[johonn]

Hey guys,

Just want to say, I really appreciate this website. I've gotten help 4 or 5 times in the past with malware issues for my and others' computers.

Now, please read this carefully. I've likely already tried all the "easy" stuff that you might automatically tell inexperienced users, and I can't figure out any other way to do it.

Anyway, I have a different problem now. I built my computer back in 2009, installed XP cause I was a broke college student (Now I'm a broke grad student). Yesterday, I was finally going to install Windows 7. I've got everything backed up, no problem, popped the CD in, got through all the steps, and the install froze on "Completing Installation."

Searched online for this problem, and found I should try unplugging all USB devices. Did that. Still frozen on that step. Burned a new dvd, this time not at full speed. Still froze.

Pulled my hard drive from my desktop and used a SATA to USB connector to wipe it with my laptop. Now, when I try booting from the CD, I get the disk boot failure message. I've fiddled around with the boot order quite a bit and nothing gets it to boot from the DVD drive.

Now I wonder if there is now no driver on the machine to run the DVD drive, so I made a bootable USB flash drive with the Win7 iso. Of course, my BIOS doesn't seem to have a boot from USB option, and still no matter what I do I get the same Disk Boot Failure message.

The only other thing I can think of to try is a USB DVD drive, but I don't have access to one aside from purchasing one.

Sorry about the lengthy explanation, but I figured it was important to tell you all the steps I went through to get to this point. My computer is the desktop listed in my profile. It has a boot drive, a data drive, and a DVD burner. No floppy. It has a Core 2 E7400 processor and 8 gigs of ram.

Thanks in advance for your help!

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Gday johonn, welcome back.

Now I wonder if there is now no driver on the machine to run the DVD drive,

Basic driver are included in the BIOS so you can have access to USB/HDD etc.
With the computer switched off, clear the CMOS, resetting the BIOS to Defaults. Restart the computer.
Again, restart the computer and enter Bios, set Optical drive as first boot, Place your original XP pro disc in the tray, Save setting and exit, restart the computer.
What result please.

[iammykyl]

Gday johonn, welcome back.

Now I wonder if there is now no driver on the machine to run the DVD drive,

Basic driver are included in the BIOS so you can have access to USB/HDD etc.
With the computer switched off, clear the CMOS, resetting the BIOS to Defaults. Restart the computer.
Again, restart the computer and enter Bios, set Optical drive as first boot, Place your original XP pro disc in the tray, Save setting and exit, restart the computer.
What result please.

[johonn]

I should use my XP pro rather than my Win 7 pro? Just checking.

I'll probably get to this tomorrow evening.

[iammykyl]

Yes, your original XP pro disc please.

[SleepyDude]

Now I wonder if there is now no driver on the machine to run the DVD drive, so I made a bootable USB flash drive with the Win7 iso. Of course, my BIOS doesn't seem to have a boot from USB option, and still no matter what I do I get the same Disk Boot Failure message.

In some BIOS the USB options only show if you connect the USB flash immediately after Power On the machine and enter the BIOS.
After this some bios will detect the Flash Drive as a floppy drive or Hard Disk Drive and in this case you need to search for the option to order the drives priority inside each category, like on the image.

[johonn]

Ok followed your instructions, and now it boots the XP cd.
What should I do next? I don't want to install XP again, of course. I'm sure you're aware of that though.

Thanks!

[iammykyl]

Gday.
Remove the XP disc and reboot with the Windows 7 disk in the Optical drive and try to install.
result please.

[johonn]

Ok tried that. Still get the disk boot failure message.

thanks

[johonn]

I tried again. This time I let the xp disk boot up to the point where you tell it what to do next, then I popped the disk out and put the windows 7 disk in, and exited the xp installation. This time, I used the first windows 7 disk I had made, and it did the same exact thing it's done the other times I've used it. It goes through the installation until it gets to the "Completing installation" phase, and then it hangs. I also tried the other disk, and I still just get the disk boot error, so I believe that disk is messed up in some way.

[iammykyl]

Gday.
Thanks for the updates.
It does look like something is messed up.
From which site did you download the ISO image? (For legit downloads the Microsoft SHA1 checksum values have been added to verify the integrity of the download.)
What program are you using to burn the ISO image?

Thank you SleepyDude for you input and information.

[johonn]

Hmm that's a good question. I've downloaded at least a couple different ones. Also, I used an iso burner on my desktop when it was running xp, for the first dvd, and used my friend's mac for the other one because my laptop doesn't have an optical drive. I don't remember what the first one was, and I believe on a mac that's just included in the os. If you can recommend a good place to download it, I wouldn't mind trying again. I have an activation code so it doesn't really matter where I get the file. I'll just have to have my friend burn the dvd again, unless you think I should try the USB stick with SleepyDude's advice.

[iammykyl]

Gday.

I have an activation code

Is that a "free" activation code? or a volume product code as supplied from the likes of Dell or HP? or a product code that came with an OEM installation CD?


Go with the USB stick with SleepyDude's advice.
Go, > http://techverse.net...-for-windows-7/ (ignore the Boot for all at the top)
Follow the first link to download your ISO file, Windows 7 ISO Then go back and follow the instructions to create a Bootable Windows 7 USB Flash Drive

[johonn]

It's a product code I got on a dell dvd that I purchased. Unfortunately the dvd was a spanish edition, which to the best of my knowledge isn't changeable, so I downloaded an english version to use the key with.

[iammykyl]

Gday.
This is an extract from Microsoft Licencing blurb, Where OEM Windows comes preinstalled on computers. This is the cheapest way to buy windows. "Large PC manufacturers like Dell, HP etc. (collectively called royalty OEMs) install windows on millions of such PCs. The main characteristics of such systems are:The license agreement and support agreement is between you and the PC maker, not MS.Activation by the end user is not required. Windows is preactivated at the factory by the OEM using images and standard SLP keys.(relivent bit) Your copy of windows is locked to that PC. The license is not transferable.OEM system builder is what you get when you buy from say Newegg or from a local "white box" vendor. It too has the characteristics of Royalty OEM windows. Although it is possible for an individual to buy a System Builder copy, the license requires that the software be installed using the OPK (OEM preinstall kit) and then resold."


It will not be legit to use the code you have with the proposed ISO download.

[johonn]

...Well that sucks.

I know this isn't your problem, but... why in the world is someone selling this stupid disk if I can't use it? and how am I supposed to get a legit copy of windows 7? I don't want windows 8, nor do I have the money for it even if I did want it...

This is really aggravating...

I suppose I have to go out and buy another win7 disk that hopefully works... ugh. And of course the idiots that sold me this won't take it back, I'm sure.