Installing Windows 7 and Starting Windows screen hangs

I am fixing/building a custom built computer. I have installed in it: -Pentium 4 1.5Ghz -Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST380215A 80GB 7200 RPM 2MB Cache IDE Ultra ATA100 / ATA-6 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive -MS-6547 Vers:2.1 MSI motherboard -SONY CD/DVD-ROM -Kingston valueram kvr333x64c25k2/1g. I am trying to install Windows 7. During the installation process, it restarts the computer and continues with the installation. I keep getting stuck at the Windows 7/Windows Starting screen. I though there was a compatibility issue by chance so I tried to download framework.net 2.0 in order to install the Windows7 Upgrade Advisor. When i tried to do this I received the message: Extracting file failed. It is most likley caused by low memory (low disk space for swapping file) or currupted Cabinet file. This doesn't make sense since i have plenty of hard drive space and 3 sticks of 1GB DDR RAM. I'm a little lost as what to do here.

If your install has got to the start-up screen but not to desktop, W7 has basically installed. See if you can boot to safe mode and choose 'safe mode with networking'. If you successfully arrive at safe mode desktop, go to windows updates. I haven't done it before but I can't see any reason why you would not be able to do an update. It's worth a try. Cheers, Lee

I am pretty sure the installation isn't finished. I recall each time I install windows 7, during the installation process, the process automatically makes the computer restart and continues installing the rest of the files. I tried safe mode with networking like you said, but it just seems to hang while loading all the system32 files as well. When i restart the computer I am brought to the Windows Boot manager. I have two options to choose from, Earlier version of Windows (WindowsxP) and Windows Setup (Windows 7). I'm still a little suspicious of my RAM so since I was in the boot manager, I choose to start the Windows Memory Diagnostics Tool to check for memory problems. I was able to check and see if windows 7 was compatible with my mission and it said it was. Is there a difference between Windows7 home basic, premium and professional as far as them being either 32 bit or 64 bit architecture? That is one thing what was mentioned in the compatibility report and to be sure I'm using 32 bit. Otherwise, still lost as what to do.

Hi Mordimier,

Have you tried booting to a Linux Puppy Live CD as suggested by Paws?
Have you conducted any of the internal inspection and RAM testing as suggested by Doug?

You seem to have two Topic Threads working here at this same time.
http://forums.whatthetech.com/index.php?sh…=116017&hl=
http://forums.whatthetech.com/index.php?sh…mp;#entry699808

I'll either merge them or close one so that responses can be made in a sequential progressive manner.

Doug

And here is another avenue you can try:

If you are getting the message and choice on your boot screen between W7 and "an earlier version of windows" , I would suggest wiping the HD rather than installing onto the HDD with XP already on it.

.I'd download, a useful program called "GParted" that is easy to use.
Download the ISO imge file from here and slow burn it (4x) to create a bootable disk:
http://gparted.sourceforge.net/download.php.

Boot to the disk and the program will load into your memory only. You will find the wipe tool in the Menu at the bottom left under "tools".
After wiping the disk back to factory state, retry your W7 install. XP will be gone and you should get a very clean W7 install.

If your still having issues after that, we can try to sort them, but you will at least have given W7 the best chance of a complete install.

Cheers,
Lee

PS Edit: If you need a burning tool, Imgburn is a good freeware one: http://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=download

I tried running the Windows Boot manager memory diagnostic tool. It said once I logged on again it would have given me a report of the diagnostic although once I restarted it immediately booted to the windows setup of windows 7 before I could choose earlier version of windows. I am currently trying to burn the iso of the Windows Memory Diagnostic program. I don't have a floppy available but I have a couple blank cds. I am trying to be sure I upload these files correctly. I unzipped the winrar file it came packaged in and sent the unzipped file to the cd drive where I have the blank cd. Next I will burn the linux puppy live cd to see if i can find anything further. At the moment trying to use the cdburn.exe utility from the command prompt and having a lot of difficulty getting this windiag file to burn to the cd as well.

Apart from having two threads (confusing), it sounds like your getting yourself in a bit of a tangle there Mordimier Doesn't matter what you do or try, W7 is like a dog with a bone. Once the install has been started and you try to do or run anything else on the HDD, it will revert to the install I've been stuck a few time with partial W7 install problems ….now I just WIPE IT CLEAN ! You really need to load a program to memory, not the HDD to get around the W7 partial install determinedly trying to continue to nowhere. Gparted or Puppy only loads to memory not to the HDD or it's boot volume. I don't think "Puppy" can wipe the HDD for a clean new install like GParted can, but it has been suggested by paws, so I'm sure that road goes somewhere, but It may not be as simple or have anything to do with the problem described in this thread. Personally I'd go with the K.I.S.S approach, wipe the HDD to get rid of XP and the partial W7 install and start with a fresh clean HDD, especially on a P4. It might also be a good idea to make sure your RAM is good as Doug suggested which I'm sure is also something to do with your other thread. Cheers, Lee

Thank you Doug and Lee for all your help. I'm comfortable with the advice and directions you provided and I think I'll be able to handle it from here. If I have any other questions I'll be sure to let you know. And sorry for the two confusing threads, just figured I'd make a new thread since it felt to me like the subject changed but I turns out it really ended up back to the memory issue. Thanks for helping me on my learning journey of becoming an IT guy!

Cheers, Lee

Hey again,

I attempted to make a bootable USB drive with USB Boot drive (HPUSBFW) and also tried your suggestion of ImgBurn and tried to burn the Windows Diagnostic Tool on a cd with the windiag.iso. Here is the thread I found the USB boot creator:

http://forums.extremeoverclocking.com/show…ad.php?t=317312


The USB key just hangs at the command prompt during boot up and nothing happens. The CD is not even read by the CD drive, even after I selected the CD drive to load first. I followed the direction as far as how to burn an iso with ImgBurn and for some reason it didn't work. I am unsure if I need to extract the windiag.iso file from the winrar before i burn it, or do I just burn it as a winrar file?

Any idea why I can't get either of these two to boot?

Hi Mordimier,

Seems you've gotten some of the steps confused, or are drawing from sources other than those that we have recommended.

I recommend one-thing-at-a-time sequence.

If you are going to test your RAM Memory, please use the excellent step-by-step written by Appleoddity, Using the Windows Memory Diagnostic

Follow his instructions exactly, and use the download resources he provides.

After you have finished with this rather lengthy procedure, we can consider the next set of steps.

Best Regards

Yes you're right Doug, I'm trying to do a bunch of things at once when I should just do one thing at a time here. I appreciate your patience very much. I'll let you know when I've followed the steps provided.

I followed the directions completely and was able to create a bootable CD of Windows Memory Diagnostic. I am currently on pass 18 of the 6 tests and have been running this for the past 3-4 hours and still running it as we speak with no errors detected yet. Was wondering if this just keeps on continuing or if I should stop it soon.

Hi Mordimiere, May we presume that RAM tests completed without any errors?

Absolutely. If the test goes through the first pass without detecting any errors, the RAM is in good shape. Turns out the problem I had with the PFN_LIST_CORRUPT is because the processor I have is not compatible with the motherboard. Not only that, Windows 7 is not supported by my motherboard either! Glad to finally have some closure on my research of this issue.