Booting Loop & won't install windows properly

CMcC55 · Jan 25, 2018

I'm asking for any suggestions as i've exhausted all my options to my knowledge.

The Laptop is a Dell Inspiron N5110.

Basically, I have to reset to this laptop. And when i reset it & installed a fresh copy of windows 7
Ultimate it began to go into this boot loop. It won't boot into the BIOS or boot sequence and when it does it flashes right out of straight away.

After many attempts i got into the BIOS once and looked at the boot order, I reset everything to default and it booted the disc Fine and i installed windows 7. And when it restarted it went into the boot loop again. I've formatted the disc in my second and third attempt of installing windows 7 again. And now there's apparently 3 versions of windows 7 on the disc.

Does anyone know what's happening Or can push me in the right direction. This is driving me absolutely insane.

I have tried setting the hard drive as the 1st priority in the boot sequence And still doesn't boot properly.

Thank you for any suggestions given.

jr9 · Jan 26, 2018

Are you deleting all partitions on the drive when you are installing Windows? There should only be 1 not 3. Delete all partitions and create one partition and format it, then install on to that.

CMcC55 · Jan 27, 2018

jr9 :

Hi Jr,

I have tried deleting partitions on the drive however i've come to the conclusion its a Harddrive failure as when i swapped it out without another one from a working laptop it booted with ease.

Still don't know why this behaviour would occur.

Regards,
Colm

jr9 · Jan 27, 2018

It could occur for many reasons; I can think of 5 or 6. I don't think it's 100% hardware specifically as when you remove an HDD it gets rid of both hardware and software problems. By doing that you are no closer to knowing what is causing the issue other than it isn't other hardware like the motherboard. It MAY have been the HDD itself though.

Did you do all these steps?

1. Only had one HDD installed on the laptop

2. Configure the Windows 7 DVD to be 1st boot device in BIOS settings and saved your settings. To access BIOS, you need to mash the F2 key the second the laptop starts up. If that doesn't work, try Fn+F1.

3. Loaded successfully into Windows install program, can see the HDD just fine. You are seeing a blue install screen.

4. Deleted ALL partitions on the drive, created one large partition spanning the entire drive, and formatted that one partition.

5. Targeted that one Windows partition for installation and let it install

6. After the last step hit 100% you let it reboot

7. When it rebooted, it may have said "press any key to boot from CD/DVD", did not press anything and let it load to the HDD, brought up Windows loading screen and continued setting up

Is this exactly what you did when you've tried to install? Did you get a reboot loop on step 7?

CMcC55 · Jan 27, 2018

jr9 :

Hi Jr,

Thanks again for the detailed reply,

I have tried every step, and yes when i mash the F2 button it goes into BIOS for a second then flashes out. I got into it eventually and set the CD/ROM drive as 1st priority.

However when i begin to install windows 7 it gets through each stage but when it gets to the last step it reboots and begins the whole “press any key to boot from CD/ROM” and the whole setup process begins again.

Thus installing multiple versions of half completed windows 7’s so to speak.

And to add to this often enough when trying to boot from CD/ROM it just freezes on the “windows is starting” and the logo is half completed.

Regards,
Colm

jr9 · Jan 27, 2018

So it boots straight to the DVD again (even if you didn't press anything) after the first reboot and puts you back at step 3?

If so it seems to be not booting to the HDD correctly after the first stage of the installation. One thing you can try is starting at step 6 (and only 1 partition still). When it reboots, eject the Windows DVD and it should go straight to the HDD. After step 6 everything is on the HDD and it shouldn't need the DVD anymore I believe.

CMcC55 · Jan 27, 2018

jr9 :

Hi jr,

I will try this method & get back to you. Thanks again for you help its seriously appreciated!

Regards,
Colm

CMcC55 · Jan 29, 2018

jr9 :

Hi Jr,
It worked! However i'm still left with another problem now :/
It boots onto the dell logo then it shows a boot menu of whatever operating system i'd like to bopot (Windows 7 being the only option) and it shows for about 3ms then the cycle repeats. I have to mash the enter button so when the boot menu appears itll launch Windows 7.

Then it boots to windows 7 on its loading screen, and stays there until i mash the keyboard and then it goes to the actual desktop. I have a feeling this issue however is due to updates required. But i'll have to find network drivers online to download the updates for it.

However this is the furthest i've gotten so far. Before i got as far as windows 7 only booting in Safe mode, So thank you for the help so far.

Would a video of whats occuring now be of any use?

Regards,
Colm

jr9 · Jan 29, 2018

The first holdup appears generally if you have more than one Windows install present on a disk or there is issues with the Windows boot configuration data (BCD). In system recovery options environment where you can select things like startup repair or system restore (you may have to boot to a Windows install USB or DVD then go to repair if you cant find it), you could load command prompt and try some commands like:

bootrec /rebuildbcd

or some more drastic
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /fixmbr

to see if that sorts out the boot problem. Note bootrec commands are only going to work in the recovery envirorment and they don't work in normal Windows.

The issue with not being able to get into the desktop might be fixed if you update all your drivers especially the video drivers/ Intel VGA which is the main cause of issues getting to your desktop.

CMcC55 · Jan 29, 2018

jr9 :

Hi Jr,

I figured it was graphics card drivers causing the issue, however i first had to find network drivers which ive found from the dell website and loaded and the ethernet port drivers to which im now downloading all the updates required to get all the hardware where its suppose to perform at.

Once i complete this ill try those commands as stated above.

Thanks again for your help much appreciated.

Regards,
Colm

CMcC55 · Jan 30, 2018

Hi Jr,

Fixed all my issues. I installed all the latest updates and turns out The whole booting errors were caused by the keyboard. When i took away the keyboard and started up the laptop it booted all quietly without any beeping noises and it even fixed the having to hit a key to actually get to the desktop while being stuck at the "windows is starting" prompt.

Then when i plugged it back in and started the laptop it kept beeping until i hit any random key and the Boot options menu appeared too, along with the freezing until i pressed a key to desktop.

I've reinstalled the drivers, and ran a program to test for faulty keys however nothing showed up. I'll just buy a replacement keyboard and see if this resolves the issue.

Thanks for everything,
CmcC55

Search

Booting Loop & won't install windows properly

CMcC55

Commendable

jr9

jr9

Estimable

CMcC55

Commendable

jr9

Estimable

CMcC55

Commendable

jr9

Estimable

CMcC55

Commendable

CMcC55

Commendable

jr9

Estimable

CMcC55

Commendable

CMcC55

Commendable

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page