Win 7 install hanging at 'expanding files'

[Welshjim]

I have never understood the need for the Win 7 USB/DVD Tool.
I see MS's explanation here
http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/...usbdvd_dwnTool
but I have always just been able to download a Windows/Office .iso file (not from the MS Store), burn it to a DVD and run the installation from the burned .iso DVD. Is the Tool only for downloads from the MS Store?

I know I am butting in saturdaygig's thread so just ignore if I am being disruptive.

[Midknyte]

Some people don't know how to use .isos, so the MS tool is supposed to make it easier to download the .iso and create a boot DVD or USB drive. You can use other apps if you want; the MS tool is just one option.

[saturdaygig]

Well, the install from USB failed in exactly the same way. I've bought some new hardware now so I'll put win7 on a new machine - surely that has to work :-)
Thanks for all the suggestions.

[SpywareDr]

I agree that a new machine ought to work.

If that old computer is failing in exactly the same way when installing from both DVD and USB, there's a serious hardware problem somewhere. Failing HD? Flaky RAM? Weak PSU? Bad MB? ...