windows 7 wont install...

[rufus65]

This has been a problem for me ever since windows 7 came out.

I have a custom built desktop:

Intel Pentium D 2.6GHz
2GB DDR2 RAM
Matrox Parhelia AVe Graphics Card
320GB & 80GB hard drive

When the windows 7 beta came out i downloaded and installed it perfectly with no errors. So i got windows 7 home premium [full install with free upgrade from XP pro] and it gave me the same error then and i am getting the same error now when i try to install windows 7 Enterprise 90-trial [downloaded from microsoft online]. this is the error message:

"A CD/DVD drive device driver is missing. If you have a floppy, CD, DVD, or usb flash drive. Please insert it now"

What seems to be the problem? I dont need to install any drivers for my DVD drive [also their isnt any, i checked from the manufacturer and the company]. I have tried different conditions to install windows 7 and nothing works. The most amount of progress i have eve made was when it was expanding the windows 7 files [enterprise trial] and froze at 35% for about and hour...

P.S. i called microsoft and told me i had a faulty disc [windows 7 home premium] and to return it... so all i have now is my windows XP pro OS disc, and my windows 7 enterprise trial disc...

[TIGR]

Welcome to TPU!

I doubt it's anything to do with your optical drive, though it couldn't hurt to swap it out for another if you have one handy, just to see.

OS install disc is another strong possibility.

But as strange as it may sound, I'd also point you toward your HDD. Run an error scan on whichever one you're trying to install 7 on.

[DirectorC]

Make sure you don't have any USB storage devices or card readers plugged in <- that's what happened to me with that error message. As soon as I unplugged the USB card during Windows Setup loading the message stopped. This happens because Microsoft has overpaid dumb asses working for them.

Alternatively, wipe all the data on the install partition/drive.

[rufus65]

what do you mean by optical drive?

and in case you got confused between the back and forth of different versions;

i am currently trying to install windows 7 enterprise trial on my 80GB drive. i have multiple copies of the trial disc burned from different PC [its the same file for all except 2 discs; just in case the original download from microsoft didnt work]

and how am i able to run error scans on my drives?

[rufus65]

Originally Posted by DirectorC

Make sure you don't have any USB storage devices or card readers plugged in <- that's what happened to me with that error message. As soon as I unplugged the USB card during Windows Setup loading the message stopped. This happens because Microsoft has overpaid dumb asses working for them.

Alternatively, wipe all the data on the install partition/drive.

you know what i think thats it. I never took into account that i had my Dynex card reader plugged in.... wow, all the work for a stupid card reader... ill go work on it now and report back...

[TIGR]

Rufus, optical drive = CD or DVD drive.

[DirectorC]

Originally Posted by rufus65

you know what i think thats it. I never took into account that i had my Dynex card reader plugged in.... wow, all the work for a stupid card reader... ill go work on it now and report back...

I bet it'll fix it. It's not your fault, that's the stupidest install error in the history of operating systems.

[qubit]

I take it you're booting off the Win7 DVD, is that right? Please tell us, this is important.

Possible causes are:

a dodgy DVD drive - this is the most likely cause, especially if it's very old
a BIOS update for your motherboard - also very important to check
Try putting in only one stick of RAM and see if it goes away (a recent PC didn't work properly with 8GB RAM until the BIOS was updated). Using only 1 stick (2GB) got round the problem.

[rufus65]

i am currently still waiting for win7 to show the setup menu, its proccessing right now on a picture screen.

i am booting/installing win7 all from my dvd disc that i burned. i got the install img from microsoft ajd they told me to burn it to a dvd, which is what i did.

[rufus65]

should my ethernet cable be unplugged from mY pc during inatall? i thought the rule was only plug in a hard drive, cd drive, and a wired keyboard and mouse and monitor...

[rufus65]

okay its not the card reader, im gonna try the one stick a RAM trick mentioned above... i pray thats the problem...

[newtekie1]

What motherboard do you have?

I've recieved that error a few times when Installing Vista/Win7/Win2008.

It is almost always because you have the DVD drive connected to a RAID/SATA/IDE controller that Windows doesn't recognize or have drivers for. You have to go to the manufacturer of the controller's website(if it is plugged into your motherboard, go to your motherboard's manufacturer's site), then download the drivers and extract them to a USB flash drive.

[rufus65]

my mobo is old... its an intel essential series D94GCNL. and if my terminology is correct i believe my dvd drive is connected via IDE. is has two cables connected to it. a big flat cable which plugs into the mobo and a snake cable going to the power supply. [most likely the power cable for it]

[rufus65]

oh and if you look hard enough, my mobo is able to run win7. i ran checks and system compatibility scans and i am able even though intel says i should stop at vista... and i have looked and looked and i have found no bios updates for my mobo. if thats the problem someone plz post a link...

