install won't work

I just got my w8 pro, tried to install by running setup from W7. It
loads, gets updates then asks for sticker key. Accepts that then tells
me it can't find licence agreement, and stops.
If I boot from W8 disk, it asks for language etc, then key then gives
choice between upgrade and clean install. I select upgrade and it tells
me to boot into W7 again and restart setup, in which case it just
repeats para 1.
I have a feeling that there's a restart somewhere in para 1 and my
computer won't do it.
Any ideas?
--
Robin Bignall
Herts, England

On 10/31/2012 4:44 PM, Robin Bignall wrote:
I just got my w8 pro, tried to install by running setup from W7. It
loads, gets updates then asks for sticker key. Accepts that then tells
me it can't find licence agreement, and stops.
If I boot from W8 disk, it asks for language etc, then key then gives
choice between upgrade and clean install. I select upgrade and it tells
me to boot into W7 again and restart setup, in which case it just
repeats para 1.
I have a feeling that there's a restart somewhere in para 1 and my
computer won't do it.
Any ideas?


I would use another drive to see if it installs at all and, if not, take
it back to the store and get a replacement.

--
Alias

On Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:44:30 +0000, Robin Bignall
wrote:

I just got my w8 pro, tried to install by running setup from W7. It
loads, gets updates then asks for sticker key. Accepts that then tells
me it can't find licence agreement, and stops.
If I boot from W8 disk, it asks for language etc, then key then gives
choice between upgrade and clean install. I select upgrade and it tells
me to boot into W7 again and restart setup, in which case it just
repeats para 1.
I have a feeling that there's a restart somewhere in para 1 and my
computer won't do it.
Any ideas?

I should also have said that in para 2 after key it presents licence
agreement and then goes to upgrade/clean choice.
--
Robin Bignall
Herts, England

On Wed, 31 Oct 2012 16:46:03 +0100, Alias
wrote:

On 10/31/2012 4:44 PM, Robin Bignall wrote:
I just got my w8 pro, tried to install by running setup from W7. It
loads, gets updates then asks for sticker key. Accepts that then tells
me it can't find licence agreement, and stops.
If I boot from W8 disk, it asks for language etc, then key then gives
choice between upgrade and clean install. I select upgrade and it tells
me to boot into W7 again and restart setup, in which case it just
repeats para 1.
I have a feeling that there's a restart somewhere in para 1 and my
computer won't do it.
Any ideas?


I would use another drive to see if it installs at all and, if not, take
it back to the store and get a replacement.

I don't have another drive. It finds the licence agreement if I boot
from W8 disk.

If I install it from within 7, after entering updates it tells me it's
going to reboot, closes window and immediately opens it again to enter
sticker. I suspect that the closure of the window at that point is
supposed to trigger a computer restart, but it doesn't, and it gives me
no time to restart it myself.
--
Robin Bignall
Herts, England

Robin Bignall wrote:
On Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:44:30 +0000, Robin Bignall
wrote:

I just got my w8 pro, tried to install by running setup from W7. It
loads, gets updates then asks for sticker key. Accepts that then tells
me it can't find licence agreement, and stops.
If I boot from W8 disk, it asks for language etc, then key then gives
choice between upgrade and clean install. I select upgrade and it tells
me to boot into W7 again and restart setup, in which case it just
repeats para 1.
I have a feeling that there's a restart somewhere in para 1 and my
computer won't do it.
Any ideas?

I should also have said that in para 2 after key it presents licence
agreement and then goes to upgrade/clean choice.


It looks as though it's objecting strongly to your Win7 installation.
Is it fully legit?

Ed

On Wed, 31 Oct 2012 16:16:10 +0000, Ed Cryer
wrote:

Robin Bignall wrote:
On Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:44:30 +0000, Robin Bignall
wrote:

I just got my w8 pro, tried to install by running setup from W7. It
loads, gets updates then asks for sticker key. Accepts that then tells
me it can't find licence agreement, and stops.
If I boot from W8 disk, it asks for language etc, then key then gives
choice between upgrade and clean install. I select upgrade and it tells
me to boot into W7 again and restart setup, in which case it just
repeats para 1.
I have a feeling that there's a restart somewhere in para 1 and my
computer won't do it.
Any ideas?

I should also have said that in para 2 after key it presents licence
agreement and then goes to upgrade/clean choice.


