Can't Install/Run Windows 7. Linux Ubuntu runs flawlessly...help please?

RoaRk888

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Feb 10, 2014
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I just recently bought a desktop that was built by someone who has much more experience than I do when it comes to building. It came with Windows 8, so the first thing I did was a clean install of Windows 7 x64.

Immediately (within the day) I noticed I was having random lockups (no NumLock response). I say random, because it truly seemed to be random. I could get it to freeze the quickest by trying to download a game on Steam, then hop on Firefox and do some browsing. It would freeze everytime. It seemed to be freezing when the HDD was under load (installing games), so I checked it using HD-Tune. I have a "warning" state for the HDD, but it works fine in Linux (installing games in Steam). There is no bluescreen associated with the freezes. It will also freeze when completely idle. No BSOD's to report.

So, I decided to test the hardware by running Ubuntu x64 for a few days and I have no issues what so ever. None. I'm installing games through Steam and using Firefox simutaneously and no freezing. No idle freezing.

Then, I decided to reinstall Windows 7 x64 and I can't even get through the installation process without an error somewhere along the way. I have no optical drive so I'm using an external HDD for the install, which usually works for me.

Any ideas as to why Windows seems to REALLY not want to play nice anymore?
Let me know if you all need anything else to help me out. Let's win this battle.

Specs:
Mobo: MSI 970A-G46
CPU: AMD 6350 Vishera
GPU: EVGA 560 GTX Ti
RAM: 2x2gb Kingston HyperX Blue
HDD: 1 TB (manufacturer unknown as of right now)
PSU: 800W (manufacturer unknown as of right now)
 

The_IT_Guy

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May 29, 2013
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If it runs fine with Ubuntu then my guess is some hardware you have isn't able to work with windows 7 without a specific driver. Do you have another video card you can try to see if that's what hanging you? I take is the board doesn't have a video card on the board?

Just fyi, i have hated win8 since it was released and ran many third party programs to get it looking (and working) like Win7. The free update from 8 to 8.1 does fix some things, and the 8.1 R1 that's coming in April will boot people directly to the desktop if their monitor isn't touch. I'm glad the OS is coming back to being a computer OS and not tablet like they pushed with 8.0. If you made a backup of the computer before you wiped it (did you???) then restore 8, update like crazy to get to 8.1, and run a program to give you start menu back (http://www.extremetech.com/computing/141702-how-to-bring-the-start-menu-and-button-back-to-windows-8).
 

RoaRk888

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Feb 10, 2014
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10,510


I do not have another video card I can use unfortunately. I've been in the world of laptop machines for the past few years and no longer have a backlog of parts laying around with which to test. I have been trying to install Windows 7 x64 (to no avail) and Windows XP x86 (to no avail). Different issues with either of those installs. I'm going to be trying to get through the installation process for Windows 8 today, and will report back with how it goes. I can't get my hopes up that I'll get through installation, but I KNOW this computer is capable as that is what it came with.