0x0000009c Install Error

[Guest]

I get an 0x0000009c error during, well I should say before install. It is
very annoying, I have searched all over the web for info on these errors,
most places tell you it is a hardware error. Mine happens upon loading the
disk, after the first bar, I never get to see any install info, or setup.

In my case, not only have a run a hardware test of many kinds(PC Doctor,
memtest, ontrack, burnintest and others, all of which pass) but Windows XP
64, and many versions of linux have or currently run successfully on this
computer and have for months.

My setup:
GA-K8U-939 Motherboard
AMD Athlon 64 3500+
1gig ram(2x512,tried both dual channel and single)
ATI 9600XT 256Mb graphics card, ATI, not 3rd party
Creative Audigy 2
Pinnacle DV Capture Card
1 100 Gig WD IDE HD
1 160 Gig Hitachi SATA
1 250 Gig Samsung SATAHD(have tried using the 100 and the 160 as
install(first boot) drives)
USB mouse and Keyboard, also tried PS/2s though

I have tried removing all the hardware down to bare onboard and still
nothing. I know I have no issues with my hardware, I know all my settings and
BIOS are correct with the latest available BIOS. Is there a setting I am
missing or does it come down to a bad Beta 2? Is this Beta really so beta it
can't even the install kernel can't load under some set of conditions? Either
way, is this something I can work around, or is Vista just plain not ready
for use?

 

[Jason Smith]

Not much to add here, except that to say that I have the exact same
problem...

My system:
Asus A8N CSM Motherboard
AMD Athlon 64 3200
1 Gig ram (128 MB used for o/b video)
nVidia 6150 video (o/b video)
Creative Audigy 2
1 120 Gig (WD) <-- XP installation
1 40 Gig (Maxtor) <-- drive vista is being installed on

I'm leaning towards "not ready for prime time" myself. FYI, my system is
fairly new - i.e. parts bought in last 2 months. Runs XP and Ubuntu Linux
fine.

 

[Guest]

No version of windows can install on a drive that isn't the first drive in
the boot order. You may want to make usre the 40 is first. Once you have it
installed, you can put the 120 back and let Ubuntu , or more accurately LILO
or GRUB handle booting Vista from the 2nd drive.
Vista also cannot install on a SATA, and I personally couldn't even load it
with a SATA plugged into my system. Others just say it has to be installed
on an IDE.

I will point out to you since you also have an Audigy series, no beta 2
drivers yet, you will not have any sound until Creative releases
drivers(which is in theory later this week)

 

[Jason Smith]

That's strange, I've never had problems installing Windows on a drive that
was not the first booting drive - I've installed Windows XP again on the
other drive (i.e. dual boot WinXP) without problems. The Ubuntu was running
live CD, not installed on the physically on the drive yet.

I'll wait for RC1 and try again.

 

[Araxen]

This is a brand new version of Windows there should be no reason you
can't install in SATA. PATA will be obsolete in a few years.

I've had this error since I've been downloading builds. Vista installs
perfectly on my laptop but my desktop computer is totally another story
with this Machine Check Exception/SATA bug.