Bootcamp Install Windows 7 Expanding Windows Files

Hi guys, I'm a bit stuck here! I'm selling my laptop (an Inspiron 1564) but basically decided to reinstall Windows. I tried using a Home Premium ISO (and would then put the OEM key in) but obviously that wouldn't activate.

I'm going through my first Boot Camp installation and it has been stuck for about 20 minutes already at 'Expanding Windows files (0%). Sep 16, 2011 - So I just built a new desktop, and I've been trying to install 64-bit Win 7, but every time the install gets to 'Expanding Windows Files' the install.

So back to the drawing board. And got myself a Professional license.

With that purchase I also could then download the official ISO from the store. So I did and burnt that to disk. Tried it in the laptop - no luck for the past 15 minutes it has been stuck on expanding files, at 0%?

So I thought maybe it might be the ISO, so I just grab one from a torrent (and would then use the key I have), just to see if it would even install. Again though. Stuck on expanding files.

So this is two different discs here?! Any ideas how to solve this (before I throw the laptop off the balcony!!!) Cheers!:D.

I don't keep the install of the OS when I buy it from MAJOR players, Dell, IBM, HP, etc. Why would I keep an os install from billy bob stranger? For all I know its got 23 different key loggers, etc. First thing I do with any machine no matter where it came from is WIPE it an put on the OS of my choice -- now since your selling a OEM, machine he has the OEM sticker on it for the OS it was originally sold with - let the buyer put the OS back on from the OEM if he so chooses, which is why you could just give them the recovery media that it either came with or you created after you turned it on, etc. Unless you removed the recovery partition on purpose or changed the disk that it came with the recovery image would still be there even if you wiped the system install and put on your own OS. 'I'm selling my laptop' Then why do you care if there is anything on it - just wipe the drive and sell it with NO OS - let the buyer put whatever OS they want on it. Or put it back to factory settings with the restore media you created when you bought it - you did create the recovery media did you not?

Ah, because I'm just selling it to a shop, not someone on eBay (after fees, delivery it really isn't worth it I've worked out). Therefore it has to come with some sort of operating system. Now the problem is. The recovery partition. It is VERY strange and I can't figure it out (hence me just chucking a spare Win 7 Professional on it). It is there but because I basically attempted to 'reinstall' from my own Win 7 ISO rather than just restore (as I didn't think the restore partition even existed!) it seems to have knocked out using 'Ctrl + F11' to get into the 'PC Restore' software. After some research I found out I can get into the restore partition on the command line via the Win 7 install disk.

Ecomstation 22 iso download. I had to create a FreeDOS virtual machine, locate and install an ancient copy of LOADDSKF.EXE onto it from an IBM collectors website. For some strange reason, the they are presented in a 1990s-era IBM SaveDSKF format instead of a raw image that is the current global standard. LOADDSKF.EXE returns with an error '1 percent written Cannot format target disk' As I have verified correct operation of the floppy device, the non-functionality is limited to this program and is likely due to the software not being able to parse the data due to some invalid pattern.

So I did that, actually did a 'restore' taking 30 minutes but when I restarted. Nothing had changed?! The exact copy of Win 7 I had installed on there still existed I had no idea what it was doing for 30 minutes?

Now that there is technically no operating system on the disk, I'm going to try and 'restore' once more and see what happens. Otherwise I'll just try installing from a USB. Complicated huh? I think from my own stupidness I've created a load of work for myself, but it HAS to have some sort of operating system for the shop to take it.:) Thanks for all your help guys! So thumb drives I have at the moment are actually on 2 gig ones, so might have to get a new one tomorrow.

That said, I'm trying to restore from the recovery image on the recovery drive - named Factory.wim. So the instructions I'm following specify using imagex, manage to get that on my memory stick and typed the command however now I get: 'The subsystem needed to support the image type is not present.' Any ideas how to solve this?