Can't install Windows

[BK_123]

Well hopefully Windows 8 will do the trick Larisa, Good luck

 

[Larisa]

I went to Best Buy and can you believe they don't stock Windows 8??? They said you can only get it online from Best Buy.

So I went home and played with installing Windows Vista. I got it to expand files to 61%, previous high was 53%.

We'll see what happens but I think I will end up buying Windows 8.

 

[Larisa]

Well I'm still trying. It's up to 75% and stilling going. Wish me good luck!

Anyone have any ideas why the percentages change everytime I try to install?

 

[iPwn]

Make sure the DVD is clean as a whistle. (run under hot water, dry from center out)

Perform a chkdsk prior to install.
https://kb.wisc.edu/page.php?id=6565

 

[Larisa]

Well it crashed at 93%, I'm trying again.

WOW ... crashed around 20%, trying again.

I noticed a strange thing. After a crashed install, I reboot and go to the BIOS setup. I notice my hard drive is not on the list of bootable drives. After I turn my PC off and access the BIOS setup again, my hard drive is again on the bootable list.

Very strange don't you think? Maybe the BIOS is bad? Maybe I should send the mobo back and get a different one ... or should I try Windows 8? Not sure what to do now. Any ideas or opinions on this?

 

[Larisa]

Well I couldn't get past the select O/S because none were listed. It said I had an "issue" which couldn't be repaired.

Looks like I need to buy Windows 8 ... everyone agree?

I've used this disk many times and never had a problem until I installed this mobo.

 

[iPwn]

Windows 8 will not solve this issue. The hardware is having trouble, not Vista.

Unplug the system, remove the BIOS battery and wait for about 10-15 min.

Restore battery and power, boot into BIOS and run some SMART diagnostics

 

[Larisa]

So you think it could be a mobo problem?

 

[Larisa]

Can't seem to find the SMART diagnostics. Are they part of the BIOS or do you have to download them. This is the mobo I have, ASUS M5A97 R2.0.

Newegg.com - ASUS M5A97 R2.0 AM3+ AMD 970 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard with UEFI BIOS

 

[Larisa]

After doing a little more investigating, I've decided it is a mobo problem. When I try to install Windows Vista, it always copies all the files. The problem happens at the "expanding files" part of the install. I've tried to install if many times and I get anywhere between 18 and 93 percent installed then I get the files aren't available error.

Today I noticed that when the percentage doesn't change for a while, the DVD isn't spinning and therefore it can't get any more files, and probably the reason for the error. So for reason the mobo no longer recognizes the DVD player on a sparatic basis.

I think I will send the mobo back and buy a different one at a local computer parts store.

Thanks again for everyones help.