Getting Vista Ultimate 64-bit and.....

Redo the installation?
Stick with x86?
Go Open Source? (e.g; Linux)

All very good ideas, if I do say so myself ;)
 
Hey, I may go the Linux route.....just kidding. I have tried the installation several times only to fail. Oh well......guess I'll stick with XP for now.
 
GSAV55 said:
If I already have XP, would I have to create a partition to install Linux?
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When you go to install any other OS including a different version of Windows or even a different edition of the same version like Pro and Home you first create a new primary while for Linux that could be an extended partition. Linux won't run on NTFS however like Windows won't run on UNIX type VFat. Two totally different types of OSs there.

SIMP said:
Hey, I may go the Linux route.....just kidding. I have tried the installation several times only to fail. Oh well......guess I'll stick with XP for now.
Click to expand...

Something probably isn't configured quite right if multiple attempts are not seeing Windows finishing the setup. Safe mode can only be used once Windows is fully installed as a boot option there.

It sounds like you may be seeing a hardware problem if the hard drive itself was set as default in the boot order once all files were copied to the drive. Or were they fully copied? Trying a lens cleaner for the optical and looking at the disk for smudge marks, scrtaches, etc. there might reveal something besides possible bad ram.
 
PC Eye, I just wanted to say "Thanks" for spending the time on these forums like you do. You never mind helping folks and know your stuff to boot! I really do appreciate all of your input on this man. I'll let you know what I find out with my situation!
 
SIMP said:
PC Eye, I just wanted to say "Thanks" for spending the time on these forums like you do. You never mind helping folks and know your stuff to boot! I really do appreciate all of your input on this man. I'll let you know what I find out with my situation!
Click to expand...

Some around might not say that but thanks for the flowers! :P

GSAV55 said:
If I got a new HD I could just put linux on one and edit the boot.ini right?
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For creating a new partition you first need the correct partitioning depending on the type of primary or extended being created. For MS that would go either the old Fat16/32 or NTFS for 2000-Vista there.

Linux uses a VFat type on a different platform there which can be either a primary or extended type depending on the distro. A second extended type is also used by Linux for virtual memory called the "swap" while the main files go onto the "root" partition.

The one free tool that seems to do all for both MS and Linux is the Gnome Partition Editor's live for cd-r pllatform independent version more commonly known as GParted live. OParted another Linux is strictly open source for Linux there. The documentation for using GParted is seen at http://gparted.sourceforge.net/larry/generalities/gparted.htm

With any drive you can create upto 4 primary type partitions or add some extended along with a pair of primaries. Linux generally uses a Grub or Lilo boot loader and you need to manually install that into the Windows mbr and edit the bootmenu.lst file to see a distro and Windows dual boot together.

Linux does have some advantages like not seeing the clutter for faster loading and runs more stable as a rulle then Windows. It also sees a far better hardware detection process then XP. MS had to do better there with Vista to see that sell. :rolleyes: The 0.3.3.0 or older 0.3.2.0 releases are platform independent as you look under architecture when cliching on the plus(+) sign at the left of each version. Look about 15 down from the top at http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=115843&package_id=173828

Review the documentation adn screenshots and practice getting used to the difference seen with it. To load up to the main gui you simply press the enter at each prompt and leave it at 24bit and 1024x768 defaults when you see those options. Changing the 24bit will force you to reboot and the larger 1280x1024 resolution will force things off of the screen.
 
Someone else would have to explain how to see a dual boot with Linux along with Windows since I veered away from Linux for the most part a few years ago mainly from not seeing any dsl driver support for connecting online as well as not seeing too many programs other then those for Linux.

Once I see a new larger sata drive go in Vista will go on one of the pair now used for storage/backup leaving the ide model free for tinkering with Linux, Solaris, or another OS there if I simply don't remove it entirely. Once familiar with Linux a little you can then learn how to use a virtual machine to run Linux on a Windows system or MS type games and apps while a distro is running. That gets a little more involved however.
 
SIMP said:
Well, I have failed to install Vista Ultimate 64. During install, it almost finishes the "Completing Installation" and then it gives the Blue Screen of Death. Afterwards it restarts and tells me installation was not complete and to restart my computer. After restarting, I get the same message about installation not being complete and I must restart. It's an endless cycle!! Safe mode won't complete the installation either.

Any ideas?
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Most likely a driver issue. Safe mode won't work either because it will still attempt to install the driver.

Either that or it's findind a flaw in your hardware.
 
I guess I'll start trying to eliminate this problem one piece of hardware at a time. My plan of action may be as follows:

1) Update BIOS
2) Try install with different video card
3) Try install with different hard drive
4) Try install with less memory

If I take a picture of the BSOD, could someone help me identify the problem based on the code? This is aggravating the heck out of me! All I wanted was to give Vista Ultimate a chance.
 
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CAUSE

This issue can occur if a problem occurred within the Ntfs.sys file. The Ntfs.sys file is the driver file that enables your computer to read and write to NTFS partitions. Damage in the NTFS file system, damaged portions of your hard disk, or damaged SCSI or IDE drivers can also cause this issue. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/228888

That is a common error seen with any NT cored version of Windows like 2000, XP, and now Vista. The recommendation to run the chkdsk /f command is a little off since Windows hasn't even neem installed. But slaving the drive in another case to run a good scan for bad sectors would be a thought.

It sounds like something isn't be fully copied to the drive there. It could be the optical drive seeing a fault if not in need of a lens cleaning and no fnger marks or scratches on the installation disk itself.
 
If it is a hard drive problem, I may try to install the OS on a different one and see if that does it. Thanks again and I'll report in once I find something out.
 
It's either bad read/write heads on the drive itself or something didn't copy fully onto the drive which would seen anyways with a drive seeing bad heads. If you see results with a simple swap of drives then you know where the problem is. But don't rule out a problem the optical drive may be seeing either.
 
That error indicates corruption. One thing you might want to do is clean the lens of your CD player and the disk itself. Then, delete all partitions and reformat the ntfs, but do the regular format as opposed to the quick format.

It's a lot easier to diagnose it when one can see the error. ;)
 
PC and Sir, thanks for the info. My new drive should be here today so I can tinker with it tonight. I figured if I took a snapshot of the error it would be much easier to tell what the problem might be.

I hope it is HDD related. If not, guess I got myself a new storage drive!! Thanks again!
 
It never hurts to have a backup/storage anyways for safe keeping anything important. Besides any hardware fault the information points to something not fully being copied to the drive due to the heads on the hard drive itself, lens cleaning needed or bad lazer in pptical drive, or the worst being a bad OS disk?

Optical drives are far cheaper to replace these days if that should turn out to be the problem being seen. If the drive is a few years old then that would be even ,more suspect while not ruling out other things. You'll know soon enough anyways.
 
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