Windows 7 Freezes During Installation

[Dave@Bytes]

Just a word of warning to all....and this is pretty much standard operating procedure when installing an OS.....

While cutting corners during the installation of Windows 7 on one of my machines, I didn't bother unplugging a powered USB hub. During the final phase where Windows 7 was completing installation, the system froze and I had to start all over.

Just make sure you unplug any USB devices, like printers, cameras, scanners, hubs, etc.... before you begin.

[bucksfanjimj]

Good tip Dave. I also unplug the data cable from any extra hard drives I have installed as well. Just to be sure I install to the drive *I* want.

[Gpruitt54]

I to am experiencing this same issue. However my is not bacause of devices being connected during the installation.

I am installing windows 7 Pro full version OEM 64bit on the following hardware; I hope this information will help in getting to the bottom of this. My system is:

Asus P5N-D
Intel e8400 Core 2 Duo
2 Gig PC6400 DDR2
500 Gig Sata HD Seagate (SATA)
LG Blu Ray Rom DVD R/RW (SATA)
XFX 8900GTX video card
1000 watt Antec power supply

I have swapped the DVD drive
I've swapped he hard drive
Switched the video card
replaced the ram
replaced the SATA cables
Disconnected any hardware that is not needed
BIOS disconnected legacy items
With each of the above replacements there was another installation. So, you can guess how many times I have reinstalled the OS.

Yet, Windows 7 installation does not complete. The installation stops short at the "completing installation" portion of the install.

The Windows splash screen comes up
The screens goes black
The hard drive light keeps flashing in a steady rate
That is it, nothing happens from that point on.

I have replaced everything except the processor and motherboard.
Is it possible that I have a bad disk? Replacing the disk is all that is left.

I am as pissed off as I can be with the whole thing. Has any of you had similar issues and have resolved them. Need Help, please!

[Money2themax]

i would have started with the disk not the hardware.

1. i would first call Microsoft tech support [surprisingly they are very helpful albeit a bit slow to respond] here's their US support number on this site

2. then i'd call the company that made the pc (if any) [i think, judging by the specs, that your system is custom]

3. i'd return it to the store and ask for an exchange

[Gpruitt54]

i would have started with the disk not the hardware.

1. i would first call Microsoft tech support [surprisingly they are very helpful albeit a bit slow to respond] here's their US support number on this site

2. then i'd call the company that made the pc (if any) [i think, judging by the specs, that your system is custom]

3. i'd return it to the store and ask for an exchange

OK, the disk was my first thought. However, many people has questions that I could not answer, all relating to individual hardware items.

Yes, the machine is custom. I built it about a year ago. I have been running Windows XP for about a year. About three months ago I ran the Windows 7 release candidate. I game on this machine with no problems.

I will contact Microsoft for a replacement disk; if that is possible. Yes, at this point the disk is all that ls left to replace. I don't see bad OS disk very often, if at all.

Will post what I find.

[bucksfanjimj]

I would run diagnostics on the hard drive. By any chance is that one of the 7200.11 series Barracudas. There were firmware issues with that drive that could cause it to become a brick.

SeaTools | Seagate

[Gpruitt54]

The first drive was an OEM Western Digital 7200 RPM drive, the second drive was a retail Western Digital 7200. It seems that the issue was not the hard drive as I initially expected. With the replacement drive, there is still the problem of the installation not completing and restarting the machine to a blank screen. Question is, can I still install XP on the hard drive. I will try this when I get home from work.

Given that I have replaced every component except the CPU and motherboard, what are the odds that it is the board all along? Though XP runs perfectly on the same machine.

Please, keep pushing suggestions as I am blum burned out on this install and have exhausted nearly all possibilities. I am about to through this freaking box out of the freaking window (pardon the pun).

[Money2themax]

...Given that I have replaced every component except the CPU and motherboard, what are the odds that it is the board all along? Though XP runs perfectly on the same machine...

no if you can install XP and the RC then you shouldn't have a problem i'm going with my first opinion that it's the OS disk

[Gpruitt54]

I ran home to try one more thing, and guess what, it still does not work.

I burned an ISO of a Windows 7 build 7600 that I downloaded. I installed it and at the same place during the installation, the install stopped, rebooted to the splash screen, then came back with a black screen and nothing else happened.

This happened with a totally different disk and ended with the same results.

So, does this mean that there is in fact something wrong with the Asus P5N-D motherboard, or is this something with the 64bit version of Windows and my hardware?

Darn, I hate when this happens!!!!!

[Money2themax]

i don't know this problem is getting weirder and weirder as time progresses... i need you to run diagnostics download and burn this and just run a battery of tests on your pc and tell me if anything seems odd to you