Can't install Vista

[Jan :\)]

I had Vista Ultimate x64 installed on my machines, and wanted to install the
x86. But, when I tried to install the x86 after deleting the x64 version, I
now get an error that says that "Windows is unable to find a system volume
that meets its criteria for installation." I have reformatted the drive and
all else that I can think of, but, it it continues to throw the error
message. What should I do? I am sure that my system and hardware is
sufficient to handle the Vista install, and I am trying to install to the
same drive that I had the other installed to:
Processor
2.00 gigahertz AMD 64 Opteron's (2 installed)
Main Circuit Board
Tyan Tiger K8WE
Memory Modules
2 GB RAM

I don't understand what the problem is and I hope someone here can help.

Jan

 

[Spirit]

Since you mentioned "Drives" have you tried only with the 2nd one now
as the primary? In fact leave the primary now out of the machine until
OS is installed..... I am thinking the 64 bit might leave a low level driver
on machine.

Might need to contact Driver Maker and/or Microsoft.

 

[Jan :\)]

Hi Spirit, yes, I have tried both drives, they are separate drives not
partitions. I have seen this happen before with another user, and they had a
very long and difficult time trying to reinstall. I don't see why it is so
difficult to reinstall Vista on a drive that it has been installed on before
if the drive has a) been deleted and b) reformatted. There is not reason I
can think of that should prevent the installation for seeing my drives as
having the sufficient criteria for installation. That is what is the
problem, and I have never seen this before, and I have done a lot of
reinstalls during the Vista beta. And yes, I have done a test on the drives
and they test fine.

Jan

Since you mentioned "Drives" have you tried only with the 2nd one now
as the primary? In fact leave the primary now out of the machine until
OS is installed..... I am thinking the 64 bit might leave a low level driver
on machine.

Might need to contact Driver Maker and/or Microsoft.

 

[Spirit]

I am still thinking a low level driver left on system.

 

[Earle Horton]

Run Setup repair mode, start up a command prompt, and see if there is an
option to "fixmbr" or something like that. This command prompt doesn't have
as many commands as XP Recovery Console, but there are a few useful ones.
Then you may have to repartition the drive, even though you have reformatted
it. As they say, there may be a low level Vista x64 driver or boot block
left on the system. It is also possible that the x64 partition which you
formatted is the wrong "type" to install x86. I am thinking that you need
to delete a partition, create a new one, and then format it in x86 Setup.
You may also have to mark the desired boot partition as active. There is a
program "bootsect" in the "boot" directory of the install DVD, which
installs the Vista Boot Manager, also something called "bcdedit" which you
may have to get involved with. These are documented more fully in TechNet
http://technet.microsoft.com.

Good luck,

Earle

I am still thinking a low level driver left on system.

 

[KDE]

some drives need 3rd party SATA or Raid drivers? at the beginning of the
install Windows gives you the opportunity to install third party drivers for
your drives. I would suggest getting on a machine that works and go to your
mfg website and get the specs for the hard drives.

 

[Jan :\)]

That is beyond doable, if you read my post, as the drives have both been
deleted and reformatted. so I don't think there is any chance of a repair.
Trying a repair is what got me into the mess in the first place, as when I
tried to do a repair, it said it could not repair the problem, and then when
I tried to boot back into Vista, I got an error in the command window that
said it could not find the OS. Imagine that.

Jan

 

[Jan :\)]

OK...I am not that knowledgeable about all this, so how can there be a low
level driver left on a drive that has not only been first deleted, and then
formatted? Not arguing, but, I am confused as to how such could still be
left after all that? If what you say is true, then, how do a) get rid of
it, or b) be able to reinstall with it?

Jan

I am still thinking a low level driver left on system.

 

[Jan :\)]

I have them and have installed them, but, that does not seem to work either,

Jan

 

[Earle Horton]

So you deleted the old x64 partition, installed an x86 partition, and then
reformatted that in x86 Setup? Now run the x86 Install disk, system repair
option, and see if there is any hope presented there. What you may have
left of the x64 install, is an x64 "Master Boot Record", computerese for x64
claiming this disk as belonging to x64. You may have to put x86 system
repair into command prompt mode, type "help" or "?" and see what commands
are available. If there is a "fixmbr" listed run it.

Good luck,

Earle

 

[Jan :\)]

So you deleted the old x64 partition, installed an x86 partition, and then
reformatted that in x86 Setup?

Not that I am aware of, this is an x64 bit machine, not an x32.

Now run the x86 Install disk, system repair

option, and see if there is any hope presented there. What you may have
left of the x64 install, is an x64 "Master Boot Record", computerese for
x64 claiming this disk as belonging to x64.

