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Hello, I normally try to solve my technical problems via googling through threads like these, but I've tried everything I could find and I've hit a wall. So, I'm here asking for help. I'm posting on a Motherboards board because it seems to be either a hardware or BIOS-based problem.
I had a desktop running Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit which had a lock-up problem, intermittently freezing in place and later resetting itself. This had apparently corrupted Windows quite a bit, so I was looking to repair the machine and reinstall. I believed it was a memory problem, so I purchased new RAM and a new SATA SSD on which to reinstall Windows. I found some air intake clogs which might have overheated things and caused the instability, but I went ahead with the hardware changes. The Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit install got past the "loading files" screen to "Starting Windows" and hung before the animated logo even began.
Since the initial attempt, I have tried the following:
I can't guarantee I've tried all those things in all possible combinations, but I've been pretty thorough I think. I still have never even seen the "Starting Windows" logo animation.
The only solutions I've read about in my googling that I haven't tried are an incompatibility of a PSU, or voltage settings in BIOS. I haven't had the knowledge/resources on hand to try those. The computer was previously working with this PSU, but it was having freeze-ups as I stated. The hardware is a mix of new and old parts I've recombined. The hardware is as follows:
BIOS sees all the hardware.
There is also a second optical drive and four HDDs which are sitting in the tower but detached from the PSU. I have the old RAM on hand if that is somehow helpful: OCZ Signature 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666)
There is also a chance that I may be able to get the old Windows 7 installation to boot still, I haven't tried. I intended to delete its partition on the HDD when I got Windows installed on the new SSD, but I never got that far. I'm not sure if that will be helpful somehow.
I'm happy to post any BIOS values of relevance. I'll try just about anything at this point, at least anything I can readily try before I have to order new hardware. If it comes to that so be it, but this machine was working (if unstable) until this reinstall attempt. Any help is appreciated, thank you.
I had a desktop running Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit which had a lock-up problem, intermittently freezing in place and later resetting itself. This had apparently corrupted Windows quite a bit, so I was looking to repair the machine and reinstall. I believed it was a memory problem, so I purchased new RAM and a new SATA SSD on which to reinstall Windows. I found some air intake clogs which might have overheated things and caused the instability, but I went ahead with the hardware changes. The Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit install got past the "loading files" screen to "Starting Windows" and hung before the animated logo even began.
Since the initial attempt, I have tried the following:
- Toggling AHCI/IDE mode in BIOS
- Disconnecting all unnecessary peripherals
- Turning off unnecessary peripherals in BIOS
- Resetting the BIOS Values to "Optimal"
- Resetting the BIOS Values to "Failsafe"
- Used Partition Magic to pre-format the new SSD
- Tried a Windows XP Disc - got a BSOD before the installer started
- Reloading the latest BIOS (F9)- This process crawled for hours and then failed on my first attempt, but it worked the second time
- Hard Resetting CMOS values
- Changing the CMOS Battery
- Confirmed that the Windows 7 disc was readable on another machine
- Tried an Ubuntu Live Install - Worked fine
- Ran Memtest86, Crashed after 5 seconds and reset the machine
- Tried with only 1 RAM installed - wouldn't post
I can't guarantee I've tried all those things in all possible combinations, but I've been pretty thorough I think. I still have never even seen the "Starting Windows" logo animation.
The only solutions I've read about in my googling that I haven't tried are an incompatibility of a PSU, or voltage settings in BIOS. I haven't had the knowledge/resources on hand to try those. The computer was previously working with this PSU, but it was having freeze-ups as I stated. The hardware is a mix of new and old parts I've recombined. The hardware is as follows:
- Case - APEVIA X-TELSTAR-GN ATX
- Motherboard - GIGABYTE GA-H57M-USB3 rev 2.0, with latest BIOS (F9) and a fresh CMOS Battery
- Processor - Intel Core i5-650 3.2GHz Clarkdale Dual-Core 3.2GHz LGA 1156 73W
- CPU Cooler - Cooler Master Hyper TX3
- Memory - G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
- Power Supply - CORSAIR TX Series CMPSU-650TX 650W
- SSD - SAMSUNG 840 EVO MZ-7TE120BW 2.5" 120GB SATA III
- Optical Drive - SAMSUNG Black 12X BD-ROM 16X DVD-/+R 48X CD-ROM SATA Internal Blu-ray Combo Model SH-B123L/RSBP
- Internal Card Reader - Rosewill RCR-IC001 40-in-1 USB 2.0 3.5" - Attached to internal USB header
- LCD Monitor connected via DVI
- PS2 Keyboard and basic optical USB Mouse
BIOS sees all the hardware.
There is also a second optical drive and four HDDs which are sitting in the tower but detached from the PSU. I have the old RAM on hand if that is somehow helpful: OCZ Signature 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666)
There is also a chance that I may be able to get the old Windows 7 installation to boot still, I haven't tried. I intended to delete its partition on the HDD when I got Windows installed on the new SSD, but I never got that far. I'm not sure if that will be helpful somehow.
I'm happy to post any BIOS values of relevance. I'll try just about anything at this point, at least anything I can readily try before I have to order new hardware. If it comes to that so be it, but this machine was working (if unstable) until this reinstall attempt. Any help is appreciated, thank you.
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