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I have spent a week trying to do a clean install of Win7 RC on a newly rebuilt computer - but no success. System is Asus P5KPL-AM/PS MB (new), Asus EN8400GS PCI-E vid (new), 2GB Kingston DDR2-800 RAM (new), and an Intel P4-3.4 CPU (used but working).
I first tried a clean install on a reformatted 30GB partition in a 120GB Samsung HD using both a newly burned DVD from a M/S .ISO file and a PC Authority DVD, with exactly the same result. The install seemed to progress normally with no reported errors through "Collecting Information", "Installing Windows/Copying Windows Files, Expanding Windows files, Installing Features and Installing Updates", but at the first re-boot it got as far as "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD...." - then stalled. Pressing any key within 5 secs of the message made it boot from the DVD. On re-booting without the DVD in the drive it would stall after the POST at a blank page with a flashing cursor. It made no difference whether I installed over the previous install, or reformatted the partition first.
Someone suggested that 30 GB was not big enough to install Win7, so I tried on a new WD 320GB HD, both clean and formatted, but no change. To check the hardware I installed XP Home on the original 30GB partition, and it installed and ran perfectly - including several re-boots.
No other install problems in this Forum seem to equate to this. Can someone help, please?
I first tried a clean install on a reformatted 30GB partition in a 120GB Samsung HD using both a newly burned DVD from a M/S .ISO file and a PC Authority DVD, with exactly the same result. The install seemed to progress normally with no reported errors through "Collecting Information", "Installing Windows/Copying Windows Files, Expanding Windows files, Installing Features and Installing Updates", but at the first re-boot it got as far as "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD...." - then stalled. Pressing any key within 5 secs of the message made it boot from the DVD. On re-booting without the DVD in the drive it would stall after the POST at a blank page with a flashing cursor. It made no difference whether I installed over the previous install, or reformatted the partition first.
Someone suggested that 30 GB was not big enough to install Win7, so I tried on a new WD 320GB HD, both clean and formatted, but no change. To check the hardware I installed XP Home on the original 30GB partition, and it installed and ran perfectly - including several re-boots.
No other install problems in this Forum seem to equate to this. Can someone help, please?
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textureDnB
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I see alot of problems with RAM try booting with only one stick, should that fail try the other stick. Do you have any external devices connected beyond monitor, keyboard, and mouse?
Is it actuallt hanging right after POST? Therefore no BIOS? This happens often with bad/incompatible hardware configurations and you have to boot into safe mode in order to identify the offending device/driver but if you are hruly hanging at the end of POST which would be BIOS detect drive or equivalent safe mode will be unlikely.
While writing this I'm begining to wonder if this could be BIOS related considering the point of hang have yoiu checked for an updated BIOS? It's possible that you BIOS doesn't know what to do with the newer Vista Bootloader.
Is it actuallt hanging right after POST? Therefore no BIOS? This happens often with bad/incompatible hardware configurations and you have to boot into safe mode in order to identify the offending device/driver but if you are hruly hanging at the end of POST which would be BIOS detect drive or equivalent safe mode will be unlikely.
While writing this I'm begining to wonder if this could be BIOS related considering the point of hang have yoiu checked for an updated BIOS? It's possible that you BIOS doesn't know what to do with the newer Vista Bootloader.
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Thanks, TextureDnB.
"I see alot of problems with RAM try booting with only one stick, should that fail try the other stick."
There is only one RAM stick (new). I'll try it in the other slot. If that makes no difference I'll have to raid another computer for a different stick.
"Do you have any external devices connected beyond monitor, keyboard, and mouse?"
On a couple of tries I had a router connected through the on-board LAN port, but nothing else.
"Is it actuallt hanging right after POST? Therefore no BIOS? This happens often with bad/incompatible hardware configurations and you have to boot into safe mode in order to identify the offending device/driver but if you are hruly hanging at the end of POST which would be BIOS detect drive or equivalent safe mode will be unlikely."
There does not appear to be a hardware problem as I installed and ran XP Home OK and, as you say, it hangs before drivers are normally loaded.
"While writing this I'm begining to wonder if this could be BIOS related considering the point of hang have yoiu checked for an updated BIOS? It's possible that you BIOS doesn't know what to do with the newer Vista Bootloader."
The BIOS is dated June this year, so I hadn't checked for a later one. May have to try that. I thought there might be a BIOS setting that needs changing, but couldn't find anything that seemed relevant. Seems to be missing the boot instruction - whatever that is in Win7
I'll try the RAM things and see what happens.
"I see alot of problems with RAM try booting with only one stick, should that fail try the other stick."
There is only one RAM stick (new). I'll try it in the other slot. If that makes no difference I'll have to raid another computer for a different stick.
"Do you have any external devices connected beyond monitor, keyboard, and mouse?"
On a couple of tries I had a router connected through the on-board LAN port, but nothing else.
