cannot install any os in an hp pavilion dv5-1120ev

[virelai]

Hi, My friend has an hp pavilion dv5-1120ev, it had windows vista on it, pre installed. He asked me if i could make his computer faster, so I told him, of course, you have to change OS in order to do this, we have to install windows 7, i said. So i took it with me, put the windows 7 dvd in, boot from cd/dvd drive, deleted all partitions, even the recovery partition (I didn't know that it came without a disc copy of the recovery tools), repartitioned the disk in 2 two new partitions, formatted and went on to install the os on the primary. The dvd I used has all the windows 7 versions, 32 and 64 bits, i tried them all, it gets stuck on the expanding files process, at 0% (only with one version it reached 14%, i can't remember which), and it gives me the "windows cannot install required files. the file may be corrupted or missing. make sure.... error code: 0x80070017". Then I tried with another dvd with winodws 7 ultimate, same thing. I also tried with the disk not divided in two, only one partition, just in case windows was having troubles expanding all files, just in case, same thing. Then I thought it was a bios thing, that it had to be updated, which to be honest it has cause the version it has is F.0C, and in the support section of the hp site I found a more recent version of it, which also is described as required for upgrading to newer os. I thought wow, that's it, I found it, I'll download a bootable version of it, a bootable cd version to be precise, cause the bios version it has dos not support booting from usb devices, I'll update it and install the os. NOPE. The site only has an exe version of the bios. I tried to make a bootable dics with the bios in it (with the nero boot disc option), I guess i did not make it right, it might be a solution but I would need help on this. I also tried to install windows xp, so that I could install the bios update, same thing, I get the same error, only with the old scholl blue sceen background. Finally, I tried to install windows vista home premium, just in case the bios for some reason only accepted this os, no way, same error again!!! So now I'm stuck wth no os, an unusable pc, nothing can be installed on it. I asked my friend if the cd/dvd drive had some kind of problem, he said he had not had any problem with game discs, loading them and installing the games. PLEASE HELP I don't know what to do!! Thanks

[virelai]

Ok, well, I called the tech support here in athens greece, and what did the guy told me? that I have to get the recovery cds as long as I deleted the recovery partition and did not make any recover y cd before deleting it. Fair enough I told him, I can understand this, but, I told, are you sure I am going to be able to actually install an os on this computer, cause I've already tried to install windows vista home premium, but the same thing happens, it return the same error as with windows 7 and xp! He said, yes, you're going to succeed, so I told him, ok, that means that there must be some kind of block inside the computer, most probably inside the bios, that prevents the installation of anything except the exact copy of the os that was preinstalled, and he didn't know exactly what to tell me, but more or less he told me yes, there is! Is that right, could the bios be blocking the installation of any other os? I can see in the bios that it says "preinstalled os: vista" something I've never seen in any other computer, but, can they do it? And why is this guy so sure the problem is that I was not using the recovery cds with the pre installed version of the os, couldn't be a cd/dvd drive problem? I have to pay for those recovery cds, what if it gives the same problem with those too?

Also I wanted to ask if someone knows how to make a bootable cd with the bios update, I mean which files should I extract from the exe, where and with what do I have to put them, etc., if someone coud please help me at least updating the bios, I could try installing the os from a usb key, so that I could tell for sure if it's a problem of the dvd drive.

Thanks.

[Kyle_W]

I would get the recovery CD's as they should work for you. It's not that there is a block, but those recovery discs are designed for your notebook and will get you back up and running. Once you have an OS installed, you will then be able to update the BIOS via the HP website. Then you can upgrade to another version of Windows if you choose to do so. There must have been an issue with the BIOS pre-loaded on your notebook that causes issues when installing a new OS, something that was corrected in a firmware update for the BIOS.

[virelai · Accepted solution]

nevermind, I managed to solve the problem by taking the hdd out, putting it in another laptop and installing windows there, then putting it back. It worked like charm, so the problem is 100% on the cd\dvd drive.

Thanks

[erico]

You should take the time to install the chipset and other drivers that the Windows 7 OS needs. Check in the Device Manager to see which drivers are installed. The HP web support portal has the Windows 7 drivers for the notebook. Here is the URL where they are located.

Best regards,

erico

[virelai]

Done already! But thanks anyway!

By the way, the computer runs like usain bolt now that it has windows 7.

Windows vista is by far the wrost operative system in micrsoft history!!

[erico]

I think that title belongs to Windows Me.

Best regards,

erico