Hi guys, long time no post!

[lazer_viking]

Some of you may remember me and my noobery a couple years back ^_^
As of now, I'm working at Staples as an "Easytech expert technician". (actually, on the clock now)
Anyway, I'm not having too many problems fixing these customer's computers. There's just this one nagging problem, and what is ticking me off about it is that there's two computers (one a Dell XPS 410 running Vista, the other a Compaq Presario c700 running Vista). I originally thought Vista was the problem, because I've had my fair share of freezing problems when it first came out (remedied with updates). But both of these computers are fully updated...
The XPS is fully stable in Safe Mode (not sure about the Compaq). Also fully stable in Ubuntu, and they pass all hardware tests. So, naturally, I told both customers that their hardware was having conflicts with Windows Vista (half bsing because I want the sale, half because I'm not sure what is going wrong with Vista but I was pretty confident Win 7 would fix it).
Both computers froze during the "Completing installation" phase of Windows 7. (note: both of them are installing windows 7 with the "upgrade" version. I understand that installing windows 7 as an upgrade from the existing operating system when that existing operating system has stability issues is not a good idea. It was also my understanding that doing a fresh install would be basically the same as with the full version, that is to say that any stability issues in Vista would be a non-issue if I'm booting from the upgrade disc and doing a custom install (format and all).
I need some suggestions because I don't want to have to call the customer back saying "I can't fix it "
Thank you for your replies! I missed you techist.com.

 

[iPROTechman]

Some of you may remember me and my noobery a couple years back ^_^
As of now, I'm working at Staples as an "Easytech expert technician". (actually, on the clock now)
Anyway, I'm not having too many problems fixing these customer's computers. There's just this one nagging problem, and what is ticking me off about it is that there's two computers (one a Dell XPS 410 running Vista, the other a Compaq Presario c700 running Vista). I originally thought Vista was the problem, because I've had my fair share of freezing problems when it first came out (remedied with updates). But both of these computers are fully updated...
The XPS is fully stable in Safe Mode (not sure about the Compaq). Also fully stable in Ubuntu, and they pass all hardware tests. So, naturally, I told both customers that their hardware was having conflicts with Windows Vista (half bsing because I want the sale, half because I'm not sure what is going wrong with Vista but I was pretty confident Win 7 would fix it).
Both computers froze during the "Completing installation" phase of Windows 7. (note: both of them are installing windows 7 with the "upgrade" version. I understand that installing windows 7 as an upgrade from the existing operating system when that existing operating system has stability issues is not a good idea. It was also my understanding that doing a fresh install would be basically the same as with the full version, that is to say that any stability issues in Vista would be a non-issue if I'm booting from the upgrade disc and doing a custom install (format and all).
I need some suggestions because I don't want to have to call the customer back saying "I can't fix it "
Thank you for your replies! I missed you techist.com.

maybe a clean format would fix this problem, If you can get Mak to reply I'm sure he could answer, He's great with software.

 

[iPROTechman]

Actually the XPS might have spyware/viruses. Download combofix, and hijackthis, post both of the logs on these forums there's a virus section and thread for it. And let somebody analyse it.

 

[lazer_viking]

It's almost got to be a hardware problem because it's completely wiped now, and it froze during completing installation again. :/

 

[MindoverMaster]

Bad HDD, I expect.

 

[iPROTechman]

Bad HDD, I expect.

Try A different hard drive It could be that ^ But once I had this problem , changing HDD did nothing, in the end it was the processor.

 

[C0RR0SIVE]

I want to suspect the hard drive.... Or a fault cable, try resetting the settings in the BIOS incase something about the sata controller has/had been changed.

Also, try out a spare HDD and a good cable to rule out the drive and cable both entirely... I am pretty sure they have spare parts around there for testing... Atleast, I would hope so, as software doesn't always detect everything that could cause issues....

 

[lazer_viking]

Sorry I didn't end up posting the solution, it was a bad HDD. I took your guys' advice and tested the HDD. Where I work I have access to a lot of diagnostic equipment, so I was able to take the HDD out and put it into an enclosure on my work laptop. Periodically you could hear the hard drive click and stop spinning, as if there was something physically obstructing the platters. That explains why it was "working" in safe mode, because I guess I got lucky and didn't have the hard drive fail there. When I plugged enclosure into my laptop and fired up our diagnostic program I got a ton of delayed write failures, so I put my ear to it and heard the bad clicking.
I called up the customer and he was cool with getting a new hdd in it. Popped in the new WD 1tb and it worked like a charm
Thanks for your advice, it really helped

As for the laptop, idk what caused the freezing. I hate it when things like that elude me. I feel like I took the cheap way out by just reinstalling Windows, but I did what I had to do to make efficient use of my time.

 

[MindoverMaster]

Can we say, we told you so?

j/k