It looks as though it's objecting strongly to your Win7 installation.
Is it fully legit?

It came from Amazon!
Yes, of course it's legit. How would it activate otherwise? And get
through Genuine Microsoft check?
I suspect it's my hardware that doesn't seem to react to a soft reboot
request, and I think there's a reboot after W8 checks for updates and
before sticker code.

I did a clean install on my D: disk and it worked (then restored the D
image). It won't do an upgrade install on C:

It's odd that if I boot the W8 disk, the first thing is sticker code
(OK), then Licence Agreement (tick yes) then choice of upgrade or clean.
If you select upgrade it goes to a screen that tells you to remove W8,
boot W7 normally, and rerun the install, telling you not to choose some
particular choice or it will do a clean install. But the W8 disk does
not have any choice except setup, which just repeats the cycle of not
finding the Licence Agreement.

It's packaged ready to return to the vendor. I'm not going to do a
clean install again.
--
Robin Bignall
Herts, England

"Robin Bignall" wrote:

Ed Cryer wrote:

Robin Bignall

I just got my w8 pro, tried to install by running setup from W7.
... tells me it can't find licence agreement, and stops.

It looks as though it's objecting strongly to your Win7
installation. Is it fully legit?

It came from Amazon!

That says nothing about from WHOM you purchase the software. Amazon
has their own inventory of products that they sell. Amazon also
operates as an auctioneer to let anyone else sell through their site.
So you might have purchased from Amazon or you might have purchased
from someone else selling through an auction at the Amazon site.

"Came from Amazon" doesn't say from whom you really purchased the
software.

And get through Genuine Microsoft check?

How would we know if you or whomever you actually purchased Windows
didn't bypass or remove the WGA function in Windows?

Examples:
http://www.ehow.com/how_7467873_bypa...uine-test.html
http://tnerd.com/2009/11/14/remove-w...7-out-already/

Since you acquired from "Amazon" but didn't specify just WHO sold you
the software, we don't know what you got. Some thieves will slice up a
volume license (where the SAME organization/entity is to use ALL the
those licenses) to sell off individual licenses at a big profit. For
example, they may purchase a 5-seat volume license and sell off
individual seats outside of their "organization", like to bidders at an
auction, and all of those bidders that win this seller's auctions are
all using the SAME license.

I have also seen sellers sucker bidders into an NFR (Not For Resale)
version. Somehow the seller acquired this version which is intended for
use by developers for use in developing Windows software, as a
promotional giveaway, or to dealers or schools to gain expertise in the
product but it is intended for use only by that one recipient. I've
seen companies giveaway NFR editions of their software to MVPs as a
reward for the help the MVPs have provided that company or to their
customers. NFR editions are sometimes handed out at seminars or through
contests. Sale means transfer regardless of whether any money got
exchanged; however, I believe Microsoft permits giving away (for free)
an NFR edition if the product has not been opened or installed and
contains all licensing info along with all the original packaging. NFD
(Not For Distribution) editions cannot be sold or given away (no
transfer is permitted). If you have no use for or no further use for
NFD software then its next destination is the trash bin. NFD editions
are sometimes available at Microsoft seminars for Windows or Office.
Bidders aren't wary or educated on what is NFR or NFD software so they
get stuck with something they don't want. While [re]activation and WGA
may function okay within an NFx edition, they are generally not eligible
for upgrades.

I did a clean install on my D: disk and it worked (then restored the D
image). It won't do an upgrade install on C:

Further indication that it doesn't like the Windows 7 image it finds on
drive C:.

It's packaged ready to return to the vendor. I'm not going to do a
clean install again.

So instead of doing a clean install of the OS along with the apps (once
you decide which ones you really want to continue forward with) and
restore you data from backups, you'd rather carry along the pollution
from your old OS instance. Upgrades are to save time and make it easier
for boobs to migrate to a newer version of Windows. It is NOT to
provide a cleaner and more stable install of the new OS.

The W8 licensing check prevents you from upgrading from an iffy install
of W7. You refuse to do a clean install of W8 and then follow with
clean installs of your apps and restores of your data. Well, looks like
you've mandated requirements that prevent you from moving to W8 or any
further versions of Windows.

Builders often reuse the same image of Windows to install on all their
computers. The image is pre-registered (that is, the customer that buys
from this builder doesn't have to go through the validation process).
That means the same product key was used to pre-register the image that
all those customers got. That image's key is not the same as what is
printed on the sticker the builder puts onto the computer. Have you
tried to enforce the use of the product key that is printed on the
sticker for your particular installation of Windows 7?

