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The Bar Room => The Bar (ON-TOPIC) => Tech Talk, or If Yer So Damn Smart, What The Hell You Doin' Teachin' English? => Topic started by: cruisemonkey on March 29, 2015, 02:24:11 PM

Title: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: cruisemonkey on March 29, 2015, 02:24:11 PM
I've spent weeks trying to fix this (every 'solution' found on the web)... to no avail.

I'm running Windows 7 (Starter) on my personal laptop, and something has destroyed the Windows Installer. Certain programs can be uninstalled but not re-installed (Chrome), others cannot be uninstalled (Belarc Advisor). Chrome won't update. Avast virus definitions update cannot be downloaded... the list goes on. I get a multitude of error messages from: 'Do not have required permissions' (I have administrator permissions for the entire computer), to 'Cannot find Install.log file.

Microsoft's Fixit (portable) for Installer looked promising... but when I try to download it to my desktop computer, no matter where I try and run/save it, it says an error has occurred (no other information).

It looks like I may have to do a clean install of Windows.

Any ideas before I do that?
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: Calach Pfeffer on March 29, 2015, 02:44:40 PM
Attempt to install in Safe mode (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/start-computer-safe-mode#start-computer-safe-mode=windows-7) and/or use an installation disk to "Repair your computer" (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-AU/windows7/Start-your-computer-from-a-Windows-7-installation-disc-or-USB-flash-drive)?

I'd probably start from scratch. Copy my files to an external hard drive then wipe the computer.
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: cruisemonkey on March 29, 2015, 03:13:36 PM
It's the same in Safe Mode, and I don't have a installation disk - no internal CD drive (HP Pavilion dm 1).

Windows 7 (Starter) was installed by my Chinese 'computer guy' after I fried the original hard drive by spilling coffee on it. He could not install Windows 7 (Ultimate)... as he did on my Lenovo desktop computer, because the computer was bought in Canada.

Everything was fine until about a month ago when it suddenly went TU.
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: Calach Pfeffer on March 29, 2015, 03:27:52 PM
It's the same in Safe Mode, and I don't have a installation disk - no internal CD drive (HP Pavilion dm 1).

Bootable usb stick (http://arstechnica.com/business/2009/12/the-usb-flash-drive/) then?

Quote
Windows 7 (Starter) was installed by my Chinese 'computer guy' after I fried the original hard drive by spilling coffee on it. He could not install Windows 7 (Ultimate)... as he did on my Lenovo desktop computer, because the computer was bought in Canada.

I don't even

Installing an OS via bootable usb should override whatever it is about Canadian retailing that presently causes problems. But it doesn't?

Quote
Everything was fine until about a month ago when it suddenly went TU.

So, malware then? Perhaps use your other computer to install Malwarebytes (https://www.malwarebytes.org) on a usb, then use it on the dud computer, in normal mode then safe mode.
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: cruisemonkey on March 29, 2015, 05:50:47 PM
I don't have Windows 7 on a bootable USB.

I tried to 'restore' from my backup USB... it didn't work.

Installing from computer guy's bootable USB doesn't override whatever it is about Canadian 'settings'.

The computer has (and had when the problem occured): Malware Bytes, Avast and AVG installed. They all indicate no malware. 
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: BrandeX on March 29, 2015, 06:08:15 PM
As per Avast!, it's now blocked in China apparently, so you won't get virus definiation updates without a vpn.
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: Calach Pfeffer on March 29, 2015, 06:39:41 PM
This thing doesn't work for you?:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/mats/program_install_and_uninstall

Meanwhile...

Windows 7 on a bootable usb is as far away as your next torrent. However, it'll be different from your present installation so might not act as a repair disk.

