Installing new ssd, need an os to dl Win7

[Miner64]

I bought a Compaq 8200 i3 minitower with no hd. but it has the Windows7 registration number on the case so I planned on downloading it but I need an os to do that. Can I install the WinXP I have the disk for, download Win7 and treat it like an upgrade? Also, can I get to the cmos before the none system disk error arrives? Every other hd I've replaced I've had an os on a dvd so there's an extra step here, I just need to know what it is.

Thanks in advance, I hope.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

In the USA/Canada, you can order recovery media from HP by calling the number at the link below.  Have the serial number handy to give to the customer services rep.

 1-800-334-5144

Alternatively...From another Windows PC...

This site claims to have genuine, unadulterated W7 ISO files for download...

https://www.heidoc.net/joomla/technology-science/microsoft/67-microsoft-windows-iso-download-tool

Click on the link labeled Windows ISO Downloader.exe

You can use either the:

Win 7 Home/Pro SP1(Retail version, but the  OEM key on your PC's case should work with it)

Then you can use this tool I zipped up and attached below, to transfer the file to a 4 GB USB flash drive or a DVD.

After you get the bootable media, insert it in the PC, restart it, and tap the ESC key at the beginning of the HP welcome screen to get the menu of options.

Select the F9 boot options menu and select the device you want to boot from.

Now, on this model, say you want to boot from the DVD drive. 

You have to put the arrow next to SATA 2, not the actual line where the DVD drive is listed.

[Miner64]

I'm going to try your instructions as soon as the SSD shows up which should be soon. It looks like it should't be difficult to get this box working. Thanks for taking the time. I'll let you know how it goes. May be a couple of days. Thanks

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

I have a SSD in my 8200 Elite CMT.  Love it!

[Miner64]

Paul, I should have left bad enough alone. I didn't get a chance to work on this machine until last night and I dl'd Win7 iso and the installer program. Got it on a dvd, pressed f9 to change first boot but it wouldn't change from there so I  went to the machines bios, changed first boot to dvd and assumed that legacy should be changed also. Received non sytem disk error and the dvd drive wasn't spining up. We back to bios to look for security, no passwords, only locks were on usb ports so I disabled them. Still no luck so I decided to do something really stupid. It was about that time.

To test the dvddrive I stuck a win xp disk in and it read it and started installing. I figured with an os I could up grade but of course that was doomed to failure. After it appears some drivers loaded the blue screen of death nearly blinded me. Lots of things it said could be wrong so I quit on that.

I hope you haven't read this since I did the editing.

I am looking at the bios and reading about UEFI and thinking that's what I should be booting to but I'm not positive. I'm not sure how to get to the boot sources for UEFI from the boot sequence menu.

I didn't mention it before but when booting from the dvd I got to the Client Boot Agent, the mac address displayed and then 'No boot file name received' Exiting intel boot agent. I'm not sure were to go now. The UEFI has me kind of stymied. I am going to try to get win7 onto the usb drive. I'm fighting with Windows10 which I firmly believe was created as a punishment for people who criticized Gates.

I appreciate any and all advice just so long as it's not as foolish as what I'm doing on my own.

Thank you

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

Sorry that you are having a hard time with this...

There is a little yellow clear CMOS button on the motherboard normally located near the coin cell battery.

To clear the CMOS, see the troubleshooting guide, Appendix B, pp 63-64.

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01516072

The reason you got the BSOD when you tried to install XP, was because it doesn't have the sata ahci driver needed to find the HDD.

If you want to go that route, there is a complicated process to install XP, where I have attached the sata ahci files you need to slipstream and the instructions to do so below.

I have never had an issue getting an OS to install on my 8200 Elite and I have installed every one of them from XP through W10.

I put the disk in the DVD drive, restart the PC and tap the ESC key to get the menu of options.

I select the F9 boot options menu and hit the enter key.

A list of options shows up, and there should be a legacy option.

There should be a DVD drive listed there and under that device, a SATA 2 line.

That is where you need to line up the arrow next to, and hit the enter key.

Then the PC should boot from the DVD after you follow the onscreen instructions to press any key to boot from a DVD.