To change the product key for an existing installation:

- Click the Start button.
- Right-click on Computer.
- From the context menu, select Properties.
- Scroll down to click on 'Change Product Key'.

Or read:
http://www.sizzledcore.com/2009/10/2...7-product-key/

You may end up having to use the MGAdiag tool to determine whether your
Win 7 license is legit or not or if there is a problem in its
registration in that installation instance:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/942962

VanguardLH wrote:
"Robin Bignall" wrote:

Ed Cryer wrote:

Robin Bignall

I just got my w8 pro, tried to install by running setup from W7.
... tells me it can't find licence agreement, and stops.

It looks as though it's objecting strongly to your Win7
installation. Is it fully legit?

It came from Amazon!

That says nothing about from WHOM you purchase the software. Amazon
has their own inventory of products that they sell. Amazon also
operates as an auctioneer to let anyone else sell through their site.
So you might have purchased from Amazon or you might have purchased
from someone else selling through an auction at the Amazon site.

"Came from Amazon" doesn't say from whom you really purchased the
software.

And get through Genuine Microsoft check?

How would we know if you or whomever you actually purchased Windows
didn't bypass or remove the WGA function in Windows?

Examples:
http://www.ehow.com/how_7467873_bypa...uine-test.html
http://tnerd.com/2009/11/14/remove-w...7-out-already/

Since you acquired from "Amazon" but didn't specify just WHO sold you
the software, we don't know what you got. Some thieves will slice up a
volume license (where the SAME organization/entity is to use ALL the
those licenses) to sell off individual licenses at a big profit. For
example, they may purchase a 5-seat volume license and sell off
individual seats outside of their "organization", like to bidders at an
auction, and all of those bidders that win this seller's auctions are
all using the SAME license.

I have also seen sellers sucker bidders into an NFR (Not For Resale)
version. Somehow the seller acquired this version which is intended for
use by developers for use in developing Windows software, as a
promotional giveaway, or to dealers or schools to gain expertise in the
product but it is intended for use only by that one recipient. I've
seen companies giveaway NFR editions of their software to MVPs as a
reward for the help the MVPs have provided that company or to their
customers. NFR editions are sometimes handed out at seminars or through
contests. Sale means transfer regardless of whether any money got
exchanged; however, I believe Microsoft permits giving away (for free)
an NFR edition if the product has not been opened or installed and
contains all licensing info along with all the original packaging. NFD
(Not For Distribution) editions cannot be sold or given away (no
transfer is permitted). If you have no use for or no further use for
NFD software then its next destination is the trash bin. NFD editions
are sometimes available at Microsoft seminars for Windows or Office.
Bidders aren't wary or educated on what is NFR or NFD software so they
get stuck with something they don't want. While [re]activation and WGA
may function okay within an NFx edition, they are generally not eligible
for upgrades.

I did a clean install on my D: disk and it worked (then restored the D
image). It won't do an upgrade install on C:

Further indication that it doesn't like the Windows 7 image it finds on
drive C:.

It's packaged ready to return to the vendor. I'm not going to do a
clean install again.

So instead of doing a clean install of the OS along with the apps (once
you decide which ones you really want to continue forward with) and
restore you data from backups, you'd rather carry along the pollution
from your old OS instance. Upgrades are to save time and make it easier
for boobs to migrate to a newer version of Windows. It is NOT to
provide a cleaner and more stable install of the new OS.

The W8 licensing check prevents you from upgrading from an iffy install
of W7. You refuse to do a clean install of W8 and then follow with
clean installs of your apps and restores of your data. Well, looks like
you've mandated requirements that prevent you from moving to W8 or any
further versions of Windows.

Builders often reuse the same image of Windows to install on all their
computers. The image is pre-registered (that is, the customer that buys
from this builder doesn't have to go through the validation process).
That means the same product key was used to pre-register the image that
all those customers got. That image's key is not the same as what is
printed on the sticker the builder puts onto the computer. Have you
tried to enforce the use of the product key that is printed on the
sticker for your particular installation of Windows 7?

To change the product key for an existing installation:

- Click the Start button.
- Right-click on Computer.
- From the context menu, select Properties.
- Scroll down to click on 'Change Product Key'.

