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Question

Can't install Windows 7 on Toshiba Laptop

Jul 13, 2017 7:05AM PDT

I have a Toshiba Satellite P200-RT1 laptop which had Vista x86 installed on it previously. I'm running into a problem trying to install Windows 7 Pro x86. I'm using a retail x86 disc that I've never had any problems with before. Everything in the installation goes smoothly until the very last step where it's completing the installation. Just when it's about to finish I get some weird graphical glitch and the screen goes black and stays like that forever. I reboot the laptop and Windows 7 starts booting but as soon as it passes through the boot screen I get a black screen again and it stays in this state forever. I've tried to log into safe-mode and it says the installation cannot be completed in safe-mode. So whatever the last step of the installation is for some reason it can't finish. Any ideas? I've just updated the BIOS so I'm gonna try it again but I doubt it'll make a difference. I'm also going to try a different disc but I doubt that will work either.

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
Can't install drivers
Jul 13, 2017 10:59AM PDT

I was unable to boot into safe-mode to install the video driver because as soon as it boots up it says cannot continue installation in safe-mode. I've tried installing the driver through windows recovery from the disc but it fails. Is there any other way I'm able to install the driver?

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Yes
Jul 13, 2017 11:09AM PDT

In SAFE MODE you should see an Administrator account available. Open that account instead of your Profile and try installing from it.

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Before you give up
Jul 13, 2017 11:10AM PDT

Check the BIOS firmware date and version. See if there's a newer one you can flash to the computer. If so, then do it.

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Same problem
Jul 13, 2017 12:21PM PDT

I get the exact same problem when installing Vista. I've already flashed the BIOS to the newest version. I fear without the original toshiba recovery disc I'm screwed.

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Not totally screwed
Jul 13, 2017 12:30PM PDT

In the interim you can use what I do all the time. Linux Mint 17.3 MATE, the 32 bit version. You can download it from linuxmint.com and "burn image" to DVD yourself, but will need to do from some other computer of course, or can order a copy already made for $6.

Get this exact one, or the same ISO to make your own at linuxmint.com site.
https://www.osdisc.com/products/linuxmint/linux-mint-173-mate-install-live-dvd-32bit.html

It boots from the DVD drive and even without installing is a complete operating system. However when running from the DVD alone, then anything you want saved must be to a USB flashdrive or your hard drive. If you like it, then you can install it and have all functionality on saving files to your home folder on the HDD.

Don't go for the version 18 yet, because it still has some bugs to work out.

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Same with Linux
Jul 13, 2017 2:09PM PDT

I tried to install Linux just now. I run into the same problem. I go to boot up the desktop and all I get is an infinite black screen. I'm going nuts here I've never had this many problems with any system. I know it works it just had Vista on it, if I would have known it would never work again I would have never formatted the hard drive.

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There are a few Linuxes to try.
Jul 13, 2017 2:48PM PDT

I usually find I have to try the 32 then 64 bit versions of Ubuntu, Mint, Puppy, etc.

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interesting
Jul 13, 2017 4:18PM PDT

Since a laptop often uses shared RAM, maybe your RAM is the problem. That's all I can think of other than the monitor itself dying that would meet your experience now. Get a flashlight, try to boot to something while shining the flashlight at an angle to the screen and see if there's anything you can see appear on it. If you do, see something booting, then your monitor's backlight has failed.

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I give up
Jul 14, 2017 7:53AM PDT

Tried every OS known to man, no luck. Screen is fine it's not a dead black screen. Whenever an OS installation gets to a certain point the HDD light flickers then nothing happens. Linux doesn't seem to work at all right when it goes to load anything after the first menu this happens. Windows it's the last step. I think I'm just gonna have to strip the laptop and scrap it. I'm pretty upset though, I'm a web dev and I received this laptop in payment for a website. Thanks for all the help though guys.

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capacitors, intermittent electrical problem
Jul 14, 2017 8:10AM PDT
"Whenever an OS installation gets to a certain point the HDD light flickers then nothing happens."

reminds me of the days of bad caps on motherboards causing intermittent weird problems like that. Maybe it is some electrical shorting problem. If you can find a cheap replacement motherboard for that model, maybe could give that a shot.
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motherboard
Jul 14, 2017 8:12AM PDT
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How?
Jul 14, 2017 11:50AM PDT

Okay my mind is blown. I tried Windows 10 even though I really don't want to use it. And it works flawlessly.. so confused.

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Well, go with what works
Jul 14, 2017 12:21PM PDT

It's truly a mystery that the newer system works instead of the older systems the computer was manufactured for. I still think maybe at some point you converted the drive from MBR partitions to GPT partitions, which would explain why W10 can use the drive, but earlier systems can't.

