New system: installation not working.

I just built a computer. Installing windows 7 was going great until it restarted for the first time. After the first restart the "Starting Windows" showed up and the Logo formed. Then a few seconds later the computer shut off and restarted the process over and over (the logo and "Starting windows" happened over and over).

I was on the phone at the time and wasn't paying attention so it kept happening.

I turned off the computer, turned it on again and re-installed windows. Same thing happened: Couple seconds of Logo then BOOM.

Specs:
intel i5-2500k unlocked
msi gts 250 512 mb
4 Gb ram
MSI P67A-C43

I now have 2 windows 7's installed. I reset my BOOT to default, and now I can't even try to reinstall.

Though I'm a huge computer noob I get the feeling it might be my graphics card. Windows seems so close to getting to the next step then just stops dead. Any help would be much, much appreciated.

Check to see if your ram timings are correct in the bios. If they are, try removing one of them. You could've gotten a bad stick of ram. If it does the same thing after removing a stick of the ram, pull that one out and put the first stick in that you pulled out.

I only have one stick. My timing settings in my bios is [AUTO]. Is that good enough or do I need to change something else?

I can probably get another stick of ram if mine's broke, but I've been doing the memory test on the motherboard and it's checked out okay... I also switched the ram around to a different slot. Tried booting, same thing happened. Thanks for the reply. Any thoughts?

That's probably your problem. Alot of bios's don't set the ram timings correctly. Auto means the bios is basically guessing what the timings should be. Download CPU-z from this link and install it. http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html . Now open CPU-z up and click on Memory at the top. Write those numbers down on a piece of paper. Those are your current ram timings the Auto setting in the bios applied. Now click on SPD in CPUz and right down those timings. Compare those to the one's the Auto setting the bios applied. They're probably different. Apply one of the JEDEC settings listed in the SPD section of CPUz in the bios. That'll probably solve your issue. If it doesn't, then you most likely have a faulty component somewhere.

Okay thank you. That does make sense. The thing is I am doing a clean installation and have no way to putting programs on the computer in question. I went into my bios and changed the frequency to what it should be (1600 mhz) and then changed it to "Linked" which means I could see the timings. They appeared as they should. Is that just the MOBO assuming? I guess i could try putting the ram in the computer that I'm using to type this and download CPUz to see the timings.

Maybe I should just buy more ram. :\

Look at the ram. It may have the timings on the rams label. Also, the package it came in also has the timings on it.

Okay, looked at the labels. 9-9-9-24.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/IMG_0631.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/IMG_0632.jpg

Okay. here's what needs to be changed in the bios. Make CL 9 or 9.0 clocks, tRCD 9 or 9.0 clocks, tRP 9 or 9.0 clocks and tRAS 24 or 24 clocks.

Still no luck.

Do you have another version of Windows ? If you do try to install it without a product key or activating it. It could be another defective part- i/e: hard drive, etc. If another version of Windows installs and runs, then you know the hard drive is okay. Also, try either Fail-Safe or Optimized Defaults in the bios. Just make sure to reset the 9-9-9-24 timings for the ram, before clicking on Save & Exit. If none of those work, you said earlier about the other pc, try taking it's ram out & placing it in theproblematic pc. Only do that if both pc's use the same type of ram (DDR, DDR2, DDR3). That's theonly way that one will work. If the problematic pc installs Windows and runs, then you know it's the ram causing problems (defective ram). P.S. Just to be sure, which ram slot are you putting that ram stick in ? I also have a MSI motherboard and the ram need's to go in the ram slot that is closest to the cpu.