Or read:
http://www.sizzledcore.com/2009/10/2...7-product-key/

You may end up having to use the MGAdiag tool to determine whether your
Win 7 license is legit or not or if there is a problem in its
registration in that installation instance:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/942962


I type "activate Windows" in the Search box, click on it and trust what
comes up.
Is that a bit naive?

Also, if Robin's been receiving Win7 updates, does that entail that it's
passed the genuine check?

Ed

"Ed Cryer" wrote:

I type "activate Windows" in the Search box, click on it and trust what
comes up. Is that a bit naive?

Also, if Robin's been receiving Win7 updates, does that entail that it's
passed the genuine check?

NFR/NFD editions have WGA working on them plus they can visit the
Windows Updates site to get those fixes and security patches; however,
often NFx editions cannot be upGRADed (which is not the same as
upDATed). WGA can be removed (hacked) so it may not even be involved in
obtaining the updates. Some but not all updates available from the
Windows Updates site require WGA be employed (as the AX control in the
web browser which is separately of the WGA process in Windows) to
determine if the visitor is allowed to get that update or product. Not
all updates require WGA validation for the user to obtain the updates.
Do ANY *security* updates require WGA validation? That an instance of
Windows can obtain updates doesn't necessarily dictate that it is a
legit or upgradable version. Getting updates doesn't mandate that an
instance of Windows is upgradeable.

Updates are not upgrades. They're fixes. No number of updates will
modify an instance of Windows to transform it into the next new version.

On Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:44:30 +0000, Robin Bignall wrote:

I just got my w8 pro, tried to install by running setup from W7. It
loads, gets updates then asks for sticker key. Accepts that then tells
me it can't find licence agreement, and stops.
If I boot from W8 disk, it asks for language etc, then key then gives
choice between upgrade and clean install. I select upgrade and it tells
me to boot into W7 again and restart setup, in which case it just
repeats para 1.
I have a feeling that there's a restart somewhere in para 1 and my
computer won't do it.
Any ideas?

Some stuff in this thread remind me of an experience I've had.

Windows 7 and some earlier versions, after booting from the CD and doing
part of the installation, reboot again. But this time the installation
software wants to reboot from the part of the OS that has been installed
on the hard drive, not from the CD.

There are several ways to accomplish this. One is to remove the CD
before the later reboots occur. Another is to set your BIOS to boot from
the hard drive first, but then when you are trying the first boot, the
one from the CD, use the BIOS's ability to interrupt the process and
choose a device to boot from.

I'm sorry if this doesn't relate to the problem, but it's all I know...

--
Gene E. Bloch (Stumbling Bloch)

On Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:11:26 -0700, Gene E. Bloch wrote:

On Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:44:30 +0000, Robin Bignall wrote:

I just got my w8 pro, tried to install by running setup from W7. It
loads, gets updates then asks for sticker key. Accepts that then tells
me it can't find licence agreement, and stops.
If I boot from W8 disk, it asks for language etc, then key then gives
choice between upgrade and clean install. I select upgrade and it tells
me to boot into W7 again and restart setup, in which case it just
repeats para 1.
I have a feeling that there's a restart somewhere in para 1 and my
computer won't do it.
Any ideas?

Some stuff in this thread remind me of an experience I've had.

Windows 7 and some earlier versions, after booting from the CD and doing
part of the installation, reboot again. But this time the installation
software wants to reboot from the part of the OS that has been installed
on the hard drive, not from the CD.

There are several ways to accomplish this. One is to remove the CD
before the later reboots occur. Another is to set your BIOS to boot from
the hard drive first, but then when you are trying the first boot, the
one from the CD, use the BIOS's ability to interrupt the process and
choose a device to boot from.

I'm sorry if this doesn't relate to the problem, but it's all I know...

I just recalled the easiest way to do the above.

On Win7 CDs (maybe others too), a prompt appears when trying to boot
from the CD. It says "Press any key to boot from this CD". To do the
later boots from the hard drive, don't press a key before the timeout.

Either that or the opposite :-)

--
Gene E. Bloch (Stumbling Bloch)

On Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:11:26 -0700, "Gene E. Bloch"
wrote:

On Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:44:30 +0000, Robin Bignall wrote:

I just got my w8 pro, tried to install by running setup from W7. It
loads, gets updates then asks for sticker key. Accepts that then tells
me it can't find licence agreement, and stops.
If I boot from W8 disk, it asks for language etc, then key then gives
choice between upgrade and clean install. I select upgrade and it tells
me to boot into W7 again and restart setup, in which case it just
repeats para 1.
I have a feeling that there's a restart somewhere in para 1 and my
computer won't do it.
Any ideas?

