Windows update problem?

[patseguin Global Moderator]

I tried installing an older NVidia driver and it seemed to work but Geforce Experience wouldn't open. I re downloaded the newest driver and installed it again and it completed, although failed on Shadow Play, and I still get a black window opening Geforce Experience. Nothing seems to be installing properly no matter which drive and which OS I use. I wonder if the motherboard SATA controller has a problem...

[patseguin Global Moderator]

Figured out that my USB 3.0 blu ray drive was messed up and causing an unidentified device so I unplugged it and formatted and installed Windows again. Very first thing, I installed the latest NVidia driver. Frozen at 95% "installing ShadowPlay". Ran Windows update, found updates, s tuck at 0% for about 30 minutes. Seriously, what the hell is going on?

[zhangm Supervisor]

Figured out that my USB 3.0 blu ray drive was messed up and causing an unidentified device so I unplugged it and formatted and installed Windows again. Very first thing, I installed the latest NVidia driver. Frozen at 95% "installing ShadowPlay". Ran Windows update, found updates, s tuck at 0% for about 30 minutes. Seriously, what the hell is going on?

 

Anything in logs?

 

Try simplifying the system as much as you can. Strip out redundant or unnecessary hardware. Unplug optical drives, everything but the OS drive. One stick of RAM, one drive with a clean image or something (no RAID anything), onboard graphics if applicable. See if it gives you the freezing issue. If it does, start swapping out components one at a time: drive, RAM, etc. If nothing helps, could be the MB or possibly power. Since you've seen this with clean installations, then it is either something wrong with the ones and zeroes in your original install image, or it is hardware.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

I don't even know where to look for logs. I finally force closed the NVidia installer. Right now Windows update as been stuck at 0% for about an hour. More weird behavior - if I move something to or from Desktop, the icon doesn't appear or disappear like it should unless I right click and select refresh. So damned odd. I've used 2 different images - one for Windows 8.1 and one for Windows 10. I doubt that both of them are corrupted plus I've used the Windows 8.1 disc on several computers in my house. I don't know why it is doing such random weird things like not installing updates, not able to install a lot of programs, icons not showing up on desktop unless I hit refresh. I also now get a "select network" option when installing Windows and I've NEVER seen that before. I tried installing with my Ethernet cable unplugged but it didn't matter.

[techbeck]

What make/model system do you have?  Or is it custom build?

[patseguin Global Moderator]

I built it myself, it's in my sig.

[Eric Veteran]

It might be time to run a memory test? Something is definitely up if it's happening with multiple drives and OS versions. There is one in the Windows diagnostics if you boot from the install media or you can use memtest86. 

[patseguin Global Moderator]

Maybe I should try that. I was in bios last night and noticed that my RAM timings were off. I'm not sure how they would have gotten changed but I changed them to XMP which automatically changed them to the correct 9-9-9-24 1.5v. I installed Windiws 10 last night and I just started an update 20 minutes ago.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

I booted off the Windows 10 install DVD but there wasn't a memory test option so I'll get memtest and update the thread.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

About an hour and a half later, Windows Update still at 0%. It only lists 3 driver updates and says "Preparing to install updates 0%". Also tried NVidia driver and it said "another installation is running".

[patseguin Global Moderator]

Well, now I finally got the NVidia driver install. However, Windows update keeps trying to install "NVIDIA Corporation drive update for NVIDIDA High Definition Audio." I just let it do it for an hour, it rebooted, and it is trying to install it again. Also on booting Windows is giving me a popup in the tray area that there is a new NVidia driver. The one I installed was the latest one from their website. This is almost like a joke. Why are such random simple things not working right?

[+Warwagon MVC]

Does that motherboard also have integrated graphics? If so you may want to remove both cards and run if off the motherboard video card to rule out video cards.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

No it doesn't. I suppose I could try that but would the video card be causing these problems with updates and installing programs?

 

Another random problem is this time when I installed, for absolutely no reason, Windows assigned letter H (after 2 SSD's and 2 DVD's) instead of E like it always has. I ran the administrative tool and selected to change the volume to letter E and it just stays busy forever and doesn't do it.

[+Warwagon MVC]

Have you tried removing all but 1 stick of ram? Or run with 1 stick of memory at a time?

 

for the purpose of trouble shooting I would Definitely not install Windows in raid 0. One of your 2 SSD's could be faulty.

[+Zlip792 MVC]

- I like to know more details about your motherboard? With BIOS version number?

 

Foresight

You are running X58 based motherboard, which does not come with native SATA3 support and so your SSDs are on SATA2 port with at their half potential, I think. If not, then what controller, you are using to run your SSDs?

 

- Why not download latest Windows 8.1 MSDN ISO with Update 3 from third party site (I guess you know the source to get hands) and match its hashes from MSDN?