[rufus65]

it wasnt the ram problem. so its either a faulty dvd drive or a bios update...which i cant seem to find...

[newtekie1]

Ok, if it is IDE, then it is almost certainly a driver issue. The 945G based motherboards did not have an integrated IDE controller in the chipset. So the motherboard manufacturer(in this case Intel themselves) had to add a 3rd party controller to allow the board to use IDE devices. Though the IDE controller should just identify itself as a generic IDE controller, and work withoout issue.

There might be a setting in the BIOS, or seperate page for the IDE controller that comes up during POST, that will allow you to change some settings for the IDE controller. The IDE controller could be set to act as a RAID controller, and it is screwing Win7 up.

Of course an easy solution would be to buy a SATA Optical drive.

[rufus65]

okay, im in the BIOS [system setup], under the advanced tab and Drive configuration. I see a setting thats "ATA/IDE mode" and its set to native, thats the only IDE setting i can find.

and i just checked and confirmed that my DVD drive and 80GB Hard drive are both plugged into the IDE port on my mobo, so yes they are IDE controlled...

*sorry for the 'new-guy' questions*

what is POST?

[rufus65]

okay, i went onto Intel's site and they have no BIOS updates for win7, but they do have them for vista, should i update my bios using the vista update or an XP update?...

[qubit]

Originally Posted by rufus65

okay, im in the BIOS [system setup], under the advanced tab and Drive configuration. I see a setting thats "ATA/IDE mode" and its set to native, thats the only IDE setting i can find.

and i just checked and confirmed that my DVD drive and 80GB Hard drive are both plugged into the IDE port on my mobo, so yes they are IDE controlled...

*sorry for the 'new-guy' questions*

what is POST?

Originally Posted by rufus65

okay, i went onto Intel's site and they have no BIOS updates for win7, but they do have them for vista, should i update my bios using the vista update or an XP update?...

Don't worry about being a newbie - we all started somewhere! Ask away my friend.

The BIOS updates relate to the motherboard, not the operating system. Regardless of why they have issued an update, put it into your BIOS; they often fix things that they don't list in the changelog. Also, 7 is near enough to Vista that what applies to one also applies to the other.

While I strongly recommend updating the BIOS, you also have to be careful to do it right, because if it goes wrong, it's very likely to kill the computer: power will come on, but it will just sit there, doing nothing. The only way to fix that is to replace the BIOS chip, so it's a bit risky. Replacing the chip is at best hassly and costs money and at worst impossible.

I'm sure there's a BIOS updating guide on TPU somewhere, if I can just find it.

As you have burned the disc, it's quite likely to be a bad burn: the discs may not be so hot and nor may the drive be that good, either. I'd try burning another on a good quality brand such as Verbatim if possible, reduce the burn speed a bit and get hold of another DVD drive.

As your disc controller is an IDE one (the big wide ribbon cable) it shouldn't be causing you compatibility problems with the install.

[rufus65]

i tried to use the driver [an XP BIOS update instead of vista] i found off of intel's site and i am trying to load it via my external hard drive and win7 setup says the folder containing the BIOS has nothing in it...

I am greatly concerned now...

=====================================
Correction: I misread the text at intels site, the driver i downloaded it compatible with xp and vista, their are no seperate downloads, its all the same file, but i still cant update my bios, what would be the best way [besides replacing the chip] to transfer the bios. Cause i tried my external hard drive and it doesnt work...

[qubit]

Originally Posted by rufus65

i tried to use the driver [an XP BIOS update instead of vista] i found off of intel's site and i am trying to load it via my external hard drive and win7 setup says the folder containing the BIOS has nothing in it...

I am greatly concerned now...

=====================================
Correction: I misread the text at intels site, the driver i downloaded it compatible with xp and vista, their are no seperate downloads, its all the same file, but i still cant update my bios, what would be the best way [besides replacing the chip] to transfer the bios. Cause i tried my external hard drive and it doesnt work...

And I'm really confused at what you're trying to say?

[rufus65]

is it okay if i re-burn win7 with a SONY DVD instead? thats all i got on me right now besides office depot brand DVDs...

[qubit]

Originally Posted by rufus65

is it okay if i re-burn win7 with a SONY DVD instead? thats all i got on me right now besides office depot brand DVDs...

Yes, certainly. Reduce the speed too, but not too much. Just one or two grades down should do.

[rufus65]

okay i think im losing it..

i try to burn the iso file into an img file using power ISO, but not only will it allow me only 24x burn speed, it cant detect that the iso file has anything in it! and the iso file can be opened up with PowerISO... WTH???

[rufus65]

Originally Posted by qubit

And I'm really confused at what you're trying to say?

oh i'm sorry, i was saying that the BIOS update i found worked for both winXP and winVista but when i tried to use the update, win7 setup said it found nothing...