HP PC not running Windows 7?

[St4tch]

My mother has an HP Pavilion a1310y from around 2005-2006.
This is her work computer, as she is self employed, so getting a new computer is not an option for her. I installed an additional 2gb of ram, for a total of 3gb, which works. I boot from the HDD that I put in, and then it loads Windows. However, as the yellow and red dots show up, it freezes for about 3 seconds and then restarts. The HDD is not the problem because this is the second time the exact same thing happened. It is Windows 7 Pro 64 bit as that is the only key I have.
Is it just impossible to install on that machine? Is there anything I can do?

 

[SkyNetRising]

Does it work normally if you remove that additional ram?

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... some CPU's / hardware are not 64 bit ready from back in the day... can you try the 32 bit version too? the key will work with either version. B )

 

[St4tch]

Does it work normally if you remove that additional ram?

Yes, the computer works fine with or without the ram.

 

[St4tch]

Hello... some CPU's / hardware are not 64 bit ready from back in the day... can you try the 32 bit version too? the key will work with either version. B )

I thought that might be it. I will try to find a page to download it. It might take a while for me to respond as my internet is slow, so downloading might take some time.

 

[Deleted member 217926]

It looks like all the processors offered with that machine support 64bit extensions.

http://h20564.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=c00653405

Have you tried the installation without the new RAM?

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... you Need to delete all previous "Partitions" on the HD before the 32 bit install... utube "clean install Win 7" or watch this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyvUQP86tp0

 

[thx1138v2]

From the HP support site (highlights added):

Must select from one of the following options:
256 MB DDR2 PC2-4200 (1 DIMM)
512 MB DDR2 PC2-4200 (2 DIMMS)
1 GB DDR2 PC2-4200 (2 DIMMS)

http://h20564.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=c00653405

Remove the RAM you installed.

The 3 processors listed as options on that page support a 64-bit instruction set. But with only 1 Gb of RAM the 64-bit OS is going to be crippled. It's going to be swapping RAM to hard disk continuously. I suspect that is what you are seeing and if you let it run long enough it will eventually boot but maybe not. If the disk LED is continuously lit that is an indication that it's swapping to the hard drive. The minimum requirement for windows 7 64 bit is 2 Gb RAM so it may just be locking up.

I also just noticed that DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver is required for Windows 7 and you probably don't have that.

https://www.google.com/search?q=pentium+4+517+specs&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#q=windows+7+64+bit+minimum+requirements

 

[St4tch]

It looks like all the processors offered with that machine support 64bit extensions.

http://h20564.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=c00653405

Have you tried the installation without the new RAM?

Yes, because it is 64 bit, it cannot run without 2gb of ram, so it says I need to add some.

@Ironsounds The drive was completely formated before the installation. EDIT: whoops, read that wrong. Yes, I am aware, I will do that before the installation.

@thx1138v2 I have 4 DIMMS- 512 mb x2 and 1gb x2. When booting Windows XP the computer runs fine with all 3 gigs installed. When I try to run it with only the 1gb that came with the system, it gives me an error saying I need at least 2gb for the x64-bit.

I will download the 32-bit version and try that.

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... It IS possible your MB is using the RAM correctly, as your "Test" with 32bit XP showed... as I have seen and done the same to these older MB's, back in the day... That would help her OS Boot speed... BUT there are other tricks, like a SSD or using Fast USB2 stick as Digital Ram too, IF the MB is RAM maxed.
Does she need just a Internet computer? Flash player Video Streaming? Skype?

 

[St4tch]

Hello... It IS possible your MB is using the RAM correctly, as your "Test" with 32bit XP showed... as I have seen and done the same to these older MB's, back in the day... That would help her OS speed... BUT there are other tricks, like a SSD or using Fast USB2 stick as Digital Ram too, IF the MB is RAM maxed.
Does she need just a Internet computer? Flash player Video Streaming? Skype?

She does phone interviews, writes, etc. Buying a new computer is not an option at the moment, if that is what you are referring to.

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... This Computer should be able to do that for her... "I'm here to HELP" B )
I was suggesting, a low cost performance boost "test" using a USB2 stick 4-8-16Gb stick, after we get it booting and drivers installed.
This is a kewl Windows 7 feature to try? https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/ff356869.aspx

 

[St4tch]

Hello... This Computer should be able to do that for her... "I'm here to HELP" B )
I was suggesting, a low cost performance boost "test" using a USB2 stick 4-8-16Gb stick, after we get it booting and drivers installed.
This is a kewl Windows 7 feature to try? https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/ff356869.aspx

Unfortunately, it still won't boot. It has the 4 colors of the Windows logo come up, but then boot loops again. I don't know what I am doing wrong.

 

[wpgwpg]

I'm looking at the current Micro Center flyer. On p5 they have a refurbished HP desktop PC for $109.99 that has a 3 GHz core2 Intel processor, 4 GB RAM, 250 GB hard drive, and Windows 7 Pro. The model is HP 6000 Pro. That's a pretty low cost of doing business with a working PC that's better than what she currently has in every way.

Good luck.

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... You might not be doing anything wrong...
1) does this happen with different Ram amounts installed?
2) Try disabling LAN, audio, blue tooth hardware in your BIO's... save&exit, and try a OS boot this way.

 

[St4tch]

I was doing something wrong, and now its working!

I was installing 7 on the HDD on MY computer, because I didn't think the BIOS would see the usb and boot from it, but it did. So I installed it from that computer. Lo and behold, it is up and running! I just have to get the drivers, haha. (Does anyone know a reliable driver updater?)

Anyway, thanks to everyone that helped!!