Hardware Problems

Hi, I am having trouble installing Vista on a machine, really would appreciate some help.

To cut a long story short, this is the current situation: (Wanting to install vista)

Inserted Vista installation DVD, boot from the dvd drive and i get this error when i try to proceed with installation or run the memory diagnostic test:


windows boot manager

windows has experienced a problem communicating with an i./o device connected to your computer

Error : 0xc00000e9


The RAM has been swapped with spare to check its not the RAM.

The DVD drive has been swapped with one that is definitely working in another computer.

The Hard drive has been tested in another machine, read fine, and i ran disk checker and formatted it with NTFS.

I have tried removing the graphics card and using the on-board graphics, but the onboard graphics goes in to a mode in terms of HZ that the monitor cant handle after the first startup screen. (presuming its not a graphics card problem since i get display ok anyway)

Bootable Linux : Knoppix 5.1 bootable CD, runs and loads to the desktop fine!



The long story:

Machine was absolutely fine, running XP Home SP3, 512mb ram and a P4 2.4 Ghz, A radeon 7500 64mb ram in the AGP slot. Apart from a little sluggish from not being formatted and reinstalled from scratch with the arrival of SP2 and then SP3 and generally just needing a format.

I wanted to upgrade the RAM to 2gb and install Vista. (I know this will run ok, I have vista working on a slightly slower machine, this machine is only used for internet and email anyway)

I installed the RAM, backed up everything, and put the Vista Dvd in to go ahead with installation. The machine just wouldnt boot from the DVD, put the correct boot order in the bios etc. Eventually let XP start and discovered that the DVD Cd rw combo drive was not reading DVD disks for some reason. It was just showing the disk to be blank in windows explorer and making retarded noises, when trying to read it. (Same noises when trying to boot from DVD) Anyway **** that drive got a DVD drive thats tested and working in another machine now, and it seems to be working ok.

The 1 HDD is showing as the primary master and the replacement DVD drive is showing as Secondary master like they should be. Separate IDE channels/cables.

When I connected the HDD as a slave to the other computer to check it was working (which it was) i noticed it ran a lot quieter. This seems strange, This is a relatively new HDD, but it has been noticeably louder on the broken machine, but not loud enough to cause alarm. I thought it was its normal running sound. Its been working ok for about a year, and works fine on another machine, and the PC boots Knoppix bootable so I think its fine, but the fact its so much quieter in the other machine is a bit alarming.

Thanks if anyone can help!