Help: Windows setup could not configure...hardware

Zalliv

New Member
Hello to everyone. I am having a problem installing windows vista Home Premium x64 using the recovery disks order from HP and keep getting "windows setup could not configure windows to run on this computer's hardware".
Computer Specs:
Hp Touchsmart IQ506
P/N: KQ437AA-ABA
Intel Core 2 Duo
Original HDD: Seagat 500GB SATA
Build ID: 83NAv6XrA5 (Recovery Disk sent by HP Build ID 83NAv6XrA3)

So my original HDD crash and I bought a new hard drive (WD Caviar Green 1TB). The recovery disks I created did not work so I order them from the HP website. I follow the system recovery instructions choose advanced options and selected "Reset the computer by erasing the entire drive and recreating the factory setup". Once that step is done it says that windows setup is going to finish the installation and I click the finish button and the computer restarts. Then a dos windows pops up showing mainly Build partition was successful and then a grey background with a animation of two folders transferring files. Then it restarts and I get the same animation which takes a longer and finally windows setup starts with a progress bar on the bottom and once it gets 3/4 completed I get a pop windows saying "windows setup could not configure windows to run on this computer's hardware". I thought it might be the WD Hard Drive so I exchange it for a Seagate Barracuda 1TB but still the same problem. I will appreciate any help and thank for reading my post.
 

My Computer

Any reason why they sent you a recovery disc for a different build?
 

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Vista Home Premium 64 bit SP2
    Manufacturer/Model
    Cyberpower
    CPU
    Intel Quad CPU Q6700 2.67 GHZ
    Motherboard
    NVIDIA 780i
    Memory
    4 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    MSI GTX 560 TI Twin Frozr
    Sound Card
    Sound Blaster SB Audigy
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Viewsonic VG2436
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080p
    Hard Drives
    Samsung HD 105SI
    WDC WD20
    Case
    Apevia XJupiter
    Cooling
    air
    Keyboard
    Logitech MX 3200
    Mouse
    Logitech MX 600
    Internet Speed
    30 Mbps

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    HP-Pavilion m9280.uk-a
    CPU
    2.30 gigahertz AMD Phenom 9600 Quad-Core
    Motherboard
    ASUSTek Computer INC. NARRA3 3.02
    Memory
    3582 Megabytes Usable Installed Memory (4 Gig)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS NVIDIA Geforce GTS450
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition 7.1 Audio (HP drivers)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP w2408 24.0" (Dual monitor)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 * 1200, 1920 * 1200
    Hard Drives
    3*500 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
    Plus 2x USB (160Gig each) external HDD
    BluRay & DVD Weiters
    HL-DT-ST BD-RE GGW-H20L SCSI CdRom (Bluray RW) Device
    AlViDrv BDDVDROM SCSI CdRom (Blueray) Device
    TSSTcorp CDDVDW TS-H653N SCSI CdRom
    Internet Speed
    40 Meg
Thank you for responding. I just input the information about my pc on the HP website and those recovery disks where the ones offer. I will give HP tech support a call and check if those are the correct ones and hopefully they can help me on just confirming this for they try to charge me yesterday to help me (just call HP said if last two differ it's fine). Also I only had the computer connected to my router for Internet access and I don't believe it was connected as a domain.
 

