Asus M4A88TD-V EVO/USB3 won't install Windows 7

[mondoMondo]

Hello,
Searched here and found similar issues with this mobo but no apparent solutions.

Two sticks of 4gig ram; sata 1.5gig HD.

Weirdly I've installed Win7 on this box before but just decided it was time to tidy up and do a reinstall.

Used diskpart and ran a clean all on the HD, then designated a 100gig partition "win7" to install to.

Booting from install DVD, it loads the windows files and then at the "starting Windows" screen it just ceases. Some tries the splash color anim plays for hours without going anywhere.

Decided to go back and install XP from its install disk and the same thing happens. (Files load from disk but then at the blue "Setup is starting Windows" screen it just sits there.

Have this identical mobo on another box (typing on it now) and have never had these kinds of issues. Can't say for certain but I believe it has the same kind of ram in two 4-gig sticks.

People read ram issues; mobo issues; asus issues.

Any clues o ye maestros?

 

[scout_03]

did you try only with one stick of ram and install the win 7 but use it to format the drive

 

[smorizio]

if you made the wrong partion then windows cant install itself. most times the way to install windows is go into advace mode and set the partion size when windows ask you how much of the drive you want to use. it has to make a restore partion if it cant it wont load.

 

[mondoMondo]

Just tried it with one stick of ram and the same thing happened.

As for letting windows format the drive, it never even gets that far. Would gladly let it do its thing, but as mentioned, it copies the files from the installation dvd, then when it does the first restart and and says "Starting Windows" it just pauses there and nothing else happens. (Never get a windows screen, choose language, keyboard, etc.).

Would never have thought of using diskpart and the "clean all" command, much less letting it do the creating/formatting/activating of the boot partition but for the advice at the site below. Just followed this on my other machine that was infected with the redirect rootkit virus and it worked great. Only difference in the two machines is that one has (had) 8 gigs of one brand ram, the other has 4 gigs of that same brand and 4 of another brand.

Here's the link that suggested clean-wiping the HD before reinstall:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html

(Thanx y'all for your responses).

 

[mondoMondo]

Just reflashed the bios with the latest asus update; didn't help.

 

[soundguruman]

Hello,
Searched here and found similar issues with this mobo but no apparent solutions.

Two sticks of 4gig ram; sata 1.5gig HD.

Weirdly I've installed Win7 on this box before but just decided it was time to tidy up and do a reinstall.

Used diskpart and ran a clean all on the HD, then designated a 100gig partition "win7" to install to.

Booting from install DVD, it loads the windows files and then at the "starting Windows" screen it just ceases. Some tries the splash color anim plays for hours without going anywhere.

Decided to go back and install XP from its install disk and the same thing happens. (Files load from disk but then at the blue "Setup is starting Windows" screen it just sits there.

Have this identical mobo on another box (typing on it now) and have never had these kinds of issues. Can't say for certain but I believe it has the same kind of ram in two 4-gig sticks.

People read ram issues; mobo issues; asus issues.

Any clues o ye maestros?

Motherboard-replace it.

 

[smorizio]

use this boot cd.
http://www.hirensbootcd.org/download/
do an fdisk/mbr
the do and fdisk and remove all partion.
boot using the windows install cd let windows make it own partions.
windows or most os rewrite the mbr if they cant or it damaged the os wont post.
if windows still hangs then power down..check that the cmos set to achi mode. and pull extra cards from the system..just leave the video card in. also check in the bios to see if the irq set to auto. and the ram timing and speed is set right.

 

[mondoMondo]

Well smorzio, I'm trying all your suggestions as I type.

Booted from the hirensbootCD; must say fDisk is well hidden in there.

ACHI mode set for the SATA/IDE drives controller; couldn't find any reference to irq in my bios--but already it's gotten farther than I have in days.

(Windows files loaded and then successfully restarted into the windows install screen).

Fingers crossed; will update.

Thanx smorizio,
m

 

[mondoMondo]

OK this is hot: while on one machine I'm looking online for a new mobo, on the other I'm carrying out smorzio's suggestions--and they worked!

Just successfully installed win7 on the original box.

This is great. This list is great; y'all are great!

Can't say how grateful I am for your help.

Humbled,
m

 

[mondoMondo]

Best answer selected by mondoMondo.