 

Benefit

They have been updated to November, so you only have to install December, January and February Windows Patches and will make your life easier.

[Just Suggestion - Make bootable GPT based USB using Rufus (Following below mentioned link guide) to make ]

http://www.nextofwindows.com/how-to-make-uefi-bootable-usb-flash-drive-to-install-windows-8/

 

 

- If your RAM Setting went off without reason, you should try to change CMOS Battery Cell, just in case.

 

- As suggested others try to run MemTest? Also try to see SSD Health Status using Samsung own tools "Samsung Magician Software" from below mentioned link:

http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/minisite/SSD/global/html/support/downloads.html

 

[Try to see whether your firmware version is also latest or not - though don't attempt it]

 

- I personally install drivers in this order:

 

1) Intel Chipset Driver

2) Intel Management Engine

3) Ethernet Driver or Wifi Driver (Can't stay far away from Internet  )

4) Graphic Driver

5) Audio Driver

6) Rest of the drivers

[+Warwagon MVC]

Why not download latest Windows 8.1 MSDN ISO with Update 3 from third party site (I guess you know the source to get hands) and match its hashes from MSDN?

 

Thanks for the reminder. My 8.1 iso's were update 1 iso's from April, now I have the newest ones.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

- I like to know more details about your motherboard? With BIOS version number?

 

Foresight

You are running X58 based motherboard, which does not come with native SATA3 support and so your SSDs are on SATA2 port with at their half potential, I think. If not, then what controller, you are using to run your SSDs?

 

- Why not download latest Windows 8.1 MSDN ISO with Update 3 from third party site (I guess you know the source to get hands) and match its hashes from MSDN?

 

Benefit

They have been updated to November, so you only have to install December, January and February Windows Patches and will make your life easier.

[Just Suggestion - Make bootable GPT based USB using Rufus (Following below mentioned link guide) to make ]

http://www.nextofwindows.com/how-to-make-uefi-bootable-usb-flash-drive-to-install-windows-8/

 

 

- If your RAM Setting went off without reason, you should try to change CMOS Battery Cell, just in case.

 

- As suggested others try to run MemTest? Also try to see SSD Health Status using Samsung own tools "Samsung Magician Software" from below mentioned link:

http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/minisite/SSD/global/html/support/downloads.html

 

[Try to see whether your firmware version is also latest or not - though don't attempt it]

 

- I personally install drivers in this order:

 

1) Intel Chipset Driver

2) Intel Management Engine

3) Ethernet Driver or Wifi Driver (Can't stay far away from Internet  )

4) Graphic Driver

5) Audio Driver

6) Rest of the drivers

It is an Asus Rampage III Black edition with BIOS 0602 (latest). It does have SATA3 and it is enabled in BIOS. I don't see the need to download another Windows ISO as the one I have as always worked. Plus I get the same exact problems with my Windows 10 install. Samsung SSD is the latest firmware running Samsung Magician but that doesn't matter either as I have tried to install to another SSD and get the same problems.

 

This time, I clean installed Windows 8.1 from a USB stick. I finally got to the desktop and the very first thing I did (which I always do) is install the NVidia drivers. It got stuck around 95% where it is installing "Shadowplay". I also brought up the NVidia control panel and tried to enable SLI and it froze. I opened Rufus to create a Windows 10 install USB and it is frozen "Requesting disc access". I tried right clicking on the desktop to bring up NVidia control panel and the context menu didn't even appear and there is a busy cursor.

 

All of these problems seem random but they are consistent no matter which version of Windows I install, whether it is off DVD or USB, and no matter what device I install it on.

 

EDIT: I have the case open so I removed 4 of my 6 RAM modules leaving 2x 4GB sticks. Powered up the computer and the BIOS stopped posting with a message "CPU overclock has failed, press F1 to open configuration". The thing is I don't run it overclocked, it is set to auto. I opened configuration anyways and looked and it was still at auto and displaying as the stock i7 Extreme 3.47GHz. I was using XMP profile for the RAM and it was displaying the proper 9-9-9-24 timings so I just saved and rebooted and the screen just stayed black. I turned it off, turned it back on and got the same message so I changed the RAM from XMP to AUTO and then the computer booted. I ran the NVidia driver install again and it is stuck in the same place at 95% doing Shadowplay. I ran Rufus and this time it created the boot disk fine. I tried again in disk management to change my HDD volume from F to E and it just freezes. I've never had to do that before anyways as Windows would properly list the first 2 SSD's as C and D and then my HDD RAID0 volume as E and the DVD's F and G. What is doing now is it's making the RAID volume F and the first DVD E.

 

Super odd stuff. The clock is correct so that would mean the CMOS battery is fine right? The problems are so bizarre I wonder if I just need a new motherboard. Is there a motherboard made today that still supports the Gulftown i7 Extreme and triple channel RAM?

