Installing Windows 7 from FreeDOS

Hey, so I picked up a new rig at Best Buy today, but the thing didn't come with Windows pre-installed—total bummer, right? So, I figured, no biggie, I'll just do it myself. But here’s the kicker: every time I pop in my Windows disc and try to boot from it, the damn thing just kicks me back into FreeDOS. Now I'm stuck staring at a screen wondering what the hell I'm supposed to do with this.

You’ll need to jump into the BIOS and adjust the boot order—basically making sure the optical drive is set to boot first.

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fixthe...m#step-heading
http://www.howtogeek.com/129815/begi...omputers-bios/

Maybe you don't even need to worry about it. Most computers these days have a dedicated function key you can tap to pick your boot device manually, so for Windows, you really only have to boot from the disc one single time.
It usually tells you right there on the
boot screen.

It’ll likely be necessary if it keeps insisting it won't run... once you've finished the installation, just make sure you point the boot sequence back to the hard drive.

http://postimg.org/image/5wruztap3/ No matter what I try—seriously, I’ve tried everything—it just keeps popping up like clockwork.

When you run - what?

If your boot order is set to prioritize the optical drive, then that CD/DVD you're trying to use for the installation probably isn't bootable.

Do you even know how to get into the BIOS?

I know

Nathan Allen said:I know how

You actually know how to install Windows?

Look, I've installed this thing a hundred times—seriously, a hundred—and I have never, ever run into an issue like this before.

Nathan Allen said:Look, I've done this installation a hundred times and I have never run into this specific issue before.

If you've actually tried everything suggested in this thread and it’s still failing, do me a favor: once you finally crack the case (and you will, one way or another), come back and post what the actual fix was. It would be great to have it documented here for the next person. I'm sure you aren't the first—or the last—to hit this wall.

Nathan Allen said:I know—I've installed this stuff a hundred times, but I've never run into this issue before.

There aren't really that many reasons why this wouldn't work. If your boot order is set up right, and you're hitting F8 at the right moment, but it still won't boot from that CD/DVD... then the disc itself is likely the problem. Maybe try downloading something else that's bootable—like a live Linux distro (Knoppix or Ubuntu) or a live utility disc like Hiren's. If those boot up fine, then you'll know exactly where the issue lies.

Run a quick check on the disc drive

George Sanders37 said:There aren't really that many reasons why this wouldn't work. If your boot order is set correctly and you're hitting F8 fast enough, but it still refuses to boot from that disc, then the disc itself is the culprit. Try grabbing something else that’s bootable—maybe a live Linux distro like Knoppix or Ubuntu, or even a utility disc like Hiren's. If those work, you've found your problem.

He claims he's installed Windows a hundred times. He didn't specify if he used this exact same "CD" every single time, but I'm assuming he's used it plenty of times before. He didn't mention that this is some brand-new media he's never touched. So, safe to assume it's worked for him in the past.
That would imply the media is fine.

I'm dying to know what the actual issue is here.

Enter the BIOS, Disable UEFI, switch the SATA Native Controll to Disable or Compatibility mode, adjust your boot order to prioritize the CD/DVD drive, and save your changes.
Reboot the machine, boot from the disc, and you're set—you've probably installed Windows a hundred times by now anyway.

LP

wiredcanyon94, how's it going? Did you ever get that computer situation sorted out?