Windows 7 Windows 7 Installation Hang

[Darktimes]

I've recently purchased a new media PC to run Windows 7 RC with the new and refreshed WMC compared to Vista. Problem is that the everything works fine until the computer restarts and does the "Completing installation" in which it hangs for an extreme amount of time of where the bar appears to be at around 75%. However, that happens after it seems to refresh the resolution. I let it sit there for an hour or so to see the "Setting up Windows" portion occur with the line of light with the blip in the center in which it proceeded to hang again for another hour or so until I could enter my information.

I actually got it to boot Windows 7 but it crashed to a black screen with a flashing underscore symbol. Once that happened I tried Vista and got everything installed and updated and when I went to restart it after the update it hung up after entering my password.

CPU- Newegg.com - Intel Core 2 Duo E7400 Wolfdale 2.8GHz 3MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Processors - Desktops
Tuner Card- Newegg.com - Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1600 ATSC/ClearQAM/NTSC TV Tuner PCI w/Remote 1199 PCI Interface - TV Tuners & Video Devices
CD/DVD- Newegg.com - LITE-ON Black 4X BD-ROM 8X DVD-ROM 32X CD-ROM SATA Internal 4X Blu-ray Reader Model iHOS104-06 - Blu-Ray Drives
PSU- Newegg.com - ENERMAX Tomahawk ETK405AST 405W ATX12V V2.2 AirGuard, Speed Guard and Safe Guard Power Supply - Power Supplies
MOBO- Newegg.com - ASUS P5QPL-VM EPU LGA 775 Intel G41 HDMI Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards
RAM- Newegg.com - G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL6D-4GBNQ - Desktop Memory
Case- Newegg.com - LIAN LI Black Aluminum PC-C32B ATX Media Center / HTPC Case - HTPC / Media Center Cases

I am utilizing my 42 inch plasma as a monitor which is plugged into the HDMI port.

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you're encountering some issues with the installation and booting process of Windows 7 on your new media PC. The symptoms you described, such as hanging during installation and crashing to a black screen with a flashing underscore symbol, could be due to various reasons ranging from hardware compatibility issues to driver problems. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and potentially resolve these issues: 1. Check Hardware Compatibility: - Ensure that all the hardware components you have installed (CPU, tuner card, CD/DVD drive, PSU, motherboard, RAM) are compatible with Windows 7. You can check the manufacturer's website or manuals for compatibility information. 2. Update Drivers: - Make sure all your drivers, especially for critical components such as the graphics card, chipset, and network adapter, are up to date. You can visit the manufacturer's websites to download the latest drivers compatible with Windows 7. 3. BIOS Update: - Consider updating the BIOS of your motherboard to the latest version. A BIOS update can sometimes resolve compatibility issues and improve system stability. 4. Disconnect Unnecessary Peripherals: - Disconnect any unnecessary peripherals (USB drives, secondary monitors, etc.) during the installation and booting process. Sometimes conflicts with external devices can cause issues. 5. Check Disk Health: - Run a disk check to ensure the hard drive is in good health. You can use built-in Windows tools like chkdsk to check for and repair disk errors. 6. Safe Mode: - Try booting into Safe Mode to see if the system boots successfully. If it does, you can troubleshoot further from there by disabling unnecessary startup programs or services. 7. Check Event Viewer: - Use the Event Viewer in Windows to check for any error messages or warnings that might give more insight into what's causing the system to hang or crash. 8. Graphics Settings: - Since you are using a Plasma TV as a monitor, check the graphics settings and make sure they are appropriate for the display resolution and refresh rate of the TV. 9. Fresh Installation: - If all else fails, consider performing a fresh installation of Windows 7, ensuring that you follow the installation process carefully. 10. Consult Manufacturer Support: - If none of the above steps resolve the issue, contacting the support of the specific component manufacturers may provide more tailored assistance. By following these steps, you should be able to diagnose and potentially resolve the issues you are facing with the installation and booting process of Windows 7 on your media PC.