or at least during the install (Shift+F10 for command window and use Diskpart's clean command).

If you don't want to do that, at least remove any prior partitions so the Windows install will be able to create the partitions it needs.

I haven't installed a dual-boot in years but my memory serves that Windows has to be installed first, then the Linux (whatever flavor is your favorite) gets installed thereafter. That way, Windows sets itself up and then you can implement the Linux Partition to your liking.

But I ALWAYS installed Windows 7 first, THEN Linux. some might say otherwise but I never had a failure or issue ever.
 
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