What the **** is going on with my laptop?

Hi all. I'm a long time lurker, but this is my first thread. I'm having an unusual problem with my Asus laptop, so I thought I'd put it to the more tech savvy ATSers. Basically, why would my laptop take a Linux installation and work flawlessly, but absolutely, flat out refuses to let me install any version of windows?

How it started was with the machine refusing to boot, so my first attempt was to try to use the recovery console on a windows setup disc, but no luck. Then I used a linux live cd (rescatux) to write a new mbr...again nothing. Finally I wiped the whole drive and installed Backtrack and it works fine .......but it still won't even look at accepting a windows installation. It's got me pulling my hair out.

En fin, has anyone ever seen a similar problem on a Windows computer before?

What, specifically, happens when you try to install Windows?

Are you trying to install windows on an ntfs formatted hard disk? Windows wont install on partitions formatted for Linux.
first i would boot with a multiboot disk like hirens ubcd then delete the partitions and make a new one and format to ntfs.

Try pressing f9 when you restart the computer(turn of boot booster in BIOS first)this should bring up the Asus recovery on the hidden partition.that's presuming windows came built in.

Thanks for the quick replies. This thing is that when I boot from the setup disc, I get through all the "setup is loading files" ok , but when it gets to "setup is starting" the machine hangs and won't go any further. I haven't tried hirens but I have tried one called "windows ubcd" and the result is the same...it just hangs.

I've also tried (before I wiped the drive) the f9 recovery partion. It boots up the windows PE, loads files, and...same thing. I've also tried a custom xp setup disc with sata drivers, but no dice...( realised later when I pulled out the HDD that the computer was older than I thought.....no sata drive)

It really is the darnedest thing. The drive seems to be working fine in a linux environment..no problem accessing files at all. It just hates windows for some reason...

During text-mode Setup in Windows, your computer may stop responding (hang) when the "Setup is starting Windows" screen appears, and you may have to restart it.

NOTE: Hardware detection is occurring during this portion of Setup. Based on your computer's configuration, this process may take 30 minutes or longer. Be sure your computer is actually hung before you restart it. If you can restart your computer by pressing CTRL+ALT+DELETE, it is probably not hung.

The standard Microsoft answers for this problem are :

An incorrect mass-storage device (such as a SCSI or IDE controller) driver is being loaded, or the driver was not written for Windows and is not compatible. Contact the device's manufacturer or download the latest driver for the mass-storage device. For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

There is a device connected to your mass-storage device that is preventing Windows from being installed. Remove any devices (such as scanners, tape drives, removable drives, and so on) from the mass-storage device controller. If the computer is IDE-based, verify that you have the master and slave designations set properly. If the mass-storage controller is SCSI-based, verify that the termination and bus speed is set properly.
The computer does not have the latest BIOS revision. Contact the computer's manufacturer or check the manufacturer's Web site. Many manufacturers have updated their BIOS revisions to properly support Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI).

An ACPI Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) is being used during Setup. Force the use of a non-ACPI HAL during Setup.

Have you installed windows on that machine using that disk before? Is it a real bought version of windows or a copy?

reply to post by PhoenixOD


The laptops not mine, and my mate told me that it came with vista, and he re-installed with XP MCE. I've tried installing with an original copy of XP home sp2 , later with a non-original copy of XP pro sp3 , then Vista, Windows 7 , and even tried windows 8.....and in every case the same result. I've thought of flashing the bios but apparently this machine will only update from a floppy, which of course it doesn't have....

I've even run a S.M.A.R.T. diagnostic on the drive using linux and it passes just fine..... Maybe the best bet will be to see if I can update the bios by some other means...

reply to post by Flatcoat


Hmm it certainly seem like you have done all the right things while trying to work out what the problem is.

Can you reset the machine using alt + control + delete when the computer hangs?

reply to post by PhoenixOD


Well, I tried ctrl+alt+del and it had no effect at all so, in the end, I installed Xubuntu 12.04. Actually quite a nice OS...all the functionality of windows and without the hassle of looking everywhere for drivers...

I have seen this once before and it has to do with proper hard disk drivers. The drivers need to be loaded before you can load windows. The generic drivers on the windows cd don't work because it can't find the drive and no drive means no windows install. So you basically get stuck in a loop thinking something else is wrong. You need to find original cd to laptop or visit the vendor's website that makes the laptop and find a driver by looking up the make/model. By the sounds of it you have a cd that is boot capable as the screen is blue color and loads drivers. During this process at the very beginning it will ask you to load the drivers. You choose yes and at this point you need to load them off the floppy or a cd. In either case you need to find the original drivers cd or download them.

Usually the software that will come with a laptop is a Windows OEM cd and a drivers cd. Or some kind of a custom cd that helps you access and restore the laptop from a backup that is in a hidden partition on the hard drive.