Windows 7 Installation issues

The Gidfather · 16 Oct 2010 at 16:54

Hi,
Having a few problems installing Windows 7 on my desktop PC and wondered if someone could help. Previously had XP, but got a copy of 7 and was hoping to upgrade the PC for it to take advantage of the 4gb of RAM I bought recently.

So I put the Win7 disk in, then restarted the PC. Wanted a clean install so via the Win7 menu asked it to format the c: drive where XP was. It did that but then wouldn't let me install on it, but wouldn't tell me why, it said the issue was logged somewhere. I tried to install it on another drive that had some stuff on but had 20gb spare and the same message came up. Then tried to install it on a partition from another harddrive but as it was a 'dynamic' hard drive it wouldnt let me do that.

Tried restarting the process but the same message came up. So I resigned myself of having to install XP then installing it by putting the disc in in Windows. Tried that but then thats when the fun and games started.

XP was having trouble formatting, then restarting and continuing the install process but going through a loop of always having to reformat, and the drives and partitions didn't match what was there before.

On inspection something was going on with the motherboard when it restarted - sometimes it didn't recognise that hard drives were plugged in - tried changing cables and ports to no avail. Also tried clearing CMOS which didn't make much difference.

What did seem to have worked is taking out my newer 1tb hard drive, and leaving the old 200gb one in which at least gave me XP again. Only problem is that every time I restart, when it boots up again it can't find the HD. But when I turn it off then on again, it boots OK.

Would I be right in thinking the mobo is on the way out?

Spec:
Abit AN8-fatality motherboard
Athlon64 dual core 4200
4 GB ram
ATI Radeon HD 4770 graphics (512mb I think)
1 x Maxtor Diamond 10 200gb SATA HD
1 x Seagate Barracuda 1tb SATA HD

Gib_Gib · 16 Oct 2010 at 19:05

Were you having problems before the installation?

Are you trying to install win7 from inside xp or are you using the win7 dvd as a boot drive?

Plus have you tried it with only the 1tb plugged in? and can you format the 1tb in xp before you try to install on it.

The Gidfather · 16 Oct 2010 at 21:45

Thanks for the reply. I'd had minor issues when I'd installed the 2nd hard drive a few weeks back and had to change what port the sata lead went into a few times before it got sorted.

I was trying this morning to install win7 using the dvd as a boot disk, but this afternoon managed to install XP then installed win7 from inside XP.

I've now managed to install 7 on the old hard drive, and *touch wood* appears to be ok with just that at the moment. If I add the other hard drive however, it throws a wobbly, had a few BSOD's with "unmountable boot drive" mentioned.

I also worked out what the problem appears to be. Most of the time, my computer has issues with restarting - even with just the 1 hd in it would restart but not be able to find the HD on the restart. However, if it was switched off, then it would.

Gib_Gib · 16 Oct 2010 at 22:29

I would try the new hard drive on a mates pc and see if that pc has issues with it, ideally with a sata cable that you know to be working.

If so its the hard drive not working and then you need to rma or chuck it or sell it on ebay as untested

If it does work then its either the sata cable, the power supply (might just have one faulty plug) or the motherboard. Now trial in the way of cost

Try alternate power supply sata plugs ideally on a different feed (most psu have a few spare),

If that makes no difference try the sata lead (if you have one on the dvd rom pinch that to try) otherwise invest in a new one, or borrow one of a friend.

If that fails I am going to say its the motherboard, probably the sata controller, and that means either buying a new motherboard or buying a pci-e sata controller card which could work out cheaper.

If none of that works I am a bit at of a loss

Hagar · 16 Oct 2010 at 23:44

Gib_Gib said:
If that fails I am going to say its the motherboard, probably the sata controller, and that means either buying a new motherboard or buying a pci-e sata controller card which could work out cheaper.

I had problems with an Abit AV8 sata controller and a Seagate sata II drive, thats what prompted my latest full upgrade. I expect that this is the same issue. Not all drives are backward compatible and Seagate less than most.

andy.

Mak3R · 16 Oct 2010 at 23:51

SATA controller for installing XP should be set at legacy mode and for 7 set at ACHI I believe. Try that.

The Gidfather · 17 Oct 2010 at 17:17

Gib_Gib said:
I would try the new hard drive on a mates pc and see if that pc has issues with it, ideally with a sata cable that you know to be working.

If so its the hard drive not working and then you need to rma or chuck it or sell it on ebay as untested

If it does work then its either the sata cable, the power supply (might just have one faulty plug) or the motherboard. Now trial in the way of cost

Try alternate power supply sata plugs ideally on a different feed (most psu have a few spare),

If that makes no difference try the sata lead (if you have one on the dvd rom pinch that to try) otherwise invest in a new one, or borrow one of a friend.

If that fails I am going to say its the motherboard, probably the sata controller, and that means either buying a new motherboard or buying a pci-e sata controller card which could work out cheaper.

Thanks, I did try different cables (SATA and power) and different SATA ports on the mobo but to no avail.

Mak3R said:
SATA controller for installing XP should be set at legacy mode and for 7 set at ACHI I believe. Try that.

Couldn't find any mention of that on ye olde mobo (bought it in March 2005)

I think the main problem (the mobo restarting issue) still remains, but as it took me a while to realise why it wasn't recognising drives, that affected how I did the rest of the stuff. The 1tb hard drive is now recognised and with it and the 200gb original connected now boot into windows after I d/c the working 200gb and used the XP disk to format the dodgy partition on the large drive.

When reconnected, it booted into Win7 first time, although the partitions on the 1tb drive are a bit odd to say the least. Part of it would be it renaming it the c: drive when it didn't acknowledge the other drive causing me to format it and I'm not sure what it's done with the other stuff!

Thanks for the help, it did got sorted in the end and the responses here helped suss out what it was