I'm baffled as to why a Canadian laptop would refuse to accept an OS - is it possibly your BIOS settings? That's to say, is the BIOS set up to allow boot from a USB device? You can access BIOS, and allow USB boot, by the following procedure:

(1) plug in your bootable USB stick.
(2) initiate a reboot (or just turn the machine on)
(3) during reboot, when you see the HP logo appear for the first time, press the correct function key - it's usually F1, but it might be F2, F8 or F10. (eta: I see online people saying F10 and F12 for HP Pavillions.)
(4) Witness the glory of your BIOS settings page or know by seeing the Windows logo that you must go back to (2) and start again
(5) Find a tab called "System" or something like that
(6) Find an entry called "Boot Sequence" or something like that
(7) You should see the name of your USB stick probably last on the list - do whatever it takes to get that name to first place in the list.

After that, when you reboot, you're computer will boot from that USB stick, Canadian retail presets be damned.
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: cruisemonkey on March 29, 2015, 09:45:27 PM
I have a Very Passable Nicety and update Avast from here on my Lenovo desktop -
https://www.avast.com/en-us/download-update
It does not work on the fucked-up HP laptop.

The Microsoft Fixit does not work... it starts, then stops... and only tells me "An error has occured".

I'm downloading a copy of Windows 7 to make a bootable USB from Kickass, and will try to use that to boot in BIOS... let you know if it works.
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: cruisemonkey on March 29, 2015, 11:56:03 PM
I don't know where the hell to get/look for the 'Source Image File' when I am at 'Create Bootable USB Drive...' using PowerISO

There's always some esoteric instruction that might as well tell me to 'go to Mars...'
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: Calach Pfeffer on March 30, 2015, 12:28:34 AM
Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool (http://wudt.codeplex.com/releases/view/37074) is what you want. Despite the incongruous title, what it does is copy an ISO file to a USB stick and make that stick bootable. The ISO file in question - what PowerISO is calling the "Source Image File" - is whatever you downloaded earlier. (An ISO file is an optical disk image - a copy, in this case, of a windows installation disk). You find it in your torrent folder, or wherever good people keep copies of disks.
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: cruisemonkey on March 30, 2015, 01:43:42 AM
So, what torrent am I looking to download?

When I searched Kickass for Windows 7, I ended up dowloading PowerISO... and it doesn't come with the ISO file I need... just as Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool doesn't.
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: Calach Pfeffer on March 30, 2015, 02:24:30 AM
No, well, Windows ISOs are in the gigabyte ranges...

What you looking for? 32bit or 64bit? (If you have less than 2Gb ram, then 32bit.) Starter, Home, Professional, or Ultimate? (Ultimate is more or less the same as Professional but with some extra stuff, like Bitlocker and the ability to install Chinese and other language packs.) All of them in one or just one?

Just looking over the Kickass offerings (http://kickass.to/usearch/windows%207/), and me being not entirely comfortable making direct links in a forever-and-ever public post, personally, if it were me, I'd consider something that said "WINDOWS 7 ALL IN ONE PRE-ACTIVATED" or perhaps "Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 X86 X64" (X86 is 32bit and X64 is 64bit) or just "Windows 7 Sp1 Ultimate en-US (x86)" which is probably what you want, Windows 7 Ultimate, US-English, 32bit, nothing else added.

And "pre-activated" is a plus.

All of them, btw, if scanned, might well sound alarms on anti-virus software. Activation scripts and whatnots are counted by antivirus software as bad. So, Caveat Pirator.


I feel myself going to hell.
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: cruisemonkey on March 30, 2015, 02:52:47 AM
It's 32bit, Windows 7 Starter (tech dude couldn't load Ultimate when he replaced the hard drive after I spilled coffee on it). I originally had Windows 7 Professional (legal) but of course lost it... along with Office 2010 ($99)... and everything else that was on the computer.

So, if I understand, downloading an ISO and using it to boot from a USB will be just like doing a clean install... and I'll be starting from scratch?

