the Interceptor
I LUV MY PRIUS!!!
Windows 7 and me - a troubled relationship it seems. I just gave up trying to install Windows 7 for tonight.
Prequel: I cobbeled together an older computer some weeks ago to give the Win7-RC I downloaded a try. Even before I got to the actual install menu however, I got an error message, telling me that the DVD won't boot. After some research on the internet, I found out that there is a small number of mainboards out there which can generate this problem. Of course, I am the proud owner of such a mainboard (ASRock K7S5A).
However, I found a way to alter the ISO image of Win7 with a changed bootblock, which was quite complicated. Nevertheless, I got it to work, so I was on my way installing it. Then, the install routine prompted me that 384 Megs of RAM won't be enough, and that I need 512 at least. So I borrowed a 512 RAM bar from another computer (it was blind luck that I had one at all and that it ran, since we were talking about DDR-I RAM in combination with a Duron CPU, which actually wants SD-RAM). So anyway, I finally was on my way installing Win7 when I was prompted again with an error message, telling me that certain files can not be copied.
I then tried to trick it with booting from the fixed-ISO DVD and then, before the actual installation process begins, switch to the original Win7 DVD. Unfortunately, this produced the same error at the same moment, so I gave up, thinking that this has to be some hardware incompatibility, since the chance of both DVDs being faulty on the exact same spot is nil.
Today, I tried again on a totally different machine. Got the install routine running instantly, but ran into a nasty problem: the HDD is connected by an S-ATA RAID onboard controller (note that I'm just running one HDD without any kind of RAID). Win7 says it doesn't see the HDD and asks for a driver, which of course I don't have. I find my mainboard on the manufacturers homepage, download two possible RAID drivers, burn them to a CD and serve them to the installation routine when it asks. Unfortunately, despite all my efforts in loading different INF files from said disc, Win7 still doesn't recognise the HDD. So I actually look onto the mainboard, identify the RAID controller as a Silicon Image Sil3114 and download the driver directly from the manufacturer. I burn that one to another CD and give them to Win7 as it asks. And finally, it recognises the HDD and is ready for installation.
After a few minutes, I am being prompted the same error message as earlier, saying that certain files can not be copied. I don't really understand how, since the ISO image was checked for accuracy and got a green light and I burned the original and the altered Win7 independently, but it actually seems that both discs are faulty. Now I gave up again out of frustration. I really like computers and I am very patient when it comes to curing their diseases, but sometimes, they're just plain mean. Sorry that I made you read all this, I just had to keep records for the ensuing ages.
Prequel: I cobbeled together an older computer some weeks ago to give the Win7-RC I downloaded a try. Even before I got to the actual install menu however, I got an error message, telling me that the DVD won't boot. After some research on the internet, I found out that there is a small number of mainboards out there which can generate this problem. Of course, I am the proud owner of such a mainboard (ASRock K7S5A).
However, I found a way to alter the ISO image of Win7 with a changed bootblock, which was quite complicated. Nevertheless, I got it to work, so I was on my way installing it. Then, the install routine prompted me that 384 Megs of RAM won't be enough, and that I need 512 at least. So I borrowed a 512 RAM bar from another computer (it was blind luck that I had one at all and that it ran, since we were talking about DDR-I RAM in combination with a Duron CPU, which actually wants SD-RAM). So anyway, I finally was on my way installing Win7 when I was prompted again with an error message, telling me that certain files can not be copied.
I then tried to trick it with booting from the fixed-ISO DVD and then, before the actual installation process begins, switch to the original Win7 DVD. Unfortunately, this produced the same error at the same moment, so I gave up, thinking that this has to be some hardware incompatibility, since the chance of both DVDs being faulty on the exact same spot is nil.
Today, I tried again on a totally different machine. Got the install routine running instantly, but ran into a nasty problem: the HDD is connected by an S-ATA RAID onboard controller (note that I'm just running one HDD without any kind of RAID). Win7 says it doesn't see the HDD and asks for a driver, which of course I don't have. I find my mainboard on the manufacturers homepage, download two possible RAID drivers, burn them to a CD and serve them to the installation routine when it asks. Unfortunately, despite all my efforts in loading different INF files from said disc, Win7 still doesn't recognise the HDD. So I actually look onto the mainboard, identify the RAID controller as a Silicon Image Sil3114 and download the driver directly from the manufacturer. I burn that one to another CD and give them to Win7 as it asks. And finally, it recognises the HDD and is ready for installation.
After a few minutes, I am being prompted the same error message as earlier, saying that certain files can not be copied. I don't really understand how, since the ISO image was checked for accuracy and got a green light and I burned the original and the altered Win7 independently, but it actually seems that both discs are faulty. Now I gave up again out of frustration. I really like computers and I am very patient when it comes to curing their diseases, but sometimes, they're just plain mean. Sorry that I made you read all this, I just had to keep records for the ensuing ages.