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Can’t do clean install of Windows 7 Operating System
I just bought a refurbished Dell desktop PC that came with Windows XP Home preloaded. I have bought the disc from Microsoft for Windows 7 OS and want to do a clean install on that PC.
When I put in the Windows 7 disc and restart the PC, the cursor will appear for about a minute flashing in the upper left hand corner of the black screen before the machine finally boots to Windows XP Home edition.
Things I’ve tried:
- Reboot and hit F2 to check the reboot order which is already set to do “Onboard or USB CD-ROM Drive” as the first choice.
- Reboot and hit F12 to see if there are any other options that make sense (which don’t to me).
- Reboot in Safe Mode (and then what do I do?)
Here’s my PC’s configuration:
Dell GX280 Desktop
Pentium 4 2.80 GHz
750 Gb Hard Drive
2 Gb RAM
Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.
speedstep
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August 6th, 2011 11:00
You are leaving details out or you do not really have a GX280 desktop.
1st why do you believe that a GX280 is going to work with windows 7.
You should update the bios at a minimum.
Desktop systems do not have a 2nd drive bay.
GX280's did not come with 750 gig hard drives.
You would want MINIUMUM of 2 Gigs ram and I think you do not have that.
Installing windows 7 you would need to change the CMOS to boot from the CD/DVD first.
Windows 7 ONLY COMES ON DVD. Some Old DVD Drives will not be able to Read the Disc,
If you do not have a multi read DVD drive you will NEVER BOOT from a windows 7 dvd.
You did not mention the type and model of the drive you are trying to install nor what port it is attached to.
You did not mention that the Primary Drive is seen by the CMOS nor what it is set to.
Mary G
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August 6th, 2011 11:00
Is the computer capable of booting to the dvd drive? On older computers with 2 cd-dvd drives, the upper one is the master drive and must be used to boot. That 7 year old model might not be suitable for windows 7. Run the Windows Upgrade Advisor to see the problems you might have. The Win 7 website has special instructions for installing win 7 on an xp computer HERE. I think it would be better to use it with XP.
rdunnill
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August 6th, 2011 13:00
Can you boot up Windows XP and read the DVD from there?
Your hardware is adequate for Windows 7, although as stated earlier, you should upgrade your BIOS to the latest version if you haven't already.
speedstep
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August 6th, 2011 14:00
There are no WDDM drivers for the GX280 intel based video and therefore several things including Video playback and AERO etc will not run. The Desktops have 180W power supplies and low profile slots so they wont be acceptable for a video card that would run even close to being ok.
rdunnill
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August 6th, 2011 16:00
The GX280 has a PCIe-16X video slot, and the 4350 card (of which there are several available in low profile) is compatible with a 180-watt power supply. Here's one for $30 with free shipping and $10 mail-in rebate: www.newegg.com/.../Product.aspx
speedstep
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August 6th, 2011 17:00
MSI recommends a 300 watt PSU.
Cons: Installation was not fun.
Other Thoughts: Windows 7 64 bit would not recognize this card as anything but a "standard vga adapter." ATI downloads also would not work, nor would installation disk. I was about to give up, but after reading others say that this is a "Radeon Mobility" card, I searched ATI for mobility drivers. None show for the HD 4300 series and Windows 7 64 bit, so I used the Catalyst and driver set for the HD Radeon 4500 series. That worked. Now the card shows in Device Manager as an "ATI Mobility Radeon 5400 Series" (huh?).
rdunnill
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August 6th, 2011 19:00
The 4350 uses around 20 watts at full 3D load, and it's obvious a 300-watt power supply is overkill.
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