"Is it actuallt hanging right after POST? Therefore no BIOS? This happens often with bad/incompatible hardware configurations and you have to boot into safe mode in order to identify the offending device/driver but if you are hruly hanging at the end of POST which would be BIOS detect drive or equivalent safe mode will be unlikely."
There does not appear to be a hardware problem as I installed and ran XP Home OK and, as you say, it hangs before drivers are normally loaded.
"While writing this I'm begining to wonder if this could be BIOS related considering the point of hang have yoiu checked for an updated BIOS? It's possible that you BIOS doesn't know what to do with the newer Vista Bootloader."
The BIOS is dated June this year, so I hadn't checked for a later one. May have to try that. I thought there might be a BIOS setting that needs changing, but couldn't find anything that seemed relevant. Seems to be missing the boot instruction - whatever that is in Win7
I'll try the RAM things and see what happens.
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Thanks, RAK. Having re-read my original post, I can understand your concern. However, after going through the install process at least six times and waiting several minutes after the "Press any key" for nothing to happen, I tried once pressing a key within 5 secs to make sure it did boot from the DVD, and I also removed the DVD before re-boot to see whether the re-boot would succeed without that distraction. Of course it didn't.
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I have tried with the RAM stick in the other slot - no difference. I also tried with a similar RAM stick from my main computer - still no difference. I also removed the video card and used the on-board VGA - still no difference. It's beginning to look more like the BIOS, or an incompatible system - something I haven't checked yet.
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RAK, I have run Win 7 Upgrade Adviser - it found no issues or incompatibilities with Win 7, which doesn't do much to explain my problem. However, I read on the M/S download page that loading Win 7 over an installed XP, by running the setup.exe on the DVD, is a viable option - although any installed programs will need to be reloaded. I have not installed any programs on this XP, so I'll try this option tomorrow.
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When the initial DVD boots it is loading the files necessary to start the installation GUI into memory.
After that, it needs a hard drive to continue the install....
If your hard drives are configured in RAID mode, this could be causing an issue? Check the BIOS. If you are on a RAID controller disable non-essential IDE channels. You are using a Gigabyte board so I assume you know what you are doing in that regard (Must have built your own or a friend custom-built the machine). Something with the drives will cause the installation not to post if it cannot find a drive at all to load files.
Go so far as to use "Safe Settings" in the BIOS but save your original configuration? I cannot see where you are getting the error... you're using onboard video... could that be it? Is the BIOS firmware up to date -- this could play an unlikely role in your problem.
After that, it needs a hard drive to continue the install....
If your hard drives are configured in RAID mode, this could be causing an issue? Check the BIOS. If you are on a RAID controller disable non-essential IDE channels. You are using a Gigabyte board so I assume you know what you are doing in that regard (Must have built your own or a friend custom-built the machine). Something with the drives will cause the installation not to post if it cannot find a drive at all to load files.
Go so far as to use "Safe Settings" in the BIOS but save your original configuration? I cannot see where you are getting the error... you're using onboard video... could that be it? Is the BIOS firmware up to date -- this could play an unlikely role in your problem.
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[Mike] "When the initial DVD boots it is loading the files necessary to start the installation GUI into memory. After that, it needs a hard drive to continue the install...."
[trakkal] That seems to be the problem. Today, I tried an install over XP - but it still stalled after the first re-boot as before. However, this time I turned off the splash screen during POST and, although there were no reported errors during POST, 5 secs after "Press any key to boot ..........." the following message appeared:
"A disk read error occurred.
Press Ctrl - Alt - Delete to restart"
I had not seen that message before, so it must be suppressed when the splash screen is enabled.
[Mike] "If your hard drives are configured in RAID mode, this could be causing an issue? Check the BIOS. If you are on a RAID controller disable non-essential IDE channels. You are using a Gigabyte board so I assume you know what you are doing in that regard (Must have built your own or a friend custom-built the machine). Something with the drives will cause the installation not to post if it cannot find a drive at all to load files."
[trakkal] The HDs are running on SATA - only one connected during my initial attempts. The M/B is Asus, and I did assemble this computer.
[Mike] "Go so far as to use "Safe Settings" in the BIOS but save your original configuration? I cannot see where you are getting the error... you're using onboard video... could that be it? Is the BIOS firmware up to date -- this could play an unlikely role in your problem."
[trakkal] At one point I set the BIOS to "Default" (there is no "Safe" option), except for boot order. The HD(s) are identified correctly in both the BIOS and POST, so I thought they would be OK. The BIOS is dated Jun this year. I used the on-board video for some attempts, but had an Asus PCIe card for most. Perhaps I need a Vista/Win7 SATA driver, but just what? Any Ideas?
[trakkal] That seems to be the problem. Today, I tried an install over XP - but it still stalled after the first re-boot as before. However, this time I turned off the splash screen during POST and, although there were no reported errors during POST, 5 secs after "Press any key to boot ..........." the following message appeared:
"A disk read error occurred.