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the entire problem was the installation
Jul 14, 2017 12:40PM PDT

The booting from the media on all the systems went OK. This is what makes me think it was something odd about the way the drive was set up, how you cleaned it from Vista in preparation first for W7, then attempt with Linux. It all comes back to the drive. As already said, the only defining difference would be 32 bit systems don't use GPT and the newer 64 bit systems do.

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Exactly what happened to me.
Jul 14, 2017 12:23PM PDT

BTW, it was some Dell 2006 Inspiron E1505. Had XP and the HDD died so in went a cheap 120GB SSD and Windows 10. It boots and gets on the web in 35 seconds now. What's not to like?

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Just for curiosity
Jul 14, 2017 12:25PM PDT

Did you use the 32 bit version of Linux, or the 64 bit version, the latter is "GPT aware"???

Between when Vista was on the drive and when you decided to put W7 on it, did you use some third party program to wipe and repartition and reformat the HDD?

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Answer
Jul 14, 2017 12:44PM PDT

I formatted the drive with the Win7 disc. And everything I tried to install is 32bit, I don't have a 64bit cpu. I know, this is very odd I don't get it.

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Formatting. BE PRECISE.
Jul 14, 2017 12:47PM PDT

I've seen folk format a drive prior to the install and then tell me it doesn't work.

When I get to the PC I simply delete all the partitions and let Windows create them and format them as needed. Very painless but can be hard for folk to get done when told to format the drive. Nope, do not format. Leave the drive blank, no partitions then begin the install.

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Yep
Jul 14, 2017 12:59PM PDT

That's the way I do it already.

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I figured out what the problem is
Jul 14, 2017 12:58PM PDT

Okay now I'm 100% sure I know what the problem is. It has to be th3 display driver. The generic Windows 10 Microsoft driver barely works it flickers once and a while, I couldn't even change the resolution until I installed the Toshiba driver. That has to be it the Win10 is the only driver that barely works with my hardware.. There has to be some way to install the proper driver when I'm installing Windows 7. Is there any way you can include custom drivers in the installation disc or something?

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Not sure on windows
Jul 14, 2017 1:18PM PDT

In linux you can interrupt the boot process at the menu and then on the bootline just before "quiet splash" also put "nomodeset" and get past that problem.

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That could be IT.
Jul 14, 2017 1:40PM PDT

I have an Intel NUC that is very intolerant of many Linux distros. I ran through a dozen distros only to find 2 that were OK. That was last year and new distros appear to have added this Intel GMA (sorry for the acronyms.)

Not to leave you without a pounding headache, pick over https://www.google.com/search?q=slipstream+video+driver+for+windows+7+silent+install and there is a way. But I will not enter the tar pit with you here. Sorry but this is for those that want to travel that road.

Hope this helps but I'd just go with W10 or find other Linux versions. I find the LOAF's to be suitable for really old gear.

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In safe mode you can....
Jul 13, 2017 4:20PM PDT

...see something on the monitor? Have you tried using an external monitor?

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Answer
Did you check with Toshiba to
Jul 13, 2017 7:28AM PDT

see if the laptop was compatible with Windows 7? I could guess that using a retail version of the OS rather than disks supplied by the manufacturer would result in some missing drivers. Sometimes such things can be pre-installed. Check the Toshiba web site for Windows 7 drivers that you might be able to use. Perhaps a better route to try would be an upgrade version of Windows 7 that might be able to use the Vista drivers rather than starting from scratch. Such things happen with proprietary systems. Good luck.

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Yes
Jul 13, 2017 10:15AM PDT

Yes, I'm visited the support page for the laptop. Newer versions of it were installed with Windows 7, they also have all the drivers for Windows 7. But you're right though it does sound like a driver problem. If I can't get the drivers installed I guess I'll have to install Vista then do an upgrade, thanks.

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Answer
Similar story with similar laptop.
Jul 13, 2017 7:36AM PDT

It was an old 2006 Dell and W7 didn't install. But W10 did. So it got W10.

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Answer
Get the latest video driver files for it
Jul 13, 2017 7:54AM PDT

That would be from manufacturer's site. Boot then to SAFE mode and install those driver files. Hopefully it will boot OK with monitor then.

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Okay
Jul 13, 2017 10:15AM PDT

Alright I'm going to try this, it does seem like a driver problem. Thanks.

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Can't install drivers
Jul 13, 2017 11:00AM PDT

I was unable to boot into safe-mode to install the video driver because as soon as it boots up it says cannot continue installation in safe-mode. I've tried installing the driver through windows recovery from the disc but it fails. Is there any other way I'm able to install the driver?

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Try W10 next time.
Jul 13, 2017 11:07AM PDT

Similar message on my old old old 2006 Dell e1505.