Cannot get vista installation to complete.

[carlosdelondres]

So, lovely new system arrived this morning;

P5Q pro,
Q9550 on stock fan,
Powercolour 4800x2,
corsair TX750 psu,
2x2GB ocz gold 6400 (OCZ2G8004GK),
seagate barracuda 1TB hdd,
Antec 900 case

Got it all togther, no problems posting, tried to install Vista Ultimate 64 and the installation never completes - it gets to the 'installation completing' stage, reboots, comes back to that screen, appears to complete the installation, reboots again and then, after showing the windows load bar, goes to the green/blue install screen with the message: 'Windows could not complete the installation. To install windows on this computer, restart the installation.'

I have tried that a couple of times now, with the same result...

Just trying to install x86 version, but not tremendously hopeful at this point...

Have also changed ram timings to 5-5-5-18 @ 1.9v

otherwise BIOS settings are default for now...

Any and all help and suggestions welcome...

 

[Richie_W]

Try using the fail-safe BIOS defaults and see what happens,

 

[englandr753]

Take out one stick of ram and try that. I dont know about the x86 version but theres a windows update fix that allows you to run more than 3 gigs or ram. You will need to get windows up and running then search out the update, install then shut down the pc and add the xtra ram and you should be good.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929777

 

[carlosdelondres]

Tried that first...

have just got x86 version installed successfully though...am thinking could be a driver issue with my wireless card, so might try one more time with 64 bit version w/o the wireless...

 

[englandr753]

I would try to install without any extra add on cards that require drivers to reduce conflicts...

 

[carlosdelondres]

sorry not the ram thing...installed 32 bit fine with 4 Gb ram though, but haven't tried to see what happens onice graphics drivers installed

 

[zero3one]

I had Vista Ultimate running fine on 4gb or ram on my last computer and now on 8gb or ram on my new machine. It's likely something with your bios or another conflict with one of your add ons.

 

[fleakiller]

Silly i know but what is boot sequence

 

[carlosdelondres]

well, waiting to see if 64 bit OS installs ok with everything extraneous removed from the system...

If that doesn't work I guess I'll be reverting to 32 bit until I can work out what's wrong...

 

[carlosdelondres]

to fleakiller,

1 IDE CD/DVD RAm drive
2 SATA hdd
3 atapi cd rom (not installed, but made no difference to the problem when I disabled,
4 3.5 inch floppy (as above...)

 

[carlosdelondres]

Bah...just finished reinstalling 64 bit version, with no wireless card or anything, and same problem well, not a card conflict then...

Any other ideas anyone?

*sighs*

 

[englandr753]

Do you have another cd rom to try and install from? Try that and if no avail then I would stick a different hard drive in and try to install to that. It could be the cd rom or hard drive read/write issue. Recheck your cable connections as well.

Just another suggestion that sometimes works with no real explanation...

 

[zero3one]

^ +1

I'd try a new DVD drive as well. And take out the floppy drive no one uses them anymore.

 

[Scotteq]

Setting the drive options in the Bios to IDE mode can sometimes help, as well.

 

[carlosdelondres]

Sadly haven't got any other hardware spare to try, or another install disk..

well, could try even older IDE dvd rom drive, or old IDE hdd...might give it a try once I've copied all my old data to a partition on my new drive, which will free up an old drive, but I'm guessing that's a pretty long shot...?

oh yeah, there's no fdd or cd-rom drive, just the default settings in the BIOS include them...on the first attempted install.

Currently reinstalling the 32 bit version, but once the graphics drivers go in I'll have less than 2GB ram available I think, what with having gone and bought an unnecessarily fast gfx card an all...

Is there anything stupidly simple in the bios that needs changing from default settings to work with 64 bit Vista?

beggining to pull hair out now, have been watching Vista fail to install for about 6 hours ahahhahahhahahahhahahah!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[carlosdelondres]

btw it's an sp1 install disk...

 

[carlosdelondres]

scott eq, yup, drives set to IDE mode...

 

[maximiza]

did you test memory?

 

[carlosdelondres]

yep, memory tested ok with the windows utility...only gave it one pass though...

 

[jkflipflop98]

This is a tough one. Did you try booting from the windows install DVD and try the "repair my install" thing?

 

[carlosdelondres]

yep, only once though, told me the install could not be repaired from that disk. And suggested I try another.

Am beggining to think there may be something wrong with the disk...

not sure how to check that though...

 

[jkflipflop98]

Take a good hard look at it and see if there's any scratches or cracks in the disk. Even something as small as an eyelash can screw up the drive's data stream.

If the disc looks physically ok, we should try to see if there's a protective plastic membrane on the disc. Get a pot of water up to boil, then use some tongs or a string and submerge the disc into the boiling water for about 30 seconds to a minute. If the membrane is there, it will peel away at that point.

If neither of those are true, then try another x64 disc if you can. You can even go so far as to download a version of windows since you already have a valid key.

Good luck.

 

[carlosdelondres]

Yep, have already started downloading another version...

can't see any scratches, grease or anything on the disk though...

not sure i'm going to boil the original disk though I'm glad that such extremities are being suggested, as I'm guessing that means I'm not missing any simple solutions

 

[carlosdelondres]

Not saying I'd mind it if there was a simple solution though

 

[pbrigido]

Here is the first thing I would try. Get a really cheap stick of 1GB RAM from your local retail store, install vista, update it to SP1, take out the 1GB stick, and install your RAM. I don't know why, but strange install problems like the one you are having seem to be resolved this way. It is worth a shot...especially when considering how cheap a stick of DDR2 ram is these days.