[Miner64]

Hi Paul,

Thank you very much for the quick response. I haven't tried anything yet but wanted to let you know that you gave me a couple of different directions to go. I haven't reset the bios yet as I'm not sure I fouled it up beyond all repair.

I've been reading up on the EFI boot but can't find an answer to how it affects boot sequence. In the bios, if EFI is listed first in boot order, is the machine going to try to boot that first or will it go to legacy boot? I haven't found any place to change to overall order of boot that places legacy on top of EFI. Just in case I've set the sequence on both as the same. I'm assuming that if I can't see the EFI setup screen that machine isn't trying to run it

Edited in

I followed your directions on 'escape' and 'F9' and come to the boot sequence screen. It lists EFI first then legacy. Under legacy is ATAPI cd/dvd and under that is SATA2 which is what I select. Enter continues the boot at which point I now get a blank screen and no dvd activity. I have a thumb drive with the iso installed. I've changed boot order to place that first with the same result; blank screen. This is after the attempt at installing xp.

One issue that disturbs me is that after the quick HP splash screen, the screen goes blank. This after the attempt at loading XP. Not even a non-system disk error but with the XP disk missing drivers I suppose that's a result of a stalled boot. I did disable quick boot and enabled post messages.

I didn't bring up the issue of formatting/partitioning this ssd. This is the first one I've ever dealt with and in all the articles about it, few mention either of those processes. I kind of figured the entire drive would be just one big partition. Is that niave?

I really don't want to have to load XP but at this point since I don't get a response after the splash screen with the dvd spinning up, I don't think I can go back but tell me if I can.

I'm sure that you have had fewer problems than I because you are smart enough to know not to try something without knowing what the end result will be. Too often I end up dealing with the end result of moving forward on the question "What's this do...?" I'm hoping that what ever I did hasn't trashed the ssd. I'm going to try to get this to boot from either DVD or USB and will reset the bios as a last resort.

Again, thank you very much for the options. I'll let you know.

I'm editing this is in because I didn't think of it before. If the computer is stalling after the opportunity to change the bios due to missing drivers, doesn't that mean that it's looking to the hard drive for the rest of the information instead of looking for what ever is on the dvd or thumb drive? I just don't know how or when the computer looks for info off the ssd.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

I have had to reset the BIOS in my 8200 Elite a couple times.

It's no big deal.

All pressing that button does is clear everything out of the BIOS memory, and resets the BIOS to its defaults.

Then the PC rediscovers all the hardware.

Even if you didn't have a hard drive installed, when you boot from the DVD drive, it should react, and windows should load files.

Then if there was no hard drive present, it would report some kind of error.

The PC will always boot EFI first, unless you manually select another device using the F9 option.

Now, I wonder what would happen if you go into the BIOS>boot options setting and disabled EFI boot, leaving the PC no choice but to boot from the legacy devices?

You may want to give that a try.

But if it were me, I would be pushing that CMOS reset button first, because something isn't right.

The DVD drive should be reacting to a command to boot from it.

[Miner64]

Hi, I reset the bios, disabled the EFI boot, made sure DVD booted first, and got the HD splash and then nothing. The DVD spun up but after a bit it shut down.

With the feeling that the box was looking for the hd first I pulled it out and the next boot gave me the splash and then 'Non-System disk error' which looks like the ssd is booting first. I put the drive back in and have the same response as before; HD splash screen and then nothing. I tried just disabling both sata0 and Hard drive in the bios and it acted to same, splash, then nothing.

I don't know whether to find the drivers needed to complete the XP install since that's when this started but I really don't want to make this worse, not that it gets much worse than dead after power on. Could this ssd be formatted in another computer? I have a Dell but I've never looks at the specs. I would think it would support 240 gig hd. Not something I really want to do since my foul ups can be contagious.

I'm open to any suggestions.

Thanks again, it's greatly appreciated.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

If the Dell you have has an intel processor and chipset, then you can try installing the W7 OS in the Dell, then pop it in the HP.

I still don't get why the PC isn't booting from the DVD drive.

If you get the same issue with the Dell, is it possible that you didn't make the DVD correctly?

The PC won't boot from the DVD if the DVD drive can't find bootable media in it.

For example it booted from the XP disk you have, correct? 

 It just blue screened after XP loaded some files, and reported Setup is starting Windows...?