It does not ask me, as it should, if want to install the x64 or X32/86
version. That tells me that it may not be properly reading the drive.
or......when I reformat the drive, why am I not given a choice of which
format to use?

You may have to put x86 system

repair into command prompt mode, type "help" or "?" and see what commands
are available. If there is a "fixmbr" listed run it.

I tried that, and there is nothing of that sort offered.

Good luck,

Thanks, I gonna need it. Right now my machine is dead in the water.. :-(

Jan

 

[Earle Horton]

Not that I am aware of, this is an x64 bit machine, not an x32.

I get that. I have a Dell Inspiron with dual x64 processor myself, but it
came with Vista x86 (32 bit) installed. An x64 computer is able to run an
x86 operating system, which is 32 bit.

Now run the x86 Install disk, system repair

It does not ask me, as it should, if want to install the x64 or X32/86
version. That tells me that it may not be properly reading the drive.
or......when I reformat the drive, why am I not given a choice of which
format to use?

Afaik, there are two install disks, one for x64 and one for x86. Are you
using the right install disk for what you want to do? The one I have from
Dell says "Reinstallation DVD Windows Vista (TM) Home Premium 32BIT".
Another one says "Microsoft Windows Vista (TM) Business For Upgrade Use
Only". These are examples of 32 bit Vista install DVDs. You may be trying
to install the 32 bit system using the 64 bit DVD.

If this is not the case then you may have to install another disk driver at
Setup boot time, as others have suggested, or there may be a problem with
the drive. The last seems unlikely since you say you were running x64 on it
previously. Is there a "drivers and utilities disk" that came with the
computer? That may have an essential piece that you need.

Earle

 

[Spirit]

A low level driver is one that is below the actual operating system.

See the note above about 64 bit or similar leaving an MBR or
so on to claim the drive.

 

[Earle Horton]

My dog does something similar. Then the next dog does the same...

Sorry, obvious analogy.

Earle

A low level driver is one that is below the actual operating system.

See the note above about 64 bit or similar leaving an MBR or
so on to claim the drive.

 

[Arge]

Jan

I had the exact same problem. I loaded the 3rd party driver but Windows
could never find the drive when attempting to install.

I finally bought a SATA hard drive and removed the IDE drives and everything
installed just fine. After re-installing the drives and attempting to load
the "new downloaded" drivers for the IDE card, Windows still did not see it.
However Windows Update found the driver on the interenet, Installed it and
it has worked just fine every since. I have now added both of the IDE
drives back into the system.

Bottom line is you might be having a problem with the drivers for your 3rd
party card even though you think you loaded them.

Arge

 

[Jan :\)]

Ahh....ok...thanks.

Jan

A low level driver is one that is below the actual operating system.

See the note above about 64 bit or similar leaving an MBR or
so on to claim the drive.

 

[Jan :\)]

Ahh,,,ok...thanks!

Jan

A low level driver is one that is below the actual operating system.

See the note above about 64 bit or similar leaving an MBR or
so on to claim the drive.

 

[Jan :\)]

Thanks for the information, Arge. I don't believe that I have any IDE
drivers installed, as I don't have anything but SATA drives installed on
that machine. But, who knows what gets added from where when installations
are done.

I'll do some more checking. I have the XP Pro installed so I can do some
looking around maybe.

Jan

 

[Jan :\)]

Thanks, KDE, I will do that. I have them on a data drive, but, it is on
that machine...so...I will go the web and get the drives.

Jan

 

[Jan :\)]

I get that. I have a Dell Inspiron with dual x64 processor myself, but it
came with Vista x86 (32 bit) installed. An x64 computer is able to run an
x86 operating system, which is 32 bit.


Afaik, there are two install disks, one for x64 and one for x86. Are you
using the right install disk for what you want to do? The one I have from
Dell says "Reinstallation DVD Windows Vista (TM) Home Premium 32BIT".
Another one says "Microsoft Windows Vista (TM) Business For Upgrade Use
Only". These are examples of 32 bit Vista install DVDs. You may be
trying to install the 32 bit system using the 64 bit DVD.

If this is not the case then you may have to install another disk driver
at Setup boot time, as others have suggested, or there may be a problem
with the drive. The last seems unlikely since you say you were running
x64 on it previously. Is there a "drivers and utilities disk" that came
with the computer? That may have an essential piece that you need.

Earle

The media I have has both the x64 and x86 (32) on it and I am given the
choice at the time of install. I have made sure I selected the correct
version. I have run 3 different checks and the drive is good. I wll try
installing the SATA dirve and see if that will work.

Thanks!

Jan