Cannot Complete Windows 7 Install

Ivan Drago · 12 Feb 2010 at 19:33

I'm doing a clean install booting from the Windows disc - installation goes fine until the final stage where it says 'completing install' or something and then the PC reboots itself and I get an error message saying Windows was not fully installed (can't remember the exact error message!).

This is a clean install and I format the hard drive before the install - what is causing these problems?

Ivan Drago · 12 Feb 2010 at 19:55

Remove disk? I see there is an option to 'delete' (as well as format) the HD just before the install - is that what you mean?

Ivan Drago · 12 Feb 2010 at 19:57

icedbullet said:
There may be something wrong with your windows 7 cd.

I really don't think so. I have been using it for installs over the past week and it worked fine. It's an official Windows disc.

Ivan Drago · 13 Feb 2010 at 17:30

Any ideas? I'm desperate now.

When it reboots, it wants to install 'services' (as part of the installation process) but always fails.

I can't understand why this is a problem on a clean hard drive.

Ivan Drago · 13 Feb 2010 at 17:37

Forgot to mention my screen is messed up - colours/resolution etc and there are weird bracket symbols on the boot screens.

This must be software related because I got rid of the same problem last week by a clean install but my hard drive shouldn't have any software settings?

Ivan Drago · 13 Feb 2010 at 18:33

manic111 said:
I had the same problem; it turned out to be my wireless card - try taking it out if you have one.

I think mine is built into the motherboard or I don't have one.

Diggsy said:
Make sure you take your CPU back to stock too, an unstable overclock could also cause issues.

Already done.

icedbullet said:
Someone correct me if I'm wrong as this is a wild guess, but when you install Win 7 I think there is an option where you can select whether you want to install updates as you install win 7.

I don't get that option because I'm installing through the boot CD - not going through Windows (I can't even get Windows started to log in).

I will try seeing if I can install XP first and then try to upgrade - that's my only hope at the moment.

Could it be related to my BIOS settings? I have put them all as default.

Ivan Drago · 16 Feb 2010 at 13:32

I have tried all of the suggestions but I still can't get into Windows.

The installation setup is crashing at the 'starting windows' screen. Why would it be crashing there?

Why is my display all messed up on the boot screens (colours, resolution and even scrambled text when I tried to install XP) when I have formatted the hard drive? Where is it getting these setings from?

It sounds like a hardware issue but this has been rectified by a previous clean install before.

I really am at a dead end.