[RESOLVED] Windows 7 Installation

[4breezes]

I think I'll post this here rather than in the Windows 7 forum because I have a feeling that the problem is more with my tower than with the process.

I'm unable to install Windows 7 64 bit on a Dell Dimension E510. I'm working from the original disk, which I acquired yesterday, along with the COA. The Dell tower has a brand new WD hard drive, never used. I'm installing with only the single hard drive, booting from the installation disk. Things go normally, copying files, selecting language and such. Then it says it wants to reboot. and it starts all over. I've let it run through this three times without disturbing it, and there has been no progress. On that first reboot it starts over every time.

The only clue I have, the only abnormality, is on the bootup. Each time the system boots it gives two short beeps. I'm pretty sure that means the ram needs attention. However, Memtest86+ is on it's 11th pass now, and shows no errors. The tower, btw, has only 1 Gb of ram, a situation which will be corrected.

If I replace the hard drive with the one I just removed (Windows XP) I get the same two beeps. It then gives me a choice, F1 to continue, or F2 to enter the BIOS. If I continue the system boots normally and runs well.

What am I missing here?

[Train]

Select F12 and if you see the hdd listed, arrow to it and hit enter.
See it works then, yes I have a Dell optiplex 755 I have to go that route every time.

[4breezes]

Hit F12, and it says the drive is there. I ran the Windows drive diagnostic, and it said the drive is good. But W7 won't load. When it reboots it goes back to the beginning, loading files, selecting a language, the license agreement...

I'm wanting to load the 64 bit version of W7. The BIOS claims my system can do this. Is it possible this is not true? Is it possible that my system is unable to run the 64 bit version? Would it be worth my while to try the 32 bit version? Ultimately I'd probably be better off with the 64 bit version, but I may have to get that by way of the 32 bit version.

Any opinions or suggestions?

[Train]

Well the advertized CPU is 64 bit, so boot the XP and check which cpu you find in it. Post that please.

Right-click My Computer, select Properties, and then click the General tab. The processor type and speed display in the System Properties window.

[4breezes]

I'm pretty sure it has whats required.

Intel
Pentium 4 CPU 3.00 GHz
2.99Ghz 1.00GB RAM
Physical Address Extension.


And then in the BIOS it says: 64 Bit Technology=Yes (Intel EM64T)


The two beeps on posting worry me. That could point to bad memory (though it tests well), or parity. I'm not sure I understand all I should about parity, the good and the bad and the affects of each.

[Train]

What I was scared of.

Some Intel Pentium 4 processors have hyperthreading technology which allows the operating system to see one core as two and you get two cpu graphs in task manager. One could mistake the Pentium 4 HT CPU for a dual core processor by looking at the task manager but it is in fact not a dual core processor. Actually the purpose of hyperthreading technology is to use the cpu more efficiently and it works making the cpu up to 30% faster. How does it work? Hyperthreading allows two threads to run at once like a dual core cpu but the 2nd thread can only run on unused resources on a Hyperthreading Pentium 4 while dual core cpu's have a whole extra core for the 2nd thread.

It will run Win 7 32 bit.

I picked one of these up, yes refurbished, and it is running Win 10 64 bit with no problems
http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/review.../277558/specs/

Note the cpu in it is a dual core.
Now was it a walmart or best buy purchase, I do not remember. Price was $125. OH, it does have 4 GB of ram.

Now the Dell optiplex 755, yesw 4 GB or ram too, runs Win 7, Win 10 Pro 64 bit beta, Antix-15 plus MX-15 which are Linux distros, both are 64 bit.

There are no dual core cpus for that motherboard.

[4breezes]

Good morning, world. I haven't had enough coffee yet, so I may not be fully functional.

You're saying that I can run Win 7 32 bit but I cannot run Win 7 64 bit? Okay. I can accept that. Remember, this tower was free, given to me by my daughter, who said, "Save my pictures."

I did two things late last night while waiting for midnight to come and go. I ran the hard drive diagnostics, short and long WD, which are on the UBCD 5.2.5 disk. The hard drive, a brand new WD 1T drive, passed easily.

I also tried to install Win 7 32 bit. That did not go well. It would not install. It acted exactly like the 64 bit version, same process, same problems, same result. It would reboot back to the beginning and start over.

The new WD drive has part of Win 7, but only part. I think my next step will be to wipe the drive clean and try again. There is a program on UBCD which will wipe it clean, isn't there?

I think I've pretty well got to accept that the MS Win 7 disks are good, that they are not causing this problem. At this point I've got to find where the problem lies, and attack it there.

Thoughts?

[4breezes]

The system suddenly decided to boot into Windows 7. I'm not at all sure what I did, but W7 is up and running. Now I have to get used to it, and make it run as I'd like it to run.

There is still the question on booting. When I first power up the system it asks me to press F1 to continue or to press F2 to enter Setup. That seems a bit annoying and not normal. Otherwise I think it's running okay.

I'll have to transfer everything from the XP tower to the new one. That promises to be a monumental job, taking long hours and creating much frustration. Is there an easy way to do that?

I have, I believe, 3 days to register the W7 installation. I probably should do that sooner rather than later. Should that present any difficulties? I have the original disk, the COA and the matching key.

[Train]

Just register it and what I do with a 2nd drive like that is to slave it in, or use my USB adapter and take ownership/possession of the user account either way the copy files folks would hate to lose to a folder on my drive. When done, I transfer it to a USB drive for transfer to the new computer.

press F1 to continue or to press F2 to enter Setup.

About a 20 second wait and it will boot up. Normal to see that.

[Shinma]

... When I first power up the system it asks me to press F1 to continue or to press F2 to enter Setup...

Not a good sign. Possible issue with the mobo. Test with another CMOS battery.

...I have, I believe, 3 days to register the W7 installation...

Usual time is 30 days.

[4breezes]

Register with MS, yes. I'll do that as soon as I can get it online.

It does not want to connect with my WiFi router. I've tried and tried, and it doesn't want to connect. If I can have the time today I'll move the tower today so I can hardwire it to the router. That would work for a while so I can start setting it up.

In the meantime I'm going to close this thread since the problem in question has been solved. If the online connection becomes more of a problem I'll open a new thread in the Windows 7 forum.

Train, I thank you once again for your help. You once again have pointed me in the proper direction.

[Train]

You are most Welcome.

[4breezes]

Just an afterthought comment to what I said in my last previous post. I could not make the Windows 7 system connect to my router. Couldn't do it for love nor money. This morning I unplugged that tower, yanked the cables from the rear, and carried it to the router. I hardwired it to the router, and it went online as soon as I lit it up. The second time it asked me for a password, which I felt very lucky to remember.

Then I unplugged the ethernet cable, separating it from the router, and booted again. At that point it was happy to go online over the WiFi, the very same thing it had refused to do previously.

Apparently the simple thing of running it hardwired a couple times cured the WiFi functionality. The hardwire connection to the router must have provided information of some sort which I had not when trying to set that WiFi ability.

Can anyone comment, explain that?

[Train]

Driver finally installed correctly is my guess.

[druggas]

Sometimes things just work and sometimes things stop working after years of no problems. It'll make your hair turn gray trying to figure these things out.