Some stuff in this thread remind me of an experience I've had.

Windows 7 and some earlier versions, after booting from the CD and doing
part of the installation, reboot again. But this time the installation
software wants to reboot from the part of the OS that has been installed
on the hard drive, not from the CD.

There are several ways to accomplish this. One is to remove the CD
before the later reboots occur. Another is to set your BIOS to boot from
the hard drive first, but then when you are trying the first boot, the
one from the CD, use the BIOS's ability to interrupt the process and
choose a device to boot from.

I'm sorry if this doesn't relate to the problem, but it's all I know...

It's all true, Gene, but when I boot with a dvd inserted I get the
"press any key to boot from dvd drive ...." which times out if you don't
and then boots from HDD.

My problem is hardware related. My system won't reboot from a software
request for some reason. So, I run the Win8 setup from win7. It loads
the software, counting up to 100%. It then checks for updates. When I
click next it tells me that it's going to reboot the system. The win8
windows closes AND THEN IMMEDIATELY REOPENS asking me for win8 sticker
code (which it accepts). During that closure of the win8 window my
system is supposed to write stuff to disk and reboot, which it does not
do. Something of this stuff supposed to be written must concern the win8
licence agreement page. Then, when I enter sticker code, win8 installer
assumes a reboot has been done, which it hasn't. So after I enter
sticker code and it's supposed to present the win8 agreement with an
'agree' button, it can't find it and installer tells me a problem has
occurred, that it can't find the licence agreement, with a 'close'
button. The 'close' just stops the install. This is the *win8 licence
agreement* that I should have seen and clicked 'agree' to, but because
of the lack of reboot can't be found. I tried a manual restart when
it's waiting for sticker code, but setup has been closed and it goes
back to the beginning.

I get the same problem with an upgrade install of win7: it has 5 steps,
the third of which is unpacking windows files and rebooting several
times. It fails to reboot on the first reboot, throws away everything
it's done and goes back to the beginning.

Why my hardware won't reboot when the system asks it to I have no idea.
Win7 ultimate installed first time, but it was a clean install.
It reboots when I ask it to via the shutdown options.
--
Robin Bignall
Herts, England

On Thu, 01 Nov 2012 01:19:18 +0000, Robin Bignall wrote:

On Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:11:26 -0700, "Gene E. Bloch"
wrote:

On Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:44:30 +0000, Robin Bignall wrote:

I just got my w8 pro, tried to install by running setup from W7. It
loads, gets updates then asks for sticker key. Accepts that then tells
me it can't find licence agreement, and stops.
If I boot from W8 disk, it asks for language etc, then key then gives
choice between upgrade and clean install. I select upgrade and it tells
me to boot into W7 again and restart setup, in which case it just
repeats para 1.
I have a feeling that there's a restart somewhere in para 1 and my
computer won't do it.
Any ideas?

Some stuff in this thread remind me of an experience I've had.

Windows 7 and some earlier versions, after booting from the CD and doing
part of the installation, reboot again. But this time the installation
software wants to reboot from the part of the OS that has been installed
on the hard drive, not from the CD.

There are several ways to accomplish this. One is to remove the CD
before the later reboots occur. Another is to set your BIOS to boot from
the hard drive first, but then when you are trying the first boot, the
one from the CD, use the BIOS's ability to interrupt the process and
choose a device to boot from.

I'm sorry if this doesn't relate to the problem, but it's all I know...

It's all true, Gene, but when I boot with a dvd inserted I get the
"press any key to boot from dvd drive ...." which times out if you don't
and then boots from HDD.

My problem is hardware related. My system won't reboot from a software
request for some reason. So, I run the Win8 setup from win7. It loads
the software, counting up to 100%. It then checks for updates. When I
click next it tells me that it's going to reboot the system. The win8
windows closes AND THEN IMMEDIATELY REOPENS asking me for win8 sticker
code (which it accepts). During that closure of the win8 window my
system is supposed to write stuff to disk and reboot, which it does not
do. Something of this stuff supposed to be written must concern the win8
licence agreement page. Then, when I enter sticker code, win8 installer
assumes a reboot has been done, which it hasn't. So after I enter
sticker code and it's supposed to present the win8 agreement with an
'agree' button, it can't find it and installer tells me a problem has
occurred, that it can't find the licence agreement, with a 'close'
button. The 'close' just stops the install. This is the *win8 licence
agreement* that I should have seen and clicked 'agree' to, but because
of the lack of reboot can't be found. I tried a manual restart when
it's waiting for sticker code, but setup has been closed and it goes
back to the beginning.

