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Help. Windows Won't Install - Out of tricks

Computernaut

I recently acquired a computer with a better CPU than my current one. Needless to say, I wanted to switch to it. After discovering the very annoying fact that you can't swap a boot drive from one system to another, I resolved to reinstall Windows on the new system. So I got out my Windows 7 installation, the one I'd used to install Windows on my old system (twice), and on my laptop. I put it into the optical drive of the new computer and it booted without a problem, then it got to the part where it says "Starting Windows" the way it does when you boot up you're computer normally. It them proceeded to stay there indefinitely. I turned the computer off and tried it again, same result. I tried it a third time, also without success, this time I noticed something: The optical drive was not spinning. Shortly after getting to the "Starting Windows" screen the drive slowed and finally stopped, with the screen remaining unchanged. The HDD LED also stopped. All this leads me to believe that it froze and that that is most likely due to a corrupted installation it disk, (although I have no idea how it could have gotten corrupted). Should I just make a new installation disk?

What is actually supposed to go here? Some people put their specs, others put random comments or remarks about themselves or others, and there are a few who put cryptic statements.

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2 minutes ago, Computernaut said:

I recently acquired a computer with a better CPU than my current one. Needless to say, I wanted to switch to it. After discovering the very annoying fact that you can't swap a boot drive from one system to another, I resolved to reinstall Windows on the new system. So I got out my Windows 7 installation, the one I'd used to install Windows on my old system (twice), and on my laptop. I put it into the optical drive of the new computer and it booted without a problem, then it got to the part where it says "Starting Windows" the way it does when you boot up you're computer normally. It them proceeded to stay there indefinitely. I turned the computer off and tried it again, same result. I tried it a third time, also without success, this time I noticed something: The optical drive was not spinning. Shortly after getting to the "Starting Windows" screen the drive slowed and finally stopped, with the screen remaining unchanged. The HDD LED also stopped. All this leads me to believe that it froze and that that is most likely due to a corrupted installation it disk, (although I have no idea how it could have gotten corrupted). Should I just make a new installation disk?

you'd be better off making a new disk anyway, as then it'll include some updates that'll take ages to install anyway. Is windows 7 a requirement? The usb bootloader for 7 i'm not familiar with, but the key should (don't quote me on that) work with win 10 provided you're using the same version (home, pro, server, etc)

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Primary Desktop: NCase M1 - 5800X3D/RX 6950XT

Travel PC: Fractal Terra - 5800X/RTX 3060 Ti

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installation disk, use a usb based installer, way way way faster, I haven't used discs for install in years with the exception of one really old computer. if you have an ISO and product key you can use this tool from microsoft https://windows-7-usb-dvd-download-tool.en.softonic.com/download

to put the Windows 7 ISO file on a USB flash drive

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5 minutes ago, ShadowChaser said:

Is windows 7 a requirement? The usb bootloader for 7 i'm not familiar with, but the key should (don't quote me on that) work with win 10 provided you're using the same version (home, pro, server, etc)

Well I've used Windows 7 for a long time and am very familiar with, I have very little experience with Windows 10.  That said I should probably learn a new OS at some point. I'll try that.

What is actually supposed to go here? Some people put their specs, others put random comments or remarks about themselves or others, and there are a few who put cryptic statements.

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On 10/15/2018 at 4:44 PM, ShadowChaser said:

you'd be better off making a new disk anyway, as then it'll include some updates that'll take ages to install anyway. Is windows 7 a requirement? The usb bootloader for 7 i'm not familiar with, but the key should (don't quote me on that) work with win 10 provided you're using the same version (home, pro, server, etc)

Doesn't work (I don't think). I installed Windows 10 Pro and when I put in my product key it said that that key was meant for Windows 10 Home. I tried repeatedly to install Windows 10 Home but it always installed Pro. At this point I'm ready to give up and go back to Windows 7.

What is actually supposed to go here? Some people put their specs, others put random comments or remarks about themselves or others, and there are a few who put cryptic statements.

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23 hours ago, Computernaut said:

Doesn't work (I don't think). I installed Windows 10 Pro and when I put in my product key it said that that key was meant for Windows 10 Home. I tried repeatedly to install Windows 10 Home but it always installed Pro. At this point I'm ready to give up and go back to Windows 7.

i suppose you should make a windows 7 home bootloader and a windows 10 home bootloader. Can't really help here :(

Daily Driver: Asus ROG Flow X13 - 5900HS/3050 Ti

Primary Desktop: NCase M1 - 5800X3D/RX 6950XT

Travel PC: Fractal Terra - 5800X/RTX 3060 Ti

I have too many computers. List here.

 

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I tried to install Windows 7 but in order to get the installer I have to put in a product key, when I put in mine it told me that: "The product key you entered appears to be for software pre-installed by the device manufacturer. Please contact the device manufacturer for software recovery options."

What is actually supposed to go here? Some people put their specs, others put random comments or remarks about themselves or others, and there are a few who put cryptic statements.

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I got the Windows 7 installer (finally) and (because it wouldn't let me put it on a USB drive) I burned it onto a blank disk and booted the system off it, at first it was fine but then it got to "Starting Windows" and will go no further, just like in the beginning. I'm out of tricks.

What is actually supposed to go here? Some people put their specs, others put random comments or remarks about themselves or others, and there are a few who put cryptic statements.

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I have several questions. You may have answered them already, but I didn't see it in the thread.

When you say "it gets to the part with 'Starting Windows'" are you saying that you have completed the installation and are now booting to the internal HDD/SSD? If so this may not be an issue with the installation media. It may be the drive you're installing it on. Run a diagnostic on the drive and see if it's bad. If it's an OEM machine, they usually have some tool to boot to (for exampe, HP has diagnostics available in the BIOS or by hitting F2 on boot, depending on the age of the computer). Seagate Seatools and WD Data Lifeguard both have bootable disk diagnostics.

If you aren't even able to reach the install screen, but are having problems booting to the install disc, then I have other questions. You said "it wouldn't let me put it on a usb drive". Where did you get the ISO? What are you using to write it to the USB drive? How big is the drive? If you have an official ISO (or made an ISO of the official disc), I recommend using Rufus to create the bootable USB. It's very reliable and I've had better success with it than Microsoft's own utility. MS recommends at least an 8 GB USB but I always recommend 16 GB just in case.

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"We are all cups, quietly and constantly being filled. The trick is knowing how to tip yourself and let the good things pour out." - Ray Bradbury

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