Windows 7 Installation problem Windows 7 Ultimate

[DaveFoz]

I have just purchased some upgrades for my rig

I now have the following new parts

ASUS P7P55D Motherboard
Intel I7-860 Processor
4 GB DDR 3 RAM
2 x 500 GB Seagate Baracuda HDD

I added them in with my exisiting

2 x Nvidia 8800 GTX in SLI mode
2 x 250 GB Seagate Baracuda HHD

I have a PSU pushing out plenty of juice. I have tried to instal Win 7 Ultimate 64 Bit edition (Upgrading my last rig from XP 64 Pro worked fine)

When I have set up the RAID for the HDD i set the system to boot from Optical Drive. the system then unpacks the windows files from DVD. I then get the starting windows picture with the Windows symbol made up from the flying balls of colour. However then at about 30 sec the rig resets and goes back in to the loop of unpacking the files going to the widows splash screen then crashing and repeating.

I have tried to do the install with only 1 2 Gb Stick of Ram and only 1 GFX card.

I have also tried to instal using the MOBO abiliy to use SATA drives as IDE.

All attempts and configuations end in the same thing happening.

I have been told to force boot to Opical then when it goes round take it out so that it runs from drives to force it to rn from files on HDD for installation. nothing works that I or others can seem to think of.

I am hoping that some one out there may have an idea on how to fix it so I can get an install to work for Windows 7.

On a side note I did try to reinstall Windows XP 64 Pro anf then up grade again. however this just went in to another loop of crashing at the Installing devices with 34 mins to go.

Any help would be great and a solution would be outstanding. would like to try and get it sorted before having to pay out to have it fixed

 

[Nibiru2012]

Are you able to get to the screen that shows your drives during the install process?

If so, then you need to install the RAID drivers for the chipset from either a thumb drive or external drive.

How far exactly are you getting in the install? Do you get to the screen where it asks for "Upgrade" install or "Custom" install?

 

[DaveFoz]

I do not get anywhere near the drive select or which type of install i want.

i was under the impression that Windows 7 did not need RAID drivers seperate.

if this is not the case I have them on disk but not sure how I could get them installed before the windows try. i do not get asked if I have 3rd party drivers to install like you do during a Win XP installation

 

[Nibiru2012]

Have you configured your BIOS for a RAID setup and install?

Your motherboard manual shows how to do this.

Pages 4-12 thru 4-18 explain how to do this in your manual.

 

[DaveFoz]

I have flashed the BIOS to the latest version 1207 and the raid is set up correctly My problem is loading a OS nothing more.

It will not load on raid or when i have the motherboard set to use my Drives as IDE instead of RAID.

It loads the files trys to start windows, fails and starts all over again.

I am having to repeat myself on numerous forums looking for help.

While I appricate the help i am getting no one has come up with anything that I had not already found or anything that works.

After having my new parts now for 30 hours I have basically in the corner of my room something i have over all spent €3000 on which is just only good enough to hold a door open


I have used the Intel Matrix storage manager to create 2 RAID Volumes both in Stripe (RAID0), 1 of 500 GB and the other of 1TB (give or take a few GB) I have tried to use RAID 1 (Mirrored) as well but no change.

i have used 1 GFX card and 1 Stick of RAM I have tried with 1 HHD as an IDE.

I think I am getting to the end of my patience with this build and after looking around i seems that this Model Motherboard may be the common factor.

I am fed up of watching the monitor start up go through post and windows un pack on to the starting screen then die.

I know \i could get i to start in safe mode but that would not do a complete install then i would get the How do you want to start windows and as the install was in safe mode it will not then work from that.

i do not get th chance to do a repair either.

Ok I went off on a bit of a RANT there. but it is getting silly now

 

[Nibiru2012]

I would try unplugging both 500 GB hard drives and setup the two 250 GB drives in RAID 0, then pull out one of the video cards so that there is only one card plugged into the main PCI-E video slot. Then try it from there.

On my system, for some strange reason, Windows 7 WILL NOT install if I have more than one hard drive plugged in. Once I unplug the second hard drive the install goes very smoothly.

Try what I've suggested and see what happens. Leaving the two HDD unplugged and installing to the two 250 GB HDD. If the install works, then after you're up and running plug the other two back in.

If that still doesn't work, it may be the motherboard.

I am very partial to Gigabyte motherboards. Great quality and tons of features.

I wish you luck on this, I will try to search some more info, but in the meantime I'll be at work till about 10 PM CDT USA.

 

[DaveFoz]

Simple Problem to a annoying Problem

Needed to replace my PSU in the end

Problem solved Windows 7 installed

 

[Nibiru2012]

DaveFoz - Glad you got it figured out and fixed! Sometimes the most simple fixes can be the most perplexing to figure out in the long run.

One thing I have learned over the years of building systems; a top-quality power supply is the root of a great system. I always use at least an 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified ATX12V / EPS12V power supply. One thing you might have noticed is that the better quality power supplies always weight quite a bit more that the cheap brands or OEM power supplies.

 

[JessicaD]

Most of the time Windows 7 does not need SATA or RAID drivers prior to installation, however sometimes -- it does. I may have missed this but have you attempted installation with RAID drivers?