I get the same problem with an upgrade install of win7: it has 5 steps,
the third of which is unpacking windows files and rebooting several
times. It fails to reboot on the first reboot, throws away everything
it's done and goes back to the beginning.

Why my hardware won't reboot when the system asks it to I have no idea.
Win7 ultimate installed first time, but it was a clean install.
It reboots when I ask it to via the shutdown options.

Unfortunatley, what I wrote is all I could think of - I'm out of my
depth with your problem, sorry.

--
Gene E. Bloch (Stumbling Bloch)

Robin Bignall wrote:


Why my hardware won't reboot when the system asks it to I have no idea.
Win7 ultimate installed first time, but it was a clean install.
It reboots when I ask it to via the shutdown options.

When you Google the model number of the motherboard,
are there any reports of BIOS problems ? I think it's
time to check the history of your motherboard.

Is this an EFI or UEFI system ? Those are the newer
BIOS types.

Paul

Robin Bignall wrote:
On Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:11:26 -0700, "Gene E. Bloch"
wrote:

On Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:44:30 +0000, Robin Bignall wrote:

I just got my w8 pro, tried to install by running setup from W7. It
loads, gets updates then asks for sticker key. Accepts that then tells
me it can't find licence agreement, and stops.
If I boot from W8 disk, it asks for language etc, then key then gives
choice between upgrade and clean install. I select upgrade and it tells
me to boot into W7 again and restart setup, in which case it just
repeats para 1.
I have a feeling that there's a restart somewhere in para 1 and my
computer won't do it.
Any ideas?

Some stuff in this thread remind me of an experience I've had.

Windows 7 and some earlier versions, after booting from the CD and doing
part of the installation, reboot again. But this time the installation
software wants to reboot from the part of the OS that has been installed
on the hard drive, not from the CD.

There are several ways to accomplish this. One is to remove the CD
before the later reboots occur. Another is to set your BIOS to boot from
the hard drive first, but then when you are trying the first boot, the
one from the CD, use the BIOS's ability to interrupt the process and
choose a device to boot from.

I'm sorry if this doesn't relate to the problem, but it's all I know...

It's all true, Gene, but when I boot with a dvd inserted I get the
"press any key to boot from dvd drive ...." which times out if you don't
and then boots from HDD.

My problem is hardware related. My system won't reboot from a software
request for some reason. So, I run the Win8 setup from win7. It loads
the software, counting up to 100%. It then checks for updates. When I
click next it tells me that it's going to reboot the system. The win8
windows closes AND THEN IMMEDIATELY REOPENS asking me for win8 sticker
code (which it accepts). During that closure of the win8 window my
system is supposed to write stuff to disk and reboot, which it does not
do. Something of this stuff supposed to be written must concern the win8
licence agreement page. Then, when I enter sticker code, win8 installer
assumes a reboot has been done, which it hasn't. So after I enter
sticker code and it's supposed to present the win8 agreement with an
'agree' button, it can't find it and installer tells me a problem has
occurred, that it can't find the licence agreement, with a 'close'
button. The 'close' just stops the install. This is the *win8 licence
agreement* that I should have seen and clicked 'agree' to, but because
of the lack of reboot can't be found. I tried a manual restart when
it's waiting for sticker code, but setup has been closed and it goes
back to the beginning.

I get the same problem with an upgrade install of win7: it has 5 steps,
the third of which is unpacking windows files and rebooting several
times. It fails to reboot on the first reboot, throws away everything
it's done and goes back to the beginning.

Why my hardware won't reboot when the system asks it to I have no idea.
Win7 ultimate installed first time, but it was a clean install.
It reboots when I ask it to via the shutdown options.


What you need here, Robin, is some help from Win7; something from the
log it should have been keeping.
There's the Setup.etl log in Windows/ Panther folder.
You can access it through the Event Viewer; Open Saved Log and navigate
to it.

Ed