Thee clean re-instals and still one major problem ... need some 'expert' advice please

[GeoffP]

Actually ... it probably was.

There's a bug in Vista where when you select your timezone during install,
it changes your time.

- JB

Hmm wasn't aware of that one - thanks.

Incidentally this Corrupt Disk problem appears to be deteriorating fast, was
up to the early hours sorting out last night's problems, booted straight
into Vista this morning and 'Corrupt Disk' messages all over the place and
hadn't done a thing. I think I might try downloading another copy of the ISO
file and doing yet another re-instal as having eliminated hardware problems
it is beginning to look as if it is a Vista 'problem' and as it is isolated
to NTFS it may just may be the result of a bad download.

GeoffP




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[Jimmy Brush]

Before you install Vista, you should do these things from within XP:

- Delete the partition you are going to use (im assuming here that its one
of the failed ones or is empty)
- Apply the delete (closing disk management should do this)
- Create the partition again
- Format it with NTFS
- run chkdsk on it from XP

I've seen someone else on the forum had a problem with a ntfs filesystem and
doing these steps helped him. Of course, his problem wasn't anything like
yours ... but you never know.

- JB

 

[GeoffP]

Before you install Vista, you should do these things from within XP:

- Delete the partition you are going to use (im assuming here that its one
of the failed ones or is empty)
- Apply the delete (closing disk management should do this)
- Create the partition again
- Format it with NTFS
- run chkdsk on it from XP

I've seen someone else on the forum had a problem with a ntfs filesystem
and doing these steps helped him. Of course, his problem wasn't anything
like yours ... but you never know.

- JB

This is exactly what I have done for the three instals that's what makes me
think that it was actually a bad download. This morning's problems resulted
in an Event Log of 1,318 NTFS reported errors with 58 being repaired (and
that's just from a boot up). The Chkdsk output was over 10 pages of A4. Lost
my anti-virus and goodness knows what else. So its definitely a new download
of the ISO file and try again later.

Incidentally do you (or anyone else) know if the 'Bug' Report tool can be
run from XP, I've got all the files saved (away from Vista) but just don't
trust this installation now and until I've got a reliable installation will
leave it alone.

GeoffP




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[Jimmy Brush]

Yes, the tool can be ran from XP

- JB

 

[Michael Dodimead]

Are you installing by starting the machine and booting from the Vista DVD,
or starting your normal Windows version, and running the setup program on
the Vista DVD. I had two installs fail booting from the DVD, but running
setup from Windows work correctly first time. If you do install from
Windows, accept the option to download updates while you still have a
working net connection.

On your very first post you say you have installed on different
partitions/hard disks. My failed installs were caused because setup running
from the DVD was not identifying my Maxtor 200GB drive correctly and trying
to use 36bit addressing. This doesn't however explain why you can't get a
working copy on the Seagate drive, as this is less than 137GB and doesn't
require 48bit addressing like the Maxtor.

Regards Mike

 

[GeoffP]

Have clean installed x86 three times now on different partitions/hard disks.
I appear to be one of the 'lucky' ones as on each occasion everything has
worked just as it should (printer, network, scanner, internet) but have
persistent 'corrupt disk/file' after running Vista after each installation
and in the process of running chkdsk as advised I am losing files (some
critical some not so critical).

I'm trying to troubleshoot the problem and although both drives are fairly
new (Maxtors & Seagate drives), I have checked the physical condition of
each hard disk with the manufacturers software and independent software and
no signs of failing disks, and have fitted new cables, which appears to
eliminate a hardware problem. No one in these groups appears to be
experiencing a similar problem, so that appears to eliminate a Vista 'bug'
but has been reported just in case.

I know little or nothing about NTFS, but could some of you knowledgeable
people out there tell me if the NTFS file system is like to be affected by
other drives/partitions on the system being FAT32 (a hangover from days of a
three-way boot to Win98SE/Win2000 & WinXP Pro). I have been assured that
they should live together in harmony, but as I am rapidly running out of
ideas wondered if Vista's accessing of the other drives could be having an
adverse effect on Vista itself.

Any advice would be appreciated


GeoffP




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[GeoffP]

Thanks - that's what I thought (and was told), but something in my setup
must be causing this and its frustrating having a fully 'working' Beta,
which seems to be causing major corruptions to the Visa partition and thus
can't be 'trusted' to use and test properly

Any other ideas what could be causing it, there's no problems whatsoever
with the FAT32 partitions just the NTFS partition.

GeoffP

NTFS does not mess with FAT32 and vice versa.

They are seperated cleanly at a very, very low level in Windows.

- JB


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[GeoffP]

Sorry - Current config:

Seagate (120Gb) - IDE Master to motherboard controller (XP on partition
0/FAT 32, Vista Beta 2 on partition 1/NTFS) + two other partitions (FAT32)

Maxtor (200Gb) - IDE Silicon Image 0680 PCI ATA133 Controller (Driver
installed ok) as Master (all partitions FAT 32)

GeoffP

Why don't you tell how your drives are configured? IDE, or SATA which one
is master or are you using cable select with the 80 pin cable, etc.

Clark





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[Guest]

I was getting exactly the same problem, three installs on different drives,
different partitions etc. using both x86 and x64 installs. Every time the
same thing happened - getting the Event 55 errors and needing to run chkdsk,
pretty much the same.

