Windows 7 Installation fails at first re-boot point

Cecebee

Extraordinary Member
My primary computer passed the readiness test for Windows 7 using the beta utility on the Microsoft site. The computer has a good running XP Pro installation on it on one of two available SATA drives. The second drive has 3 large empty partitions on it so I decided to install Win 7 build 7100 on one of the partitions. I shoved in the DVD and everything went smoothly until it reached the point where the first reboot was required. Reboot got to the point where you are asked to press any key to boot from the DVD. Of course that would just start the whole process from the beginning again so you don't want to do that. If all was normal the system would jump over that step and restart the installation process from where it left off. I finally did press a key and let the process get back to the point where you can ask it to repair a restart problem. It came back saying it had found a problem and fixed it but of course it hadn't done that at all. I started removing USB devices and trying the whole installation process over and over again with no success. Of course I can not now get back into XP because of something the aborted Win 7 installation has done to the boot files so I can use the computer for a footstool at best.

At this point I am tempted to reformat the Win 7 partition and see if I can somehow get the XP partition back to a bootable status but I don't know how much damage the incomplete Win 7 has done. At least I do have a fresh daily backup of XP before all this trouble started so no important data is lost.

After Vista and now this debacle I can't think of one good thing to say about Microsoft and its marketing machine.

TIA for any assistance/suggestions.
 
No drives were found during beginning of windows installation

No drives were found

First, need to prepare a SATA boot / data hard disk drive, only then can Windows OS detect it. By simply formatting a hard disk drive, you may not get it. The old volume / partition need to be deleted, and then recreate a new volume / partition and format it.

Steps to do so : System >> Administrative Tools >> Create and format hard disk partitions >> Disk Management >> Delete Volume >> Create New Volume >> Select file type NTFS, type : basic, and format it. Follow instructions accordingly.

After completing formatting, make the disk Active for subsequent Windows OS installation.

Hope this will be of some help .
 
I had a similar problem a few weeks ago with Win7 RC. I was trying to install it on a computer that passed all the Win7 readiness requirements and had been running XP Pro quite happily. I made an image of Drive C so I could return to XP if necessary, then formatted this partition with Acronis Disk Director. The Win7 installation proceeded as you described, but stalled at the first reboot at "Press any key ........." I spent over a week trying many things, including suggestions from this forum, but nothing worked. Finally I decided to have Win7 do a format during installation (hidden behind a "Drive options" button in one of the early install windows) and the install completed with no further problems :razz:

Probably worth a try.
 
win 7 install

windows makes a seperate partition itself think its about 2gb so when you format the drive you might be leaving that on still??
just a thought
GOOD LUCK
 
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