Completely puzzled by this Windows 7 install...

357mag

Member
Awhile ago I posted a problem that I was having installing Windows 7. I kept getting the error message "Windows has encountered an error and installation cannot continue..."

So I followed advice I got from this forum and downloaded a fixed version or a more updated version of the operating system. I then used that with NT Lite to make a custom setup disc.

If my memory serves me correctly I then tried the new setup disc and I got Windows 7 installed without seeing that error message.

I've been using Windows 8.1 though most all the time.

Now this afternoon I decided to install Windows 7 so I popped in my new install disc and much to my surprise I received that same error.

So either there is still bugs in the Windows 7 installation process or I am using an older setup disc.

This really is bizarre.
 
In my BIOS, it's buried under "Enable Win8 options" (or something like that).

Which brings me to a related question for the rest of the gang: One of the options in my MSI MoBo "BIOS" is "Fast Start" for Win8.1.

I read that Fast Start simply ignores checking for most USB devices, except a USB keyboard and mouse.

Question: Does Fast Start make Win8.1 start any faster from a warm boot?

I'm afraid to try it on my box, because some people say that once you enable Fast Boot, the only way to back out is to Clear the BIOS. But I have a LOT of custom settings in my BIOS (mostly for the SDRAM). And I don't want to lose those.
 
Question: Does Fast Start make Win8.1 start any faster from a warm boot?

I'm afraid to try it on my box, because some people say that once you enable Fast Boot, the only way to back out is to Clear the BIOS. But I have a LOT of custom settings in my BIOS (mostly for the SDRAM). And I don't want to lose those.

To your question, fast start is the same as warm cold boot, used for hybrid shutdown introduced by Ms first in Win 8.

If you want to know how long takes to start your computer, restart it.

I can't remember but,for going to UEFI management, you can do a restart, when it is restarting, you have 2 options, press the key to go to the UEFI management or use the turn off button (press normal, maybe repeated until you see the light going off) to avoid start into Windows, then turn on and press the key to go to the management menu.

* https://www.cnet.com/how-to/what-is-windows-10s-fast-startup/
* https://www.thewindowsclub.com/fast-startup-windows-8
 
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Yeah, I knew about Microsoft's fast start feature using the mini-hibernation file and I tried it. As you noted, it only works for a cold boot.

But this fast start setting in my BIOS - which also offers an MSI fast start option - I don't know if that relates to the MS stuff or not.

From what I read in the MSI forums, it's more of a BIOS boot thing, where it skips over some drivers during boot. Maybe it handshakes with Windows about that, so that Windows doesn't complain if certain devices don't initialize during the boot process.

Apparently, when one selects MSI Fast Boot, that allows a third party MSI program to run in Windows, that can intercept calls during shutdown and one can boot into the UEFI that way - and so perhaps turn off Fast Boot in the BIOS without having to clear the BIOS.

Too scary for now to try. And since I almost never start cold, perhaps none of this would help me.

(I noticed, when I first installed Win8.1, that the time to boot was about 15 seconds. But after I installed Comodo Firewall, the time increased to 30 seconds. I presume that's due to Comodo loading and locking down Windows as Windows starts.)

I suppose I should buy an SSD if I really want Windows to boot quickly.
 
Too scary for now to try. And since I almost never start cold, perhaps none of this would help me.

(I noticed, when I first installed Win8.1, that the time to boot was about 15 seconds. But after I installed Comodo Firewall, the time increased to 30 seconds. I presume that's due to Comodo loading and locking down Windows as Windows starts.)

This is safe:
Turn off your OS, unplug the hdd, turn on the PC and try to go into UEFI, there should be a known key. Other systems ask for going to system management/BIOS when no drive is found. If you don't change to legacy/compatible boot, changes are safe for the hdd's OS.


I'm ok with cold boot and hdd, i had tested ssd and cold boot speed goes down from 46 sec to 16 sec, takes about one third to start.

The quick boot or whatever a company names it, the BIOS skips some devices checking but the latest as UEFI, skips some more basic checks that BIOS checks in quick boot.
 
I suppose I should buy an SSD if I really want Windows to boot quickly.

Samsung is the fastest and their software is the best. Crucial isnt that far behind, they use acronis for disc cloning but it isnt great according to the grapevine, clean install seems better and i havnt had a problem yet. Western Digital bought Sandisk and ive been using their usb keys for years, very reliable. Avoid the gamer orientated drives.

I got the wd green ssd a while back, its not fast but it worked well enough. The BX500 120 was worth the £25(inc delivery) as a proof of concept testing drive and its my C: drive n im hapy with it, muchbetter than my old wd black 2.5 hdd.
 
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Windows 7 is a screwed up operating system. Even if I disconnect my second internal hard drive before installing it, Windows 7 initially reports the correct information during the setup process. It will show Drive 0 111 GB which is my Intel 120 GB drive that I always use to install the operating system. So I think good all is okay and I proceed with the installation.

But later on when Windows is close to being done and the computer reboots I still get that same error message that Windows encountered an unexpected error and cannot continue.

Now all that happens while my drive is connected to the correct port on my motherboard.

If I connect my drive to the second port (the bottom port) then I think Windows 7 actually installs without errors.

Simply put Windows 7 has a serious installation bug.
 
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