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I'm trying to install windows 7 on my computer.

I've downloaded the boot image from microsoft and burned it to a dvd

The dvd is not a valid boot device in my computer. I've tried the dvd on several computers, it works everywhere for boot.

I've also tried to use a usb stick version of the boot image, it also fails. I can boot from images since I can run windows xp at boot.

I don't really know where to look now

edit * I've also updated BIOS

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  • did you know that you could just mount the image with a virtual cd device and install it like that.. windows will copy ALL the files that you need.!!!
    – mike
    Dec 11, 2009 at 7:49

7 Answers 7

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Are you sure that the DVD is enabled as a boot device in your system? Can you boot off other CDs? Can you read the DVD from Windows XP?

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  • I can boot from windows xp cd. I can also read the dvd in xp
    – user1190
    Jul 27, 2009 at 20:30
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    Try a BIOS update.
    – Mike McQuaid
    Jul 27, 2009 at 20:32
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I had the same problem with my older laptop. I just ended up trying and trying until it finally accepted it (left clueless to the reason why...)

The easiest way to check if the CD is burned correctly is to try it in another computer and see if it boots there.

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  • <strike>excepted</strike> accepted ?
    – fretje
    Jul 30, 2009 at 16:50
  • That was really really stupid...
    – Ivo Flipse
    Jul 30, 2009 at 17:44
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Well, I just had the same problem today. Windows 7 will not boot if you simply burn all the files to the dvd. You have to burn the .iso file using 'imgburn' or similar.

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Make sure the device is configured as a primary device as sometimes the hardware just does not like a secondary device for boot hanging off of the bus. Cable select should work fine too but make sure the drive itself is plugged into the primary connector on the ribbon cable and not the secondary connector. You can usually tell which is which by which one has some wires re-arranged.

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  • I have SATA drives so there is no cable select like with IDE
    – user1190
    Jul 27, 2009 at 20:50
  • I think Axxmasterr meant the DVD drive, not your hard drive.
    – Isxek
    Jul 27, 2009 at 21:01
  • my dvd drive is also SATA
    – user1190
    Jul 27, 2009 at 21:06
  • That is what I meant. Eric is right though. SATA does not have cable select.
    – Axxmasterr
    Jul 27, 2009 at 21:10
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I finally installed XP on the computer to burn the dvd from that dvd burner

then it booted (mostly) like a charm

no clue why the usb device never booted

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There are alternative ways to installing Windows 7 without using a DVD-ROM drive.

  1. You can copy all the Windows 7 installation files to another hard drive (if you have one) and install from there. If you only have one drive you can partition it and the run the installation from the newly created partition
  2. If you have a flash drive large enough you can create a bootable flash drive to install Windows 7. WinToFlash will perform all the steps you need to make your flash bootable.
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i know the OP has anwsered but i just wanted to say that i upgraded my vista to win 7 from just mounting the image to a virtual drive and it worked JUST FINE. i also did a Full install ... without upgrading.... from XP by mounting the image and installing it from there... the windows 7 cd copyed everything it needed to install

GOOD LUCK!!!

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