Does "pre-activated" mean it won't require a product key code... and thus, I won't have a black desktop screen after 30 days... or be a victim of software piracy? (facetious)
 bibibibibi
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: Calach Pfeffer on March 30, 2015, 03:13:14 AM
It's 32bit, Windows 7 Starter (tech dude couldn't load Ultimate when he replaced the hard drive after I spilled coffee on it). I originally had Windows 7 Professional (legal) but of course lost it... along with Office 2010 ($99)... and everything else that was on the computer.

Was there a reason he couldn't load Ultimate? If Starter works, Ultimate should too, presumably.

Quote
So, if I understand, downloading an ISO and using it to boot from a USB will be just like doing a clean install... and I'll be starting from scratch?

There should be a screen at the beginning asking if you want to install or repair. Since the disk is not the same as your original disk, I don't know if you'll get the repair option. If you don't, you'll presumably still get the option to install on a different partition. If you want a thoroughly clean install, you probably have to tell it to format the disk first. That will definitely erase everything.

Quote
Does "pre-activated" mean it won't require a product key code... and thus, I won't have a black desktop screen after 30 days... or be a victim of software piracy? (facetious)  bibibibibi

Yup. Also usually means you can use Windows Update without worries.
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: cruisemonkey on March 30, 2015, 03:34:19 AM
Was there a reason he couldn't load Ultimate? If Starter works, Ultimate should too, presumably.

I don't know... he seemed to figure it was because the computer was bought in Canada.
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: cruisemonkey on March 30, 2015, 10:34:00 AM
Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool doesn't work. Everything seems good... until I get to step 4 of 4 when it stops and says -
"We are unable to copy your files. Please check your USB device and the selected ISO file and try again."
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: Calach Pfeffer on March 30, 2015, 01:35:31 PM
I've never had that happen, but apparently it's sufficiently common there's a known fix, as described here:

https://4sysops.com/archives/windows-7-usbdvd-download-tool-wudt-is-unable-to-copy-files/


NB: where it says "Launch a command prompt with admin rights", that means, in Windows 7, go to the Start menu, type "cmd" into the "Search programs and files" box, then where you see the "cmd" program pop up in the list, right click it and select "Run as administrator".
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: cruisemonkey on March 30, 2015, 01:36:37 PM
Update -
PowerISO worked and I have made a bootable USB with Windows 7 Ultimate and pre-activation. It's 3.63 GB. However, there is only 2.43 GB free on (C:) drive on the HP laptop. I uninstalled as many programs as I dared (3 antivirus programs, Google Chrome/Earth, Open Office, Skype etc.), but can't 'free up' more than 2.96 GB on the drive.

I restored the computer and have everything back now (and only 2.43 GB free on (C:)).

If I try to install Widows 7 Ultimate, what will happen? Will it 'overwrite' Windows 7 Starter and use the GBs currently being taken up by it... or, will it 'crash' and leave me with a totally useless computer?

Also, what will happen to all my current programs if I install Ultimate? Will they automatically be 'transferred'/accessable/usable... or, will they disappear and have to be downloaded & installed again?

There is a 'Racer.exe' program that allows the computer to connect to to my ISP (China Unicom). If I lose it, the computer is useless. I wouldn't know how to get it back, and even if I did, I wouldn't know how to set it up because everything is in Chinese.

What's my next step?



Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: Calach Pfeffer on March 30, 2015, 02:11:52 PM
Update -
PowerISO worked and I have made a bootable USB with Windows 7 Ultimate and pre-activation. It's 3.63 GB. However, there is only 2.43 GB free on (C:) drive on the HP laptop. I uninstalled as many programs as I dared (3 antivirus programs, Google Chrome/Earth, Open Office, Skype etc.), but can't 'free up' more than 2.96 GB on the drive.

I restored the computer and have everything back now (and only 2.43 GB free on (C:)).

If I try to install Widows 7 Ultimate, what will happen? Will it 'overwrite' Windows 7 Starter and use the GBs currently being taken up by it... or, will it 'crash' and leave me with a totally useless computer?

