Runs Linux Live But No Os Will Install

Hi,
I have inherited an older laptop and need help bringing it back to life.
Evidently it quit working and was put away. When I tried to boot it I got a No OS installed error.
It is a ASUS X70L-7s021C, 17inch display, x86, Intel Pentium Dual T2370 @ 1.7GHz. It has a Vista product sticker, tho both the user manual I downloaded and the the ASUS X70L webpage say it shipped with XP?!?
So right away I installed 4Gb of new RAM and a new Toshiba HDD. Both were tried in another laptop to confirm they are good. I figured it would fire right up and I'd install Win 7 and get on with life. Wrong...
The ASUS runs Linux Live Discs very well for hours and all features work. My problem is I can not get any OS to install. On Linux, when a Live Disc is running and I click install I can only get to the point where they ask my location. I choose it and then the laptop freezes or shuts down. Same thing if I choose to install-now from the startup menu. I tried Ububtu, LXLE, Linux Lite, etc., live versions all work but none will install. I tried Win 7 (thats what I really wanted) and XP, with those I get a BSOD when clicking the Install button on the window where you can choose to Repair or Install. Error msg x000000000700. I took the working Win 7 HDD out of my primary laptop and tried that in the Asus, it goes to the Startup Repair window, and neither of the 2 options worked to get it to boot. PC Check finds no hardware problems. Out of curiosity I ran Memtest Boot Disc and from H's Boot Disc Tools, Toshiba HDD Tester and every other hardware testing tool that I could figure out, all passed on those.
The (very simple) BIOS settings look right, and I did reset them to default but no difference.
If you are going to suggest I flash the BIOS, please explain why. Doesn't the fact that Live Discs will run prove the BIOS is not corrupt?
I am out of ideas. Anyone got any suggestions? Thanks.

 

As simple or insignificant as it may sound, how old is the CMOS battery and when was the last time it was replaced?

 

That laptop came with a 160GB hard drive.
One source: http://www.cnet.com/products/asus-x70l-7s063c-17-pentium-t2390-2-gb-ram-160-gb-hdd/

How large are the hard drives you are putting into it? I'm thinking there might be a limit and the computer simply can't see a hard drive that is larger than perhaps 250GB.
Of course the ASUS site is no help when I put X70L-7s021C or ASUS X70L-7s021Cin the search box, I get 0 results!
I was hoping to find something in FAQs about the largest, in GB, hd replacement for the laptop.
Next I went to the Crucial site. I input Asus, then notebook but there is no X70 as a choice. It jumps from X 50-something to X71. I figured Crucial would know what size hd would be a proper replacement for that model.

Take the Toshiba HDD out and partition it into smaller chunks. See if you are then able to install something on a smaller partition.

 

Along with plodr's advice check in bios if the first hd is recognized. Some bios can be set to "auto detect". Some drives need LBA support to be enabled. Some bios's need cyc, head, sectors settings. This info found on drive's label.

 

From what I read in plodr's link, your ASUS is quite similar to my Dell Precision M70. Without the BIOS update to version A04, the max hard drive size was 120 GB. After the BIOS update I could put a 250GB hard drive in the laptop but, no larger. I could increase total capacity by putting a second hard drive in the optical drive bay.

 

I thought the same thing so last night I tried a 160Gb HDD. No difference. I even tried a reliable old 80Gb, no luck.
Yes, in all cases the BIOS recognized the HDDs correctly.
CMOS battery is probably the original, but since the time shows correct in the BIOS and Linux Live distros I assumed it was ok.

 

One other thing could be a problem with the internal optical drive. Did you try setting USB as first in the boot order and try booting/installing from a USB connected optical drive?

 

I get exactly one hit for error x000000000700, this thread.
Are you sure that is the error? It seems like it should start 0x and not have so many digits. If so, are there any words with that error?

For me: site to look up once the correct error code is posted
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms681381(v=vs.85).aspx
or bug check https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh994433.aspx

 

Hi,
I installed new CMOS battery. Then I tried again to install Win 7 on a 80GB hdd. This time as soon as the install dvd spins up I got this BSOD msg
0x0000000A
0x00000008, 0x00000002, 0xooooooo0, 0x8BD8A708)

 

The Bios is very limited and has none of those settings.

 

Along with 0x0000000A, does it say IRQL Not Less Than or Equal?

Also, is this an x86 (single core) or an x64 (core 2 duo or better) machine?

 

Without the BIOS update to version A04

The BIOS American Megatrends 2/25/08, Ver. 204, not A04

 

http://www.faultwire.com/solutions-fatal_error/IRQL-NOT-LESS-OR-EQUAL-0x0000000A-*1025.html

about the only thing you can do without an OS installed is to check the memory.

This will run from a USB stick or CD, MemTest 86+
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/memtest86_ffaa.html
download either the ISO or the USB and then boot the problem computer and run the test at least 7 passes.
You can stop it, if you get an error.
If an error occurs, remove all sticks but one and start the test again.

You do this to determine the good and bad sticks of memory.

 

I meant A04 for MY Dell Precision M70.

 

Problem solved. When I approached this as an electrician instead of a PC tech I found one of my RAM slots is intermittently shorting out. I tried using just 1 RAM card, the first slot I tried still had problems, the other slot had no issues and allowed me to install an OS. Intermittent probs are the hardest to diagnose!

Gracias y adios from sunny Costa del Sol.