Press Ctrl - Alt - Delete to restart"
I had not seen that message before, so it must be suppressed when the splash screen is enabled.
[Mike] "If your hard drives are configured in RAID mode, this could be causing an issue? Check the BIOS. If you are on a RAID controller disable non-essential IDE channels. You are using a Gigabyte board so I assume you know what you are doing in that regard (Must have built your own or a friend custom-built the machine). Something with the drives will cause the installation not to post if it cannot find a drive at all to load files."
[trakkal] The HDs are running on SATA - only one connected during my initial attempts. The M/B is Asus, and I did assemble this computer.
[Mike] "Go so far as to use "Safe Settings" in the BIOS but save your original configuration? I cannot see where you are getting the error... you're using onboard video... could that be it? Is the BIOS firmware up to date -- this could play an unlikely role in your problem."
[trakkal] At one point I set the BIOS to "Default" (there is no "Safe" option), except for boot order. The HD(s) are identified correctly in both the BIOS and POST, so I thought they would be OK. The BIOS is dated Jun this year. I used the on-board video for some attempts, but had an Asus PCIe card for most. Perhaps I need a Vista/Win7 SATA driver, but just what? Any Ideas?
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Hi Trakkal,
I use a gigabyte board and use a RAID array (which use the same drivers as SATA). As you know, these need a driver to be able to function otherwise the pc doesn't even know they are there. On a fresh installation I have to install the drivers during one of the initial set up pages.
Check screenshot: You'll see where I've highlighted the area of 'load driver'. You'll need to have the drivers on a floppy,USB stick or disk. Just point to them and they should load up and off you go....
If your unsure which drivers you need, post the exact motherboard you've got and I'll point you in the right direction..
I use a gigabyte board and use a RAID array (which use the same drivers as SATA). As you know, these need a driver to be able to function otherwise the pc doesn't even know they are there. On a fresh installation I have to install the drivers during one of the initial set up pages.
Check screenshot: You'll see where I've highlighted the area of 'load driver'. You'll need to have the drivers on a floppy,USB stick or disk. Just point to them and they should load up and off you go....
If your unsure which drivers you need, post the exact motherboard you've got and I'll point you in the right direction..
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I found that you'd posted you mobo at the beginning. It seems you have a G31 chipset and checking the Intel site for drivers, this is what came up..
Download Search Results
Download Search Results
nehoma
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Thanks Kemical. You wrote: "I found that you'd posted you mobo at the beginning. It seems you have a G31 chipset and checking the Intel site for drivers, this is what came up.."
I've downloaded the file and the ReadMe. I'll need to study that to see how it works.
I've been busy today so have been slow to get back here - thanks to all who have responded.
To nehoma, I spent several days trying to do a clean install of Win7, without success, so tried XP Home to make sure the computer was OK. XP installed with no problems.
I've downloaded the file and the ReadMe. I'll need to study that to see how it works.
I've been busy today so have been slow to get back here - thanks to all who have responded.
To nehoma, I spent several days trying to do a clean install of Win7, without success, so tried XP Home to make sure the computer was OK. XP installed with no problems.
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kemical - I've had a look at your "Download search results" link. The only downloads I could see there are a 7MB .EXE file and a readme.txt over 20 pages long. Having spent some time trying to make sense out of these, I don't think they help my problem. To start with, you need to run the utility in the OS which, at the moment, doesn't load.
As you said in a previous post, I need to load appropriate driver(s) at an early stage of installation - I just need to find the right one(S). After the first couple of installation failures I tried to load a driver from the mobo installation CD, but there were nearly 30 .INF files in the Chipset/Vista folder and, apart from eliminating those with IDE or USB in the name, I could not identify those related to SATA/RAID. The couple I tried either failed or did nothing useful.
According to the mobo manual the chipset is: Northbridge - Intel G31; Southbridge - Intel ICH7. However, storage (1 x UDMA & 4 x SATA) is supported by ICH7. Does this help? I will be grateful if someone can point me to the appropriate driver file(S). It should not be this difficult to load a new OS on a current, well branded mobo and system :-(
As you said in a previous post, I need to load appropriate driver(s) at an early stage of installation - I just need to find the right one(S). After the first couple of installation failures I tried to load a driver from the mobo installation CD, but there were nearly 30 .INF files in the Chipset/Vista folder and, apart from eliminating those with IDE or USB in the name, I could not identify those related to SATA/RAID. The couple I tried either failed or did nothing useful.
According to the mobo manual the chipset is: Northbridge - Intel G31; Southbridge - Intel ICH7. However, storage (1 x UDMA & 4 x SATA) is supported by ICH7. Does this help? I will be grateful if someone can point me to the appropriate driver file(S). It should not be this difficult to load a new OS on a current, well branded mobo and system :-(
