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Newly built computer, vista freezes on install

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Recently completed putting together my new system. Started it up and everything seems fine, however once I tried to install Vista the computer is freezing. The freezes happen at no specific point, I have frozen during the initial bluish green veil-like screen, on the enter product key page and on the installing page during at "Expanding Files: 0%". My parts are as follows:


OS: Windows Vista Home Basic 32-bit DSP OEM DVD
DVD-Rom: Lite-ON 52xCDRW/16xDVD Rom Combo
Hard Drive: Seagate 320GB EIDE HD 7200/8MB/ATA-100
Linksys WMP54G Wireless 802.11G PCI NIC
2 1024 sticks of ram
Video Card: Palit GeForce 8600 GT Super 512MB PCIe w/Dual Link
EVGA nForce 650i Ultra Socket 775 Motherboard
Processor: Intel Core2 Duo E6420 2.13Ghz Socket 775 CPU
Ultra Black Defender ATX Mid-Tower Case with Front USB Ports and 400 Watt XVS Modular Power Supply

Motherboard only has one IDE socket, so DVD-Rom is slave to Hard Drive

Does anyone have any ideas as to a possible fix?

Edited with missing information

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I know your problem, you are running it without a power supply!

Seriously though, how many sticks of RAM do you have?
What power supply do you have?
Maybe try running Memtest for a while and make sure you have no errors.
Reset your CMOS. Incorrect settings could cause instability, so after the reset, verify that your processor is set to the correct speed and RAM is set to the correct timings.

What brand/model of RAM do you have? Make sure the BIOS is set to give it the mfgs spec voltage. This has been a big issue lately. Some sticks which need 2 or more volts are only getting 1.8 by default.

Check that first. Then if you still have problems run memtest as was suggested above.

Your power supply looks suspect too. $59 for case and PSU? Whew. I gotta doubt that PSU is up to the job.
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Make sure your specific model of RAM is COMPATIBLE with your motherboard. In compatible RAM may show no ERRORS but still BSOD.
Also, swap out the PSU with a better one. I wouldn't be surprised if your current one is only capable of providing around 260W.

If not the PSU then try this:

Disable the hardware device below in the system property box and see if the freezing stops. I have a E4500, but in an ASROCK DUAL Via chip set board and had to disable 54G wireless D-Link PCI 802.11 card to prevent freezing. Hook up to modem via RJ45 wire link using on-board lan when Internet access is required.

Linksys WMP54G Wireless 802.11G PCI NIC

Well I don't think it's the Wireless card, one of the first fixes I've tried was to attempt the install without the wireless card in the system. I still had the freezes. How would I check for the compatibility of the RAM, I assumed it was compatible as the first stick came with the BareBones kit I purchased, and the second I purchased to match the first. And the voltage listed on the MFG's site is 1.8v.

And in regards to the Power Supply, even though it claims to be 400w, it could only be working at a lesser wattage?

I just built a system with the same motherboard and an e6550 cpu.

I had a similar problem installing XP, I was able to fix it with a bios update and now the system is stable. I think the bios that the board ships with is designed for the first gen Core2 cpus.

Try updating your bios to the latest version from the EVGA website before you start changing out hardware.

Okay, latest attempts:
1. tried updating the BIOS with the latest version from the EVGA website, still freezing.
2. tried installing with both usb mouse and wireless card not hooked up, still freezing.
3. checked ram, running at 1.83v, MFG specs list 1.8, specs for Motherboard don't specifically list being compatible with this RAM, however it is DDR2, and motherboard is build for DDR2.
4. highest temp I've seen on the cpu is 48c after it had been left running for a night.

Cooling unit: Cooler Master X Dream CPU Cooler Intel P775 ROHS
RAM: both are Ultra 1024MB PC5400 DDR2 667MHz

ykkir said:
Woot! Got it working finally, changed out the DVD-Rom for an old one I had in another comp, thanks for all of your suggestions though guys.


Hot damn! That is maybe the fourth time now I have heard of an optical drive causing Vista install hangs at various and odd spots. We should have thought about that. Thanks for the report. If it happens again we know what to check.
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