My Computer

Zalliv, I have a very similar issue with the exact same model I am reparing for a customer. However mine does not ever give me the message that it cannot install. It simply hangs on a Full Page at the very last stage of the install. Saying not to turn of the computer during this one time process, but to wait until you are prompted to restart. After much research and playing around I discovered that with Alt-Tab I could change the focus to the desktop and see that the istallation of the applications was hung with a message "waiting for block". Using Msconfig, I was able stop the two programs in startup that were hanging up which allowed me to restart and finish the setup of the OS. The customer didn't want all the junk that came on it anyay so that worked out. However, my troubles were far from over. When the customer came to pick up the PC, as I wasl going over details, we noticed that although I had installed a brand new Identical replacement HD, the recovery process, for whatever reason, re-partitioned the drive in to two partitions. The C drive was only 48 GB and D was just under 10 GB. leaving over 400 GB unallocated. I was able to repartition it with G-Parted and all is well. Just for giggles I went through the entire process 3 more times trying different things with the partioning table, and no matter what I try, the HP recovery disc supplied to me by HP with the exact same numbers you listed with the last digit being a 3 instead of a 5 as this model calls for, and it creates the same indentical 2 incorrect size partiions. Hence, just one more reason why I came up with the username that I did.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    HP TouchSmart IQ506
    CPU
    Intel
    Memory
    4 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVidia
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Touchsmart
Hi, if you get "Windows Setup could not configure Windows on this computer’s hardware." error while installing Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2, the problem is with the HDD drive. Actually its format.
If you get this error, you probably have an AF (Advanced Format) HDD and your BIOS drives it with RAID (as vendor default) and Windows setup does not recognizes it after it copies setup files (funny eh?). Windows searches AHCI driven AF disk to continue. So you get this error message.
Don't worry, it has solution.
 
Here is how to do it:
 
Option 1: (as Microsoft tells,
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2466753/en-us)
-Configure your BIOS, change control method RAID to AHCI or IDE/ATA
-Get your chipset AHCI drivers from intel and load them when setup asks (at the screen that you choose where to install windows, there is a button labeled as "Load Drivers")
 
Ok, pretty easy, isn't it? NOPE,
You may have a BIOS that can not be configured by user. And you may download AHCI drivers from intel but WHICH ONE? (first you have to determine your chipset, not a big deal, follow...)
 
Option 2: (as told by users that experienced this problem)
-Remove your harddisk drive, mount it to another computer, setup windows, when it completes the configuration step and restarts, turn off, remove drive, mount back to original place and continue.
 
Well, you can do this if you are experienced to remove and replace hardware, or if you don't have problem about your warranty (yes for some brands, removing your hard disk drive voids warranty terms)
 
Option 3: (long way)
what you need:
-Hiren's Boot CD 15 (or usb flash drive with a capacity to have Hiren's Boot Disk 15 iso and BOOTABLE! ) (How to make it bootable? Follow steps of ADDENDUM 1)
-windows setup dvd (or dvd image if you don't have an optical drive online - follow steps of ADDENDUM 2)
-a tool that determines your chipset (
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=18498&keyword=Intel+Chipset+Identification+Utility&lang=eng)
-intel AHCI drivers for your chipset (
http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-031502.htm)
-patience ..
 
ok, how to do it:
1. Put your Windows setup dvd (or plug in your bootable usb with windows setup) and boot from it (i know it gives you error at the end but we won't go until the end)
2. start setup and partition your hdd within the setup. (c has to be below 100gb - i don't know why but it works :))
3. DO NOT CONTINUE SETUP
4. Cancel the setup and reboot, put your HBCD into optical drive or plug your bootable usb with HBCD inside and boot from it.
5. run mini windows xp
6. format your C: partition (as NTFS and 512k allocation size)
(that will remove AF property)
7. run intel chipset identification tool and download your AHCI driver from intel, copy files to usb (unzipped)
8. reboot and boot with Windows setup dvd or usb with windows setup
9. when you get back to window that you choose where to install windows, push "load drivers" button and "browse" to your usb drive, install the corresponding AHCI driver.
10. continue as instructed.
 
ADDENDUM 1:
How to make a usb bootable with Hiren's Boot CD image inside?
1. Download Hiren's Boot Disk iso file from
http://www.hirensbootcd.org/download/
2. Download "A Bootable USB" tool and follow the steps here http://www.askvg.com/a-bootable-usb-utility-to-create-bootable-usb-drive-to-install-windows-vista-server-2008-and-7/
 
ADDENDUM 2:
If you dont have an optical drive and you have to install windows from usb, you may use either two bootable usb flash drives, one with Hiren's Boot CD and another with Windows setup OR you may do it with one usb flash
if you want to use two seperate flash drives, use the step 2 of addendum 1 for both
if you want to put all in one:
1. Download Yumi Multiboot tool from here
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multiboot-usb-creator/ and follow steps.
2. When you have to boot either for Hiren's Boot Cd or Windows Setup, select it from menu and continue.
 
that is it.
 

My Computer

Back
Top