[SOLVED] I'm having trouble installing Windows 7.....

Discussion in 'Windows 7' started by stressfreesoul, Mar 20, 2012.

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  1. stressfreesoul

    stressfreesoul MDL Novice

    Aug 20, 2011
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    This is a thread started by a highly embarrassed, experienced techie.
    Its not often these days I need to ask for help, hence my low post count!
    Im having trouble with one of my desktop PCs. I had previously had it in a perfect running state, until the motherboard gave up the ghost, so I replaced it with an Asus P5GD1-HVM/S from ebay.
    I had also decided to have a fresh Win7 install to 'mark the occasion'.....
    So I set about installing from USB, came up with an unspecified IO error.
    Tried with DVD, still no dice.
    I have stripped the PC down to its bareboard, with one stick of 512, cpu and the two drives needed (out of and inside the case), still no dice.
    It runs the setup program (albeit very slowly), allows me to make my partition and even runs the first section of the installation. However after the first reboot it continues for about 20 seconds then the screen goes black and stays that way.
    After a hard reset to try and continue the setup GUI comes back and states there has been a hardware error and the setup cannot continue (and to restart the computer to retry the installation).

    So to recap I have tried;
    6 different RAM setups with various sizes etc
    installing from both USB and DVD
    when installing from DVD I've tried different drives
    when installing from USB I've tried different thumb drives
    I've checked all temperatures, connections and even the thermal paste (twice!)

    ...but it still wont install.
    Please help!

    SYSTEM SPECS

    Asus P5GD1-HVM/S
    various DDR, usually 2x512 PC3200
    Seagate 500Gb SATA
    TSST DVD-RW SATA drive
    Pentium 4 3.4Ghz
     
  2. stressfreesoul

    stressfreesoul MDL Novice

    Aug 20, 2011
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    Forgot to mention that, it was downloaded from the Msoft servers, its an official retail copy of Ultimate x86
     
  3. stressfreesoul

    stressfreesoul MDL Novice

    Aug 20, 2011
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    Aye it hash checked ok. As mentioned in the 1st post, it gets to the 1st reboot continues the install for roughly 20 seconds then the screen goes black and the CPU fan strangely increases in speed very slightly (almost unnoticeable) from which only a flick of the reset button will allow any continuation.
     
  4. redroad

    redroad MDL Guru

    Dec 2, 2011
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    Confirm power supply is operating 100%
     
  5. stressfreesoul

    stressfreesoul MDL Novice

    Aug 20, 2011
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    Yes its working fine, voltages are outputting at normal levels. Its a Seasonic SS500 HT.
    (30A @ 3.3v, 30A @ 5v, 33A split on 2 12v)
     
  6. redroad

    redroad MDL Guru

    Dec 2, 2011
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    @ this point if you haven't already set bios settings to default then do so and test.

    If that has been done and failed then try flashing bios with most current factory bios.
     
  7. stressfreesoul

    stressfreesoul MDL Novice

    Aug 20, 2011
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    There is no current factory bios, as far as I am aware.
    It is the P5GD1-HVM/S and not the P5GD1-VM that has bios readily available....
     
  8. redroad

    redroad MDL Guru

    Dec 2, 2011
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    Is there I built in back up partition in the BIOS so you can revert back by changing jumper on the board? or reset button?
     
  9. redroad

    redroad MDL Guru

    Dec 2, 2011
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    This board has this?

     
  10. stressfreesoul

    stressfreesoul MDL Novice

    Aug 20, 2011
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    Ive reset the BIOS more times than I can remember. I've just stripped and rebuilt it again, testing the install using different SATA sockets to see if that will help things along. I'll post back tomorrow with the verdict as its now 2:36am here and thinking is becoming harder......
     
  11. redroad

    redroad MDL Guru

    Dec 2, 2011
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    Hang in there. I'll be here tomorrow. I think at this point I am hopeful there is a solution. I posted above the bios recovery for this board. Peace;)
     
  12. stressfreesoul

    stressfreesoul MDL Novice

    Aug 20, 2011
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    I feel a little more embarrassed now.....seems as though it was down to the SATA sockets I was using. The 2 red ones must be RAID enabled or something. I'll leave marking as solved until the installation is completed though.
    Thanks for everyones input.
     
  13. stressfreesoul

    stressfreesoul MDL Novice

    Aug 20, 2011
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    Well, the installation went smoothly. Damn these odd sockets!
    Thanks to everyone who answered my op, I apologise for the waste of effort and my stupidity!
     
  14. redroad

    redroad MDL Guru

    Dec 2, 2011
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    Ah yes, on the earlier 900 series intel boards the boot drive had to go in the correct socket. Well you got it sorted that's the main thing, right? :D