Other Way To Install Besides DVD ISO?

[3dColor]

I have had no luck upgrading my XP machine to Windows 7 today. The DVD drive doesn't want to read the DVD ISO disc.

I know the disc works because I have tried it in other machines. So I thought I would try upgrading to Vista to see if it could read the disc, but that didn't work either.

I have read of ways to accomplish this using a large USB flash drive but it seemed a little bit hard.

Are there any other methods?

 

[linney]

Just clarify that you have converted the .iso file into a DVD and are have not just copied the .iso onto a DVD?

How is your DVD drive performing in XP? What is the file format of the DVD? My DVD is called something like GRC1CULXFRER_EN_DVD and has an UDF file system.

I am not sure that XP is an available upgrade path to Windows 7 Release Candidate, I thought it was Vista, or a clean install only.

If you have a saved .iso file from the original download of Windows 7 then maybe a program like SetupVirtualCloneDrive5145.exe from Virtual Clone Drive can do something with it? At least it will read .iso files as if they were DVD's.
Such a clone drive will limit you to only an upgrade from a supported operating system.

Virtual Drives At Your DiscretionAdd as many as 8 virtual drives

http://www.softpedia.com/reviews/windows/Virtual-CloneDrive--Review-79568.shtml

http://www.filewatcher.com/m/SetupVirtualCloneDrive5145.exe.1104707.0.0.html

 

[Nelviticus]

I am not sure that XP is an available upgrade path to Windows 7 Release Candidate, I thought it was Vista, or a clean install only.

That's correct, you can't do an upgrade from XP to 7.

Nelviticus

 

[gavm99]

Burn the ISO using Active ISO Burner which is freeware.

Gavin Moorhouse

http://www.lucidcomputersolutions.co.uk

Follow me on Twitter

http://www.twitter.com/lucidblog

 

[BadBigBen]

gavm99 - his DVD-ROM is not reading the DVD...

3dcolor - can you access the DVD from another PC or within windows? if the answer is YES, then copy the contents onto a flashdrive (4gb or larger) or into a Folder on the HDD, and then under VISTA and start it from either the USB or HDD...

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[3dColor]

@linney I downloaded 3 free ISO DVD burning software packages and tried all 3, none of which worked (i didn't just copy the ISO on to a DVD).

The DVD is a Pioneer DVD-RW DVR-106D ATA Device (the computer is 6 years old). The driver is up to date.

The DVD's I am using are DVD+R.

The DVD is called "GRC1CULFRER_EN_DVD".

Even now that I have upgraded the 6 year machine to Vista, I still can't see the contents of the DVD on the machine (I can see it on my other machines that are newer.)

I will look in to the SetupVirtualCloneDrive5145.exe idea next.

@badbigben I can't access it from another computer.

Thanks for everyones help so far.

 

[3dColor]

@linney and to answer your other question, the file system is UDF on the DVD.

 

[BadBigBen]

I can't access it from another computer.

Tells me the DVD is not burned correctly... Burn another copy...

or try it with the Virtual CD suggestion...

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[vanka25]

The problem is most likely not with the DVD, but with the optical drive.

First, make sure it really is a DVD drive. I've made a fool of myself like this several times, I came over to a client's place with a DVD of all my utilities, etc; since I'm so used to all new PCs having DVD drives I put in in their drive . . . and get nothing. Took me about a minute to realize that the drive is only a CDROM.

Second, if the drive is a DVD - it may be too old and not able to read DVD +/- R/RW media. Try replacing the drive (OEM DVD +/- R/RW drives are $25-35 on NewEgg); or if you have access to a USB DVD drive and your BIOS supports booting from USB try booting from that.

 

[3dColor]

@vanka I think you are right, I think the 6 year old DVD just can't read a DVD+R disc.

Each time I put it in the drive and click on Explore it wants to start formatting it.

I might try booting from a USB flash drive next.

 

[linney]

I have nothing against free software, I like it a lot, who doesn't. I have never purchased any CD/DVD burning software, but every machine that I have had built for me, that has a CD/DVD drive seems to always come with some Nero software (Nero Essentials etc.) supplied for free.

This is all I use for burning .iso to DVD and have never had any problems. Do you have such software bundled with your machine? Maybe your free software is letting you down and not quite up to the job? Have you tried selecting the slowest recording speed, sometimes slower is quicker, if you know what I mean?

 

[BadBigBen]

Pioneer DVD-RW DVR-106D

Supported Media Types

DVD-ROM , DVD-R , CD-ROM , DVD-RW , CD-R , CD-RW , DVD+RW , DVD+R

source: CNET Product Review

Which again brings me back to the QUOTE:

I can't access it from another computer.

Which tells me, that

1. The DVD is not burned right...

2. The DVD ROM it was burned on, may be damaged...


Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[vanka25]

@3dcolor
Could you verify something for us; in your original post you wrote:

I know the disc works because I have tried it in other machines.

then in a subsequent post you have:

@badbigben I can't access it from another computer.

Which one is correct as I gave you advice to try another optical drive based on your first post while BadBigBen and others are telling you to try other burning software based on your reply.

 

[3dColor]

@vanka Sorry for the confusion. To clarify when I created the DVD on my newer machine it worked fine, but when I place it in the 6 year old computer it wants to format the disc so it doesn't think there is anything on it.

Referring to badbigben perhaps I was confused by his question, I thought he meant can I access the DVD from another competer on my newtwork, but perhaps that is not what he meant.

I am going to try a DVD-R disc soon and report back if it works.

 

[BadBigBen]

Now with the clear up there...

My bet is on the DVD BURNER being BAD!!!

When burning an OS DVD/CD burn it at the SLOWEST SPEED setting possible... This is to ensure that the pits (information on DVD/CDs) are burned deep enough, as some DVD drives have problems reading burned media correctly (especially aging one)...



Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[3dColor]

Results of my latest try:
I used a DVD-R this time and at it's slowest speed.

Still did not work. The DVD drive must just be too old or defective.

Next I am going to try a virtual clone drive, but I have no idea how to do it - time to Google it.

 

[linney]

I would imagine that you start the install from within the operating system you wish to upgrade by using the Virtual CD/DVD to open up the .iso image. Then you would either hope that an autorun file starts setup or you may have to actually click on the Setup.exe (right-click and use the "Run As Administrator" option).

Follow the prompts from Setup to start the upgrade. And hope like hell all the files are copied across to the hard drive by Setup to run the upgrade before the first reboot, after which you may lose access to the virtual CD/DVD.

A safer bet maybe to copy the visible files from the virtual CD/DVD in Vista and save them to your hard drive and begin Setup from the copied files.

 

[3dColor]

@linney Good advise. I am upgrading to Vista SP1 so I can start the install, it is taking forever to just get to the point where I can install 7.

So far the virtual drive is working but I will take your advice and copy them to a disc.

 

[linney]

You'll probably find that installing SP1 on Vista takes nearly as long as installing an operating system. Vista SP2 final has been released recently too.

Make sure you have some way of getting back to Vista before you upgrade it to a RC version of Windows 7 (A complete PC backup, or image the Vista drive). You most probably paid good money for Vista, one way or the other, and a RC version is only a temporary project that has a Sunset clause embedded within.

 

[3dColor]

I have a 30 day trial of Vista, I own an XP copy I can go back to later if I need to.

Right now the windows 7 install is at the "copying files" process.

I have my fingers crossed (which is hard to do while I type this)

I will update later...

Dave