Fresh windows install help.

[more123]

Hi.
I have Samsung Series 7 NP7005ZA-S0AUS laptop pc. I decided to do a fresh windows install so I used a flash drive to re-install windows (I formatted the hard drive at the begnining of the installation). When the laptop booted first time in the installation process, I got a screen saying boot menu but it's empty. I clicked alt+ctl+de, the laptop restarts and gets me back to the same screen. I entered the bios and made sure the hd is on the top of the list and save/restarted but same issue. I tried loading bios default settings and that did not help either. I noticed in the boot menu that there are exclamation marks next to the HD and the SATA DVD drives, not sure what that means but they were not there before. I honestly think a bios update can do the trick but there is no way to upgrade the bios of a samsung laptop without Windows like my case so I am stuck.
Any help will be very much appreciated.
Notice: The hard drive has 8GB msata built in.

 

[DRDNA]

Did you retry the install disk again?

 

[Depth]

If you're using a USB dongle to install you need to set USB as first boot priority in the BIOS

 

[more123]

I tried the samsung OS installation dvd and it yielded the same results. Also, the laptop won't boot from the internal cd, it has to be via an external cd player.

 

[DRDNA]

Also, the laptop won't boot from the internal cd, it has to be via an external cd player.

well thats an issue as well....whats going on here?

I would do another fresh install with formatting.

 

[more123]

If you're using a USB dongle to install you need to set USB as first boot priority in the BIOS

I installed windows using a flash drive but windows restarted, I got that blank boot menu. I logged in the bios and made the hard drive the priority and that did not help either.

 

[DRDNA]

Try cleaning the install disk as well with soft outward strokes from the center out and then try a fresh install again.

 

[more123]

well thats an issue as well....whats going on here?

I would do another fresh install with formatting.

I think both the sata connectors are outdated or the bios is outdated or corrupted. I looked on Samsung website and they only have a tool to upgrade the BIOS via Windows, but since I don't have a windows os yet I can't really do anything with that. Only if there is a way to upgrade the bios without windows.

 

[more123]

Try cleaning the install disk as well with soft outward strokes from the center out and then try a fresh install again.

It's not the disks I don't think, because I used a flash drive first and then I tried the samsung disks but had the same outcome either way.

 

[DRDNA]

I think both the sata connectors are outdated or the bios is outdated or corrupted. I looked on Samsung website and they only have a tool to upgrade the BIOS via Windows, but since I don't have a windows os yet I can't really do anything with that. Only if there is a way to upgrade the bios without windows.

Why cant you use a generic Bios update tool and the Bios rom they offer to do threw windows method? You should be able to do this from your flash drive I would think.

 

[more123]

Why cant you use a generic Bios update tool and the Bios rom they offer to do threw windows method?

I don't know how to do that?
Are there any tools you would recommend?

 

[DRDNA]

let me google ...be back at ya.

WHo did your bios? American Megatrends, Phoenix Technologies, Award Software ??????????

 

[more123]

let me google ...be back at ya.

WHo did your bios? American Megatrends, Phoenix Technologies, and Award Software ??????????

It's a samsung laptop so I think it has bios
IS there a way to know for sure?

 

[DRDNA]

go in the BIOS and usually the BIOS vendor name is at the top of the window( this will not be the same as the laptop manufacture). this place will probably have the tool you will need
http://www.wimsbios.com/biosutil.jsp

It has most of the vendors upon first glance

 

[more123]

go in the BIOS and usually the BIOS vendor name is at the top of the window.

Ok I will have to get back at you later. I am not at computer anymore.

Regards,

 

[DRDNA]

BUT unless you read some where that a bios update resolves this issue you are having with the menu for boot options this probably will not help.

What OS are trying to install??

 

[stevednmc]

If you're using a USB dongle to install you need to set USB as first boot priority in the BIOS

I think this is the issue. The USB drive needs to be the boot device to install windows from it. Much as you would set the CD rom drive as the boot device if you were installing windows from that. Just my opinion /how I read your issue.

 

[more123]

I think this is the issue. The USB drive needs to be the boot device to install windows from it. Much as you would set the CD rom drive as the boot device if you were installing windows from that. Just my opinion /how I read your issue.

Hi,
When I installed the windows 7 os the first time, I set the USB FDD as the number one boot option, laptop restarted and it went right to the empty boot menu. The hard drive in this laptop is 1TB hard drive but with 8GB cache drive. In device manager under system disks I remember it showed 2 disks not just one. First one is the 1TB drive, and there was a second 8GB Drive. But now in the Bios there is only one HDD (alongside SATA DVD drive). I am not sure if the HDD in the bios is the 1TB drive or the 8GB drive. Also in the bios there are two exclamation marks next to both the HD and the SATA dvd. That is why I am thinking either the firmwares for these two items got corrupted in the bios or the bios isn't recognizing them for some reason and that is why I think it need to be updated.

 

[more123]

BUT unless you read some where that a bios update resolves this issue you are having with the menu for boot options this probably will not help.

What OS are trying to install??

Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit.

 

[more123]

go in the BIOS and usually the BIOS vendor name is at the top of the window( this will not be the same as the laptop manufacture). this place will probably have the tool you will need
http://www.wimsbios.com/biosutil.jsp

It has most of the vendors upon first glance

It's Phoenix SecureCore Tiano Setup.

 

[DRDNA]

Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit.

When you did the first install did you do a format too? If so quick or normal?

 

[more123]

When you did the first install did you do a format too? If so quick or normal?

quick format.