[sikhwarrior]

Have you tried a new ISO image? Sometimes the ISO can get corrupted if it gets moved around and if it just on a USB. Its worth a try just to eliminate the ISO completely. Also don't install no drivers try and run your computer as a complete fresh install with no internet test it works like that. IF it works then add drivers. 

[patseguin Global Moderator]

Have you tried a new ISO image? Sometimes the ISO can get corrupted if it gets moved around and if it just on a USB. Its worth a try just to eliminate the ISO completely. Also don't install no drivers try and run your computer as a complete fresh install with no internet test it works like that. IF it works then add drivers. 

Yes, I've used DVD's I burned months ago and created new DVD's and USB sticks. I've tried clean installs of Windows 10 and Windows 8.1. The similar issues appear no matter which OS I use and no matter which image and installation media. I didn't test with no internet but I guess I could try. I don't know why a faulty internet connection would affect the ability to install software, configure drives, etc. There really are not many drivers to install anyways. Windows 8.1 has the chipset drivers built in and all I really to install are the NVidia drivers.

 

This all really started with Windows 10 acting really weird after an update on Tuesday. I couldn't copy files properly, address bar was missing in IE, and other weird random stuff. I figured the update borked my system so I formatted and fresh installed Windows 8.1 and then the same problems appeared in 10+ installs since using various DVD's, USB sticks, and images. I've also removed all but 2 of the RAM sticks. I suppose I could try removing 1 of the video cards as someone said but I can't see how a faulty video card would affect the ability to install something. I am starting to suspect the motherboard but I am not sure I will be able to find one that will take an LGA 1366 CPU. I'm not sure how to test the power supply but I can't see that being the problem. The motherboard does kind of make sense since I am getting the random message about overclocking failing (when I don't even overclock). Now that I think about it, for a couple months now I've had this issue when I turn on the PC, it would get stuck at the splash screen or just display a flashing white cursor on a black background. I wonder if I should try re-flashing the BIOS?

[seeprime]

Sometimes a hard shutdown (holding the power button for 5+ seconds until the machine powers off) solves the issue. I've done that several times and the updates then finish. Not saying it works every time. But, it does seem to overcome an update hang glitch that has been around, on some but not all updates, since XP. 

[sikhwarrior]

Reason why i say no internet is sometimes windows will update in the background and if you are installing drivers, they conflict if they run using .msi. Correct me if i am wrong someone. I have had an experience in the past of my drivers not installing so what i did was install windows 8.1 didn't update or install anything left it to run for 30 minutes then allowed windows to install all security updates till all the updates are installed then i installed the drivers and since then no issues. 

[patseguin Global Moderator]

Reason why i say no internet is sometimes windows will update in the background and if you are installing drivers, they conflict if they run using .msi. Correct me if i am wrong someone. I have had an experience in the past of my drivers not installing so what i did was install windows 8.1 didn't update or install anything left it to run for 30 minutes then allowed windows to install all security updates till all the updates are installed then i installed the drivers and since then no issues. 

Well, I've installed Windows tons of times with the same install media and with internet. Would a faulty cable modem really cause these kinds of specific issues? I can't fathom why I can't install a single thing immediately after booting to a fresh Windows. I've also NEVER seen a screen to choose an internet connection during installation until now. I started looking and I can't even find a motherboard that supports an LGA 1366 CPU. I guess I'll try it again with my Ethernet cable unplugged but I can't really see how that would be causing my issues. Maybe there is some issue with my onboard SATA?

[patseguin Global Moderator]

Installed Windows 10 again, this time with ethernet cable unplugged. Immediately after boot, I went to install nVidia drivers and it froze in same place. Drive letters are screwed up even differently now. Disk 0 and 1 are now the HDD's instead of the SSD's. If I try to change any drive letters, disk management just freezes. I was wondering about the CMOS battery but when I go into BIOS settings, the date and time are correct. that means the battery is good right?

[+Warwagon MVC]

I would shut the computer off remove all but 1 stick of ram and test each of the 4 sticks of ram separately. if it does it again, turn it of, remove the 1 stick of ram and put a different one in.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

It won't even post with 1 stick of RAM. Apparently it needs a pair at a time and it uses 6 sticks, not 4. I can't figure out why the BIOS settings are getting messed up. I disabled the onboard sound and wifi/Bluetooth and when I rebooted and went back into BIOS they were turned on again. Plus I can't figure out why my drive configuration is changing from what it always has been. Disk 0 and 1 have always been the SSD's but now they are the HDD's. I would think maybe the CMOS battery if the date and time weren't correct. I wish I knew if it could be the PSU or not because it expensive and a pain in the neck to install if it's not the problem.