Multiple installs, different results with Windows 7 SP1 CD on same PC

S

Sammy888

My experience is extremely bizarre.


I'll make note of my system first excluding monitor and GPU:


Asus (Asus P6X58D-E) legacy mobo with SATA 6 support

1 Seagate HD from 2011

1 Seagate HD (non SSD) new from 2020 -SATA 6 connected (AHCI)

1 Seagate HD (non SSD) new from 2020 -SATA 6 connected (AHCI)

Total HDs: 3


I went ahead and did a fresh install of Windows 7 using the recently downloaded iso from Microsoft after I entered my product key. My system was running the same image from day one: 2010 and everything (hardware wise) was working ok including the time I installed the two Seagates this year. Except I realized the PC installer from 2010 installed my original Seagate not in the SATA 6 but in SATA 3 port of which I changed to SATA 6 when I installed the (two) new HDs in 2020. I have all the latest drivers for my system.


At that point, I noticed the two new HDs were connected to SATA 6 but appeared in my notification bar as hot-swappable. Fortunately, this was simply an annoyance because I couldn't actually disconnect them from Windows (even though I tried). I get nominal SATA 6 speeds when connected to the SATA 6 ports. I had to change my BIOS selection to boot from one of the new HDs. I verified in the BIOS that AHCI mode is on.


The install itself was very fast compared to my CD when I installed the iso on a USB. However, things didn't turn out so well upon further examination. I installed my mobo drivers and all other drivers including video drivers after Windows finalized my desktop.


Once I finished the above, I proceeded to do a Windows update. After Windows Update (WU), updated itself to allow me to download and install the updates, I had a sheet load of failed updates after Windows searched.

I rebooted, tried again, and most of the errors remained. I had to spend a great deal of time to find the updates manually. I gave up halfway to take a break. I then noticed in the notification panel the two HDs still show as hot-swappable but can't be disconnected.


I manually downloaded WUs one by one and installed as many as I could. I installed (or tried to) install cumulative update packs but often I was UNsuccessful. I kept on getting many failed errors even for Windows Defender virus definitions.


Eventually, with perseverance and finding the "correct" order to install the updates, I was successful in installing all the Windows updates. This is crazy, not even WU knew the correct order of updates.


At this point, I imaged my Windows installation with a third party imaging application. But with all the rebooting and failed updates, I wasn't happy with this installation. I tried again, a few times and WU failed me again. Each installation seemed to provide me with more failed errors despite performing a fresh install and ensuring the HD partition is deleted and allowing Windows to create it.


My third attempt at installing Windows was even more bizarre. Not only did I have issues (again) with WU despite recording each step and the priority of the updates (many updates that I downloaded said they didn't apply to my PC when they did. I was becoming really frustrated. I again took a break and I installed a HD utility which I always use. The utility displayed ALL my HDs as hot-swappable. And this time, I actually could disconnect (eject) them through Windows like they were a USB drive. I could see my HDs disappear one by one as I "ejected" them.


Suffice to say, this wasn't acceptable. I resorted back to my successful image I created earlier. I then ran my HD utility. I noticed it shows my two SATA 6 HDs as SSD when in fact they are not. They also show up in my notification bar as hot-swappable but they can't be ejected (a good thing). The same application never showed my HDs as SSD, ever. The HDs do NOT show up as SSD (normal).


I have no idea what's going on and why such discrepancies. I was never given the option by Windows to install any third-party drivers during the installation process. Three things are most disturbing:


1. why do the two SATA 6 drives appear as hot-swappable when they are correctly identified in the BIOS and I reinstalled Windows

2. why does it appear that WU is crippled (at least in Windows 7). it doesn't know the order of updates and falsely says the updates don't apply to you

3. why is that there is no [unofficial or official] Windows 7 SP2 iso that has every single update (in the proper order of installation) up to and including Jan 2020 when Microsoft stopped supporting Windows 7


Thanks to everyone who replies and Merry Christmas.

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