Also, what will happen to all my current programs if I install Ultimate? Will they automatically be 'transferred'/accessable/usable... or, will they disappear and have to be downloaded & installed again?

There is a 'Racer.exe' program that allows the computer to connect to to my ISP (China Unicom). If I lose it, the computer is useless. I wouldn't know how to get it back, and even if I did, I wouldn't know how to set it up because everything is in Chinese.

What's my next step?

Are you satisfied there are no other fixes to try and find? If you go ahead with an install disk you'll have two options: (1) try using it to "repair" your existing installation, or (2) use it to replace your existing installation.

The repair option, if available, does not replace you system. It attempts to fix your system. It is accessed by booting from the usb stick. When you boot, you should be warned that "Windows" (the one on you USB stick) has detected another installation (the one on your hard disk), and you'll be asked what you want to do, repair or install. You can choose repair. I'm betting it'll report that it is unable to repair owing to, in effect, not being the original disk.

The install option, if you choose it, really should be accompanied by formatting the disk. Normally, an installation will take place alongside whatever you have. They won't merge. You'd end up with two Windows installations on the same hard disk. But with just 2 or so gb free, likely that installation will not go ahead anyway. Something more like 10 is needed, and if you want it to be functional over time then at least 20.

In other words, either Windows setup from the install disk can repair what you have, or you have to format your hard drive, erasing everything, and make a fresh install. (Or find some existing fix for the original installer problem.)


If you are lucky, then everything Racer needs to make it run is located in it's own directory. You could copy the contents of that directory to somewhere safe - another computer or an external hard disk - and copy it back to the new operating system.


This Racer thing, according to the Chinese internet it's your broadband login client. Unless you have a copy of the installation archive for that too, you'd better NOT go ahead with a fresh windows install.  llllllllll
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: Calach Pfeffer on March 30, 2015, 02:46:33 PM
Options:

(1) copy all the racer files and directories to some different computer, then copy them back to the target computer after you format everything and make a fresh install.

This is NOT your best option. It could be that Racer keeps everything in its main directory, but this is Windows and there may be essential files laying about in all sorts of odd places. Without the original install archive, you are NOT guaranteed of being able to find and save everything in one place.

(2) http://www.10010.com/#

If China Unicom are not complete retards, then they have somewhere online an option to download essential software. And if it is anywhere, it's probably at 10010, their online support site. And it's all in Chinese. Somewhere in all that fluff there should be a downloads area and you can get the original racer for yourself. You're looking for "上网应用软件" (internet application software) or something like that.

 :alcoholic:
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: Calach Pfeffer on March 30, 2015, 03:19:22 PM
The other thing though is, is that software vital? Ordinarily, if you know your broadband username and password, you enter them into Windows:

Start > Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Set up a new connection of network > Connect to the Internet > Broadband > [details] > connect


How about disconnect this racer thing, and try setting up your own connection through Network and Sharing Center? If it works, you don't need this Racer, and you're free to screw up your computer as much as you like.
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: BrandeX on March 30, 2015, 06:21:20 PM
"There is a 'Racer.exe' program that allows the computer to connect to to my ISP (China Unicom). If I lose it, the computer is useless."
Impossible. If it was required to connect, no one could use a router. It's more likely a "helper program".
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: cruisemonkey on March 30, 2015, 07:24:06 PM
"There is a 'Racer.exe' program that allows the computer to connect to to my ISP (China Unicom). If I lose it, the computer is useless."
Impossible. If it was required to connect, no one could use a router. It's more likely a "helper program".

Whatever. I've created a new, broadband connection... and copied the 'Racer' file folder... and 'setup_365' Application (which seems to install racer) to a USB... on which I just 'backed up' the computer.

