Clean install problems

[default]

Brand new PC with an OEM copy of windows vista basic purchased with
PC. MBO is an Intel® D945GCL, 1 GB ram, 40 GB SATA hard drive (new,
no partitions set, unformatted) No modem at this point . . .

I insert the DVD ROM into my drive and get the installing files screen
(squares filling along bottom of screen) That seems to go well. then
I get a Microsoft logo along the bottom of the screen with dots moving
along the bottom. After a few minutes the screen goes completely
dark, and I see nothing, after a few seconds the DVD ROM drive (which
has slowed after loading the files) stops completely. Then the
computer sits there doing nothing. The monitor is still on (not in
standby) but nothing else is happening.

On the off chance the HD has a problem I put another 40GB sata drive
in that was blank, but partitioned and formatted on another system.
Exact same symptoms.

keyboard seems normal the Num Lock LED turns on and off so the system
isn't locked solid

Any things to try?

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[peter]

We assume SATA is enabled in BIOS??
here is a site with pics
do you get any of those??
http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=352
peter

 

[default]

We assume SATA is enabled in BIOS??
here is a site with pics
do you get any of those??
http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=352
peter

You assume correctly.

None of those pictures show just a rather long 1-2 minutes of file
loading along the bottom in black and white.
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[Chad Harris]

I assume you don't have any SATA drivers left to install. Try cleaning the
DVD as mundane as that sounds, throwing on some bug juice and wiping the
cloth fromt the center out. Sometimes it makes a difference.

 

[Curious]

How long did you let it "sit and do nothing"? For some installs this can
go on for 5-10 minutes while it decompresses the special installation CAB
files.

 

[default]

How long did you let it "sit and do nothing"? For some installs this can
go on for 5-10 minutes while it decompresses the special installation CAB
files.

Well that's an idea. I figured it was doing something like that with
the marching dots across the bottom. I probably did wait 5+ minutes
once or twice since I was reading a book while it was doing its thing.

Wouldn't I see some hard drive activity during that time? Presumably
it will do a fdisk or whatever the V equivalent is? Does that
operation give some on-screen indications?

I can try it again when I can (only one system working now and I'm
using it to access the 'net)

--

 

[default]

I assume you don't have any SATA drivers left to install. Try cleaning the
DVD as mundane as that sounds, throwing on some bug juice and wiping the
cloth fromt the center out. Sometimes it makes a difference.

I'll give it a try.
--

 

[Chad Harris]

Default--

I'd sure try it again with a clean DVD, and give it a few minutes more. I
don't think you're going to see any particular graphic representation of
hard drive activity to my best memory.

Good luck,

CH