Windows 7 Install Issue, Loops after "Starting Services"

[AlricLantra]

I just made a few upgrades to my computer. New hard drives (one 60GB OCZ SSD and two 2TB Seagates) and new monitors (3x AOC 21.5" 1920x1080). I decided I'd go ahead and finally upgrade my main desktop to Windows 7 while I was at it.

Something, however, is horribly wrong. It will go through the full install process (which takes absolutely forever despite the SSD) then get to the screen where it says "Starting Services". After that it will pop up a message that reads:

"Install Windows: The computer has restarted unexpectedly or encountered an unexpected error. Windows installation cannot proceed. To install Windows click OK to restart the computer, and then restart the installation."

Clicking okay reboots and brings up the same message. Redoing the install does as well. I know the media is good, since I used it to install 7 on the laptop I'm using ATM.


My system:

Gigabyte P35-DS3P Mobo
Core 2 Quad Q9650
4GB OCZ DDR2 4x1
Radeon 3870X2 Video with 1GB Ram
OCZ 60GB Agility 2 SSD


Thus far I've tried:
Disconnecting all HDs but the SSD (which is on the #1 SATA Port)
Setting BIOS to failsafe default
Tested my memory (Memtest 86+)
Tested the SSD (Hitachi DFT)


Anybody have any suggestions? I'm tearing my hair out, and I've spent the last 5 hours doing everything I can possibly think of to resolve it.

 

[Paladin3]

Could you be overtaxing the power supply with the extra drives? When you say you are disconnecting all except the SSD drive, are you disconnecting them from both the motherboard and the power supply?

I added an extra HD to my system last summer and put it on the same power cable as an existing drive and it was pulling just enough power to make the HD stall at random times. I switched to an unused power cable and no more issues.

 

[AlricLantra]

Nope, it had MORE hard drives in it before (5x total) that I'm replacing with these three that are larger and faster.


Since the original post I've tried installing 7 on one of the 2TB drives instead of the SSD, and removing all but 1 stick of ram. Still no luck.

 

[mlc]

new monitor.. at a new resolution? could then be video card related...

I would try downloading the latest drivers for the graphics card, and reinstalling...

Another this is to see if it loops when running in safe mode to rule out the drivers...

 

[AlricLantra]

And install the drivers when I first start installing 7? I could try that I suppose. Also it won't go into safe mode, if I try it says "Windows Install cannot complete in safe mode, please restart".

I tried putting back in my old HD with XP on it, and the machine booted fine and even allowed me to configure the new monitors.

Perhaps next I'll try putting the video card from an older machine in and seeing what happens. I guess its the only thing I haven't eliminated yet.

 

[mlc]

... first check with OCZ as you may need a firmware update... then if that's ok.. i would retry the install with windows 7.. with just the single drive in it.. and then reinstall the chipset drivers and finally the graphics drivers

 

[AlricLantra]

I tried disconnecting the OCZ drive completely and installing on one of the 2TB drives and got the same message, so it isn't drive firmware.

My motherboard is on the Windows 7 compatibility list as working out of the box, plus is running the latest BIOS already.

Right now I'm trying the reinstall with an older Radeon X1300 I had sitting in a parts box. I really hope its not my video card though, that was the most expensive thing in the system, heh.

 

[mlc]

try to see if there are newer drivers available for your graphics card.. as you're now running at a different resolution.. so that may be triggering the problem...

another test, would be to trying running your monitor at the same resolution as your old monitor.. or simply try using your old monitor... to see if that's what's triggering this problem...