I've 'read up' on the process and have http://pcsupport.about.com/od/operatingsystems/ss/windows-7-clean-install-part-1.htm for reference on my Lenovo desktop... and now, I'm going to perform a clean install of my new, Windows 7 Ultimate from the bootable USB.

Wish me luck... I may be posting here in an hour or so, going  llllllllll

One question though -
What happens during the installation process when it gets to the point where Mr. Gates asks me for a Product Key Code? The torrent I downloaded says "Pre-activation".
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: Calach Pfeffer on March 30, 2015, 07:40:29 PM
"There is a 'Racer.exe' program that allows the computer to connect to to my ISP (China Unicom). If I lose it, the computer is useless."
Impossible. If it was required to connect, no one could use a router. It's more likely a "helper program".

Whatever. I've created a new, broadband connection... and copied the 'Racer' file folder... and 'setup_365' Application (which seems to install racer) to a USB... on which I just 'backed up' the computer.

Note well: just copying the directory is very iffy. Windows programs put libraries and whatnot in all sorts of arcane directories. It is not at all guaranteed that everything you need for running Racer is in that main directory.

But... you created a new broadband connection? And it works? Without Racer? So you can ditch Racer entirely? (And you should probably give "setup_365.exe" a trial run and see what it does. It could be Office 365)

Quote
I've 'read up' on the process and have http://pcsupport.about.com/od/operatingsystems/ss/windows-7-clean-install-part-1.htm for reference on my Lenovo desktop... and now, I'm going to perform a clean install of my new, Windows 7 Ultimate from the bootable USB.

Wish me luck... I may be posting here in an hour or so, going  llllllllll

One question though -
What happens during the installation process when it gets to the point where Mr. Gates asks me for a Product Key Code? The torrent I downloaded says "Pre-activation".

Check the notes and comments for that torrent at the torrent site. Either you have a genuinely pre-activated copy and you'll never get asked to enter a code or you have copy that can be cracked by some extra step where you install a small program or move a file to a directory. A careful read of the notes and first few comments should reveal all.

Yi lu shun feng
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: cruisemonkey on March 30, 2015, 08:09:26 PM
From the comments, it seems to be genuinely pre-activated (I haven't got that far yet).
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: cruisemonkey on March 30, 2015, 09:34:13 PM
Shit!... something is wrong.  llllllllll

Referring to -
http://pcsupport.about.com/od/operatingsystems/ss/windows-7-clean-install-part-1.htm

All goes well until Step 18 of 34 (3 of 15, Part 2), when instead of going to Step 19 of 34 (4 of 15, Part 2) 'Windows is updating registry settings', it goes back to the 'beginning' and displays the same window as in Step 5 of 34 (5 OF 15, Part 1). It's stuck in an endless 'Installation Loop'.

I've tried shutting down the computer and starting again (from BIOS with the bootable installation USB 'on top'). It does exactly the same thing again after Step 18. It won't proceed to Step 19.

Now the computer really is useless. HELP!

Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: cruisemonkey on March 30, 2015, 09:59:47 PM
I 'spoke' too soon. It seems to be continuing as it should now (I guess I wasn't waiting long enough when it went 'back to the beginning')... now, it seems to have finished.

I have a (very sparse) Windows 7 Ultimate desktop screen showing... and will hook the computer up to the Internet (means disconnecting this computer)... and see if I can get online.

I'm not religious, but I'm going to pray.
bfbfbfbfbf
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: cruisemonkey on March 30, 2015, 10:50:46 PM
Praying does no friggin' good!

I can't connect to the Internet... because there's no driver for the network adapter.

Where do I get a driver... and how do I install it on a computer that isn't connected to the Internet? I've just spent 40 minutes on the HP support site - it's impossible to navigate!
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: Calach Pfeffer on March 30, 2015, 11:11:36 PM
http://www.hpdriver.net/hp-pavilion-dm1-4142nr-windows-7-drivers/

CAUTION: is your HP Pavillion dm1 also a 4142nr? If not, you likely need some other driver download site.


