I've been trying to install Win 7 on a friend's old laptop. First time all went smoothly but only for a few days. Then it cut out at the Windows log screen and Windows tried to repair itself, successfully at first few times but then subsequently it failed and I had to re-install.
I've since tried re-installing from 3 different Win 7 disks and from UFD. Mostly things get as far as Windows rebooting itself before failing.
I've tested the RAM using Memtest+ and swapping out RAM sticks but that seems fine.
I tested the hard drive using the Hitachi Fitness test and it seems OK with a SMART rating of 'good'.
I've also wiped the boot partition and windows partition using kill disk before trying a fresh Windows install.
The laptop is a bog standard Toshiba that had Vista 32 running on it before. It's an AMD x64 Turion processor w 3Gbs of RAM.
I can run the machine from Linux Live UFDs and DVDs without problem. I've installed Ubuntu twice but the the third time it failed with the message that either the install media or hard drive were the problem.
Ideally I'd like to try and swap out the drive but I don't have a 2.5inch drive to use. Wondering if I could try with 3.5inch drive with the power cable attached to a desktop PC?? (all SATA)
Also how reliable are software HD tests?
Or is there something else its likely to be?
I've since tried re-installing from 3 different Win 7 disks and from UFD. Mostly things get as far as Windows rebooting itself before failing.
I've tested the RAM using Memtest+ and swapping out RAM sticks but that seems fine.
I tested the hard drive using the Hitachi Fitness test and it seems OK with a SMART rating of 'good'.
I've also wiped the boot partition and windows partition using kill disk before trying a fresh Windows install.
The laptop is a bog standard Toshiba that had Vista 32 running on it before. It's an AMD x64 Turion processor w 3Gbs of RAM.
I can run the machine from Linux Live UFDs and DVDs without problem. I've installed Ubuntu twice but the the third time it failed with the message that either the install media or hard drive were the problem.
Ideally I'd like to try and swap out the drive but I don't have a 2.5inch drive to use. Wondering if I could try with 3.5inch drive with the power cable attached to a desktop PC?? (all SATA)
Also how reliable are software HD tests?
Or is there something else its likely to be?
