Reinstalling Windows 7, need help

[memory]

I am in the process of trying to reinstall Windows 7 but I am having trouble. In the middle of installing, it gets to the part where it is expanding Windows files and freezes, mouse will not move and does not make any progress. The thing is the dvd drive light is flashing and the hard drive activity light is on as well like it is still installing.

This is the second time it froze. This might have been a mistake but the first time it froze, I restarted the installation.

The only thing I could think is I just started using a new 24" monitor and the display quit working. It still shows a picture, it is just froze.

I tried changing it back to the 19" monitor and nothing comes up on the display.

 

[KSoD]

How long do you leave it? that part of the process can take up to 15 minutes or longer. If you see lights that means it is working. If you can still move the mouse it is not frozen.

 

[memory]

It have left it alone for well over an hour now and the lights are still on. I can not move the mouse.

 

[Ste]

Make sure the disk isn't dirty or scratched, try installing from another optical drive if you have one.

Try different memory if you have it, or try one stick at a time.

Make sure all CMOS settings are set to default. (NO overclock)

 

[memory]

The disk should not be scratched, just bought it like a week ago. I try to take care of my cd's. I do not have another drive that I could try.

Could I cause damage by stopping it in the middle of the installation?

 

[Ste]

Not likely.

Try each memory stick by itself. Or run memtest 86+ for four hours.

 

[memory]

I don't see it being a memory problem because before I formatted, I ran memtest with no errors. I realize something could of happened between now and then.

 

[KSoD]

Dont format with the Windows disk. I dont know how many times i have to say that. Use Gparted or any other tool but the format on the Windows disk. It is a quick format and it is absolute junk.

 

[memory]

The first time I tried installing Windows, I used Gparted to format and it still froze. But the second time I used the Windows disk to format.

 

[Ste]

Which means that this is most likely hardware related.

Try each stick of RAM by itself, like I said many posts ago.