I tried a last time, but this time spent more time cleaning down the drive I
was going to install to. I created a new primary partition under XP and made
sure I formatted as NTFS using XP - not using Acronis Disk Director I had
been using to format with. I then booted using the Vista x86 DVD and when
selecting the partition I did another format from the install process (for
good luck). This install has been fine for a few days now with many updates
made - so far so good.

 

[Guest]

I was getting exactly the same problem, three installs on different drives,
different partitions etc. using both x86 and x64 installs. Every time the
same thing happened - getting the Event 55 errors and needing to run chkdsk,
pretty much the same.

I tried a last time, but this time spent more time cleaning down the drive I
was going to install to. I created a new primary partition under XP and made
sure I formatted as NTFS using XP - not using Acronis Disk Director I had
been using to format with. I then booted using the Vista x86 DVD and when
selecting the partition I did another format from the install process (for
good luck). This install has been fine for a few days now with many updates
made - so far so good.

 

[Guest]

I was getting exactly the same problem, three installs on different drives,
different partitions etc. using both x86 and x64 installs. Every time the
same thing happened - getting the Event 55 errors and needing to run chkdsk,
pretty much the same.

I tried a last time, but this time spent more time cleaning down the drive I
was going to install to. I created a new primary partition under XP and made
sure I formatted as NTFS using XP - not using Acronis Disk Director I had
been using to format with. I then booted using the Vista x86 DVD and when
selecting the partition I did another format from the install process (for
good luck). This install has been fine for a few days now with many updates
made - so far so good.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

It's changed in 5456. Setting the time zone no longer changes the time.

 

[GeoffP]

It's changed in 5456. Setting the time zone no longer changes the time.

Having run out of ideas, I intend to download a new ISO tonight just in case
the original was corrupt. From what I've seen on the group 5456 is only
available for 'techies' so presumably will be stuck with 5384.

GeoffP




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[GeoffP]

Thanks for the 'heads up', it sounds as if we have followed exactly
procedures *including* the use of Acronis (a common denominator at last),
which does make me wonder if that is the cause of my problems. I'll give it
one more try this evening, before I download a fresh ISO, without using
Acronis and see what happens.

GeoffP

I was getting exactly the same problem, three installs on different drives,
different partitions etc. using both x86 and x64 installs. Every time the
same thing happened - getting the Event 55 errors and needing to run
chkdsk,
pretty much the same.

I tried a last time, but this time spent more time cleaning down the drive
I
was going to install to. I created a new primary partition under XP and
made
sure I formatted as NTFS using XP - not using Acronis Disk Director I had
been using to format with. I then booted using the Vista x86 DVD and when
selecting the partition I did another format from the install process (for
good luck). This install has been fine for a few days now with many
updates
made - so far so good.


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[GeoffP]

No problems at all with the installation, only one driver (an additional PCI
Parallel Port) caused any problems and that was soon solved by removing the
card. Apart from this one problem Vista itself has been fine with everything
working as it should.

Initially Vista was on a partition on the Maxtor 200Gb drive (with the
SiI0680 controller - 48bit), it ran perfectly but when the 'corrupt disk'
started appearing put it down to the XP Driver not being fully compatible so
moved first to an old Seagate 60Gb drive and then on the third instal to a
partition on the Seagate 120 Gb drive.

Hopefully from an earlier thread I may have found the culprit in Acronis
Disk Director, which I had been using for all the partitioning and
formatting through XP (sheer idleness on my part) but in light of the
experiences of Cobblers it looks like its back to basics on fresh instal
this evening.

GeoffP

Are you installing by starting the machine and booting from the Vista DVD,
or starting your normal Windows version, and running the setup program on
the Vista DVD. I had two installs fail booting from the DVD, but running
setup from Windows work correctly first time. If you do install from
Windows, accept the option to download updates while you still have a
working net connection.

On your very first post you say you have installed on different
partitions/hard disks. My failed installs were caused because setup
running from the DVD was not identifying my Maxtor 200GB drive correctly
and trying to use 36bit addressing. This doesn't however explain why you
can't get a working copy on the Seagate drive, as this is less than 137GB
and doesn't require 48bit addressing like the Maxtor.

Regards Mike

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[Colin Barnhorst]

Correct. It is not so much techies as professionals.

 

[GeoffP]

Well it's looking good. Dumping Acronis Disk Director and formatting,
partitioning, and Chkdsk'ing the old fashioned way seems to have done the
trick. I won't count my chickens and will give it a couple of days of
testing but I feel a lot more confidence in Vista that I've had for the past
two weeks. Thanks again on the heads up regarding Acronis, it might work Ok
with XP but it does seem to cause problems in setting up partitions/disks
for Vista.

GeoffP

 

[Leo]

Acronis says their software does not support Vista.

 

[GeoffP]

It wasn't installed or used on Vista but on XP Pro and used to partition,
format and check the partition prior to installing Vista. I've been using it
for some time on XP without any problems (mainly on FAT32 partitions) but
Vista appears not to like the NTFS partitions created by the Acronis Disk
Director.


GeoffP

Acronis says their software does not support Vista.

--

Yesterday is a canceled check; tomorrow is a
promissory note; today is the only cash you have.
Spend it wisely.







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[GeoffP]

Now appears to be sorted and everything working as it should with no
corruption errors for three days. Nice to know it wasn't Vista, Hardware or
Drivers but down to use of a third party Disk Manager to set up the initial
partitions/drives. Thanks to one and all for their very valuable help and
advice hope I will be able to reciprocate at some time in the future.

GeoffP





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