The whole installation goes smoothly up to the point of "Completing installation ...". The monitor changes resolution, after which a standard dialog box pops up saying
Windows Setup could not configure Windows to run on this computer's hardware
Then, in a few seconds, the whole machine powers down. Trying to restart produces the message:
STOP: c000021a {Fatal System Error}
0x00000000 (0xc0000001 0x00100448)
OR it boots into Setup and comes up with the message:
Windows Setup encountered an unexpected error...
(This is not the actual error, just paraphrasing)
I tried using the OEM restore instead of a regular install, but it fails with the same error.
(Even though it worked before...)
General specs:
HP Pavilion Elite e9262f
Intel Core i5-750 Processor
ATI Radeon HD 4650
Hitachi HDT721010SLA360 ATA Device
6GB DDR3 RAM
SuperMulti DVD Burner with LightScribe
Some built-in Wi-Fi module
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01916917
I've tried disconnecting the wireless card and disabling the built-in Ethernet and Firewire via the BIOS, and replacing the wireless keyboard and mouse with wired USB ones. Didn't work.
I've also tried changing the SATA controller settings in the BIOS to RAID, AHCI, and IDE, reinstalling each time I changed. Still not working.
I think the reason why it is showing the Fatal System Error is because it didn't finish installing before it errored out and shut down, so the system is left in an inconsistent state.
I've tried 3 different copies (including the OEM restore) of Windows 7 now, and they're all failing at the same point, with the same error message. I've tried to install Windows 7 maybe 10 times already, with the exact same error message at the exact same location.
Hm... Interestingly, the 32-bit version of Windows 7 works, but the 64-bit version doesn't.
Perhaps it was a badly burned disk? Reburning the 64-bit version still comes up with the same error.
Here's a picture of the side of the case that clearly says it came with Windows 7 64-bit, along with the model number and CPU.
sudo fdisk -l:
Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0009896f
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 13 104391 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 14 94119 755906445 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 119922 121602 13492224 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4 94120 119922 207257740+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 119527 119922 3170769 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6 107174 119526 99225441 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 94120 107173 104856192 7 HPFS/NTFS
Partition table entries are not in disk order