The particular driver you're looking for, assuming 4142nr is right, is the Realtek Local Area Network (LAN) Driver (http://www.hpdriver.net/goto/http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp54001-54500/sp54238.exe). Also, yeah, it's a good idea to have the drivers *before* changing the operating system. On the bright side, if the LAN driver works, probably Windows Update will have the other drivers for you.
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: Calach Pfeffer on March 30, 2015, 11:19:47 PM
Alternatively, start here:

http://www8.hp.com/us/en/drivers.html
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: cruisemonkey on March 30, 2015, 11:43:14 PM
I go to the HP site and 'put in' my computer - Pavilion dm1 3240ca - and it gives me a multitude of drivers to download (and tries to install them on the 'wrong' computer - the Lenovo desktop I'm using).

How do I know what I need?  It won't download them to a USB... so how do I get a driver (if I knew which one) installed on the laptop?
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: Calach Pfeffer on March 31, 2015, 12:31:45 AM
On your working computer:

(1) Go here: http://support.hp.com/us-en/product/HP-Pavilion-dm1-Entertainment-Notebook-PC-series/5082195/model/5128713/drivers

  And from the big blue list, select "Software and Drivers"

(2) See: "There are 2 ways to determine whether you have updates for your device. Choose from the options below:"

   Go to "Select or confirm your operating system and submit" and choose "Microsoft Windows 7 (32 bit)", then tap "Next"

(3) From the long list that appears choose "Driver - Network (7)"

(4) From the detailed list that appears, find "Realtek Local Area Network (LAN) Driver" and tap the blue box that says "Download"

(5) The "HP Download and Install Assistant" will pop up and offer to "Use HP Download and Install Assistant (Recommended)l" or "Download Only". Select "Download only" and press "Next"

(6) A file will download (or a Download options window will appear and you will accept).

(7) Once that file is downloaded, copy the downloaded file to a convenient USB device

(8.) Transfer the usb device to the afflicted laptop and copy the downloaded file somewhere.

(9) Run the downloaded file on the afflicted laptop.

Bam.

Network driver installed.

Then either run windows update and see if it lets you have the other drivers or - on your afflicted laptop - go back to (1) and let the website install everything for you.


ETA: for the sake of completeness, note that once the network adapter is installed you still have to set up a broadband connection - and for that you'll need your China Unicom username and password and... Start > Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Set up a new connection of network > Connect to the Internet > Broadband > [username and password here] > connect...

May the light of Mao in his good heaven shine upon us all.
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: cruisemonkey on March 31, 2015, 04:19:16 AM
After many setbacks (the broadband disconnected and wouldn't reconnect... and being initially stuck behind the GFW with no way 'out' - no VPN, no Google/ncr etc. ) I've managed to digitally 'escape' China (and Internet Explorer) with Windows 7 Ultimate working perfectly on my HP laptop.

A million thanks CP - I couldn't have done it without you! If you're ever around Zhengzhou, drinks are on me.
 bfbfbfbfbf agagagagag
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: Calach Pfeffer on March 31, 2015, 04:28:22 AM
It's been a wild ride.
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: cruisemonkey on March 31, 2015, 10:58:02 AM
It's been a wild ride.

That's for sure. And there were parts where I don't understand what happened -
I did the installation four times. What happened did not exactly follow the steps outlined in the How To Clean Install Windows 7 slide show - it seemed to only get out of 'the endless loop' I described if I pulled the bootable USB out of the computer. I've ended up with a computer with 3 partitions on the hard drive (I wanted 4) and will leave it at that. Following the (unclear to the uninitiated) instructions, I (the first time) ended up with only 1 gigantic partition... so only (C:) drive on the computer.

I'm not sure everything is 100% yet. The broadband connection works fine for about 30 minutes then disconnects. It won't reconnect. I have to delete the connection, reboot and create another connection... which works for about 30 minutes...

