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General discussion

start-up problem with windows 7 ultimate

Oct 28, 2009 1:41PM PDT

upon opening up my 7-ultimate program i get awindow that is half the size of the normal desktop , with nothing but the blue background and the centrelized microsoft flag and nothing i do will let me open the normal startup window , so i have to re-boot the pc again . if lucky it will start upp properly but many times the eronius window re-appear . what to do about it ? can anybody in this early days of "7" help with some info ? . roger

Discussion is locked

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problems starting windows 7 ultimate
Nov 5, 2009 8:10PM PST

I have exactly the same problem. I have re-installed win7 ulrimate 3 times and the same happens after a while. Any solutions, anybody???

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Besides what Microsoft gave us.
Nov 5, 2009 8:20PM PST

Tell the forum about drivers you install after Windows. Example list.

a. Motherboard driver package.
b. Video card driver.
c. Audio driver.
d. The other drivers.

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drivers
Nov 5, 2009 8:56PM PST

I installed AVG free, the MS updates, MS Office 2007, HP printer software and driver. Microsoft Lifecam Software and driver. Nothing else. And the Start-up repair cannot fix it. It fixed it ones, after the 3rd installation, worked ok for a couple of days and the same happened...

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Sounds like an incomplete install procedure.
Nov 5, 2009 9:00PM PST

I'm unsure why people forget that Microsoft does not supply all the needed drivers. Many get lulled into a false sense they are done when it works.

-> Again, let's hear from your a step by step method you use. I've already noted the drivers I find I must install after Windows.
Bob

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how i did it
Nov 5, 2009 9:07PM PST

-windows 7 ultimate 64bit (clean installation onto a formated brand new sega IDE drive
-AVG, then update
-office
-HP driver from the HP website for win 7 64bit
-webcam
-office
-MS drivers in between the above, whenever my pc downloaded them

The problem occured at different stage after each reload. I tried to revert the system to previous time it was working ok, but it did not make any difference

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Looks incomplete or wrong.
Nov 5, 2009 9:16PM PST

Get with the machine's maker and sketch out the right plan.

While I have an example plan handy it is for XP on another model. This does not change with Windows 7 and other machines. The plan must be made if we are installing Retail, OEM versions of Windows.

Example at http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7587_102-0.html?threadID=271360#2699006

Notice that HP had drivers you would not find on a web page?
Bob

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plan
Nov 5, 2009 9:23PM PST

I have assembled this PC myself. It has been running win XP for a few years... The HP drivers I did find on the HP wensite for my HP C4380 AIO printer. What would you do, Bob?

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I shared what I do.
Nov 5, 2009 9:28PM PST

In my first or second reply I noted the usual drivers most miss. I asked for your plan to see if the plan looked complete. It didn't.

I expect the machine to continue to fail and there is nothing to say that a complete plan will fix it. Here's why. A few machines need a BIOS update to run the latest OSes. Because it ran XP only means it runs XP. It is not a sign it can run other OSes well.

Recap:

1. Install the OS.
2. Install the motherboard drivers, then the other drivers.
3. Install your apps.

Be aware I no longer write other people's install routines. I will point to where the deficiency is but that's it.
Bob

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thanks
Nov 5, 2009 9:31PM PST

Thanks. I will try what you've suggested over the weekend.

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progress update
Nov 8, 2009 8:27PM PST

I have upgraded BIOS on my ASROCK AM2NF3-VSTA, installed latest win 7 drivers for my graphics card. I hope the problem will not come back, however, the motherboard is not really recommended for vista, despite its name... Might be better with win 7. So far so good!

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DID the bios update work
May 16, 2010 11:13AM PDT

So, did the BIOS upgrade and latest win7 drivers for your graphics card solve the problem? I just PURCHASED this "ASROCK AM2NF3-VSTA" mother board and was hoping to install Windows 7 and use my ATI HD4650 Graphics card. I really hope it wasn't a waste of money. I mainly upgraded because I already own the AGP card but want a better CPU, namely an AM2 socket.

So, if what you did worked, where did you get it? please help.
-Thanks.

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problem solved
Nov 17, 2009 5:55AM PST

i think i have solved the start-up problem by making sure there is no disc left in the dvd rw drive that i'm using . thanks for the answers i got . roger