All Most get installed!! Then the Can't Open Recovery.Dat Error Strikes!! HELP

I have a ASUS x83v notebook,

duel p8400 64bit 4gigs ram nVidea w/ 1gig ram

running vista.

During the RC trials I downloaded W7 burned it as a bootable iso and installed it from the dvd. It flawlessly installed I went through all the setup stuff, clock language ect. and then it reboots and just as it starts I got a screen with a big red ERROR on it with

"Can not open c:\Recovery.dat"

I reinstalled it two more times.....same thing.

I redownloaded the RC iso and burned it again then installed it again..... same thing.

I figured it was somehting to do with the RC version, until today!

I just bought the W7 Ultamite64 and installed it and it did the same exact thing...I am guessing there has to be some incompatability with my BIOS or something but I don't know a lot about this stuff.

If you know anything please let me know as I can't buy a new computer to run W7.

Thanks,

Brian McMullin

First, make sure the Recovery partition is NOT marked active.

Use Diskpart - if you know how, or use the bootable disc download from here:

http://www.partitionwizard.com/download.html

When you boot the cd you make from that - make sure NUM LOCK on your keyboard is on , before you select screen resolution ( it asks you to ) then press1 , press Enter.

If you want to avoid the extra 100mb partition, mark the partition you are going to install 7 on as Active.

Then Install 7.




If that doesn't fix it,

When you get the error message, Restart the pc and boot the 7 dvd to where you see the "Install Now" window.

Select Repair My Computer at the bottom of the screen , after it serches for o/s, click next and select command prompt.

Type:

bootsect.exe /nt60 ALL /mbr

then press enter.

Close cmd and restart.

You cannot avoid the 100MB partition, Windows 7 installs it automatically because it needs it for a Master Boot partition.

You'll probably be best to do a clean install. When you get to the screen in Windows 7 install where is shows your hard drive setup, delete all the existing partitions. Create new partitions and format them. Then begin with your install, you should have no problems from there.

I have never had a 100mb partition - having installed 7 numerous times.

Please be sure what you are posting - If you post:

you don't think it can be avoided - or you don't know how to avoid it- that is fair enough.

Otherwise - it can lead to confusion for new people.

If you have always had the 100mb partition - that is because of the way you conducted the installation.

If you create a partition to install to before you install. Windows 7 will not create this partition. Windows 7 creates this partition when you use the partitioning software built in the Windows 7 install DVD.

I am sure of what I am posting. I appreciate the heads up, but if Windows 7 decides to install that partition then it is there for a reason.

It contains the boot sector and the same tools which are on the Install disk>Repair My Computer console, however this partition makes them available via F8 at bootup.

It can be removed, but should not be unless it creates a conflict. It will require at least Startup Repair to recover after removing it.

On a fresh installation of Windows 7, the installer will create the Bitlocker partition. If you do not intend to use Bitlocker, this partition can be subsequently removed.

The 100MB system/boot partition will be available for Ultimate, Business and Enterprise editions. Also, in addition to being used for BitLocker encryption, it holds the Recovery environment (WinRE) and boot files. Which are always useful for troubleshooting when no Disks are on hand.

More information at this link.

All the information stored in this partition is still written to a folder on Hard disk when the 100MB partition is not created.