Getting out from behind the GFW was a nightmare. I (somehow) managed to get Astrill transferred from the Lenovo to the HP on a USB. If I did not have it already installed on a second computer, I don't know what I would/could have done - you can't access the site to download it.

Later today (I'm on the Lenovo now), I will continue to try and get all my programs loaded on the computer (I hope I can connect). I'll be back... LOL.
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: Calach Pfeffer on March 31, 2015, 01:10:42 PM
I did the installation four times. What happened did not exactly follow the steps outlined in the How To Clean Install Windows 7 slide show - it seemed to only get out of 'the endless loop' I described if I pulled the bootable USB out of the computer.

Now that you mention it, yeah, that happens. It's a consequence, I suspect, of having the USB ahead of the hard drive in the boot sequence. There's some point where Windows Setup finishes copying files to the hard drive and reboots for the first time - signaled, as I recall, perhaps incorrectly, by some message like Setup will reboot the computer in 15 seconds. On that first reboot, the files copied to the hard drive are supposed to take over the process, but if the USB is first in the boot sequence and a bootable USB device is still plugged in, endless loop with the whole setup process starting again every reboot.

Quote
I've ended up with a computer with 3 partitions on the hard drive (I wanted 4) and will leave it at that. Following the (unclear to the uninitiated) instructions, I (the first time) ended up with only 1 gigantic partition... so only (C:) drive on the computer.

I used to be a partitions guy. I used to have three. Presently I have two hard disks in the same computer - one, a 120GB SSD boot disk arranged as one big C: drive, and the other a 400GB regular HDD, which used to be the boot disk before I got the SSD. I have two partitions on the regular HDD but they're probably unnecessary. I didn't trust the SSD (it is constantly within a few degrees of its maximum operating temperature, which is kinda  aoaoaoaoao), so I put a second Windows on a D: partition of the regular HDD in the event of SSD failure. Everything else is in a gigantic E: partition. With a reasonably well-thought out directory structure, unpartitioned monster HDDs seem okay.

Quote
I'm not sure everything is 100% yet. The broadband connection works fine for about 30 minutes then disconnects. It won't reconnect. I have to delete the connection, reboot and create another connection... which works for about 30 minutes...

I have no idea what that could be. Either unfortunate coincidence that looks like a pattern, or Racer really did have a purpose.  bibibibibi
Title: Re: Broken Windows Installer
Post by: cruisemonkey on March 31, 2015, 01:42:38 PM
I did the installation four times. What happened did not exactly follow the steps outlined in the How To Clean Install Windows 7 slide show - it seemed to only get out of 'the endless loop' I described if I pulled the bootable USB out of the computer.

Now that you mention it, yeah, that happens. It's a consequence, I suspect, of having the USB ahead of the hard drive in the boot sequence. There's some point where Windows Setup finishes copying files to the hard drive and reboots for the first time - signaled, as I recall, perhaps incorrectly, by some message like Setup will reboot the computer in 15 seconds. On that first reboot, the files copied to the hard drive are supposed to take over the process, but if the USB is first in the boot sequence and a bootable USB device is still plugged in, endless loop with the whole setup process starting again every reboot.
That makes perfect sense. Why don't they tell you this stuff?  mmmmmmmmmm  I'd still be stuck in the endless 'loop' if I hadn't got POed asasasasas and pulled out the USB. It was only the second time I got POed llllllllll  asasasasas (and yanked it) that I realized pulling out the USB had something to do with getting out of 'the loop'... and allowing the installation to continue.



I'm not sure everything is 100% yet. The broadband connection works fine for about 30 minutes then disconnects. It won't reconnect. I have to delete the connection, reboot and create another connection... which works for about 30 minutes...

I have no idea what that could be. Either unfortunate coincidence that looks like a pattern, or Racer really did have a purpose.  bibibibibi

It's staying connected now.