VISTA INSTALL FAILS

[Guest]

I picked up a copy of Vista Home Premium yesterday and first attempted to
install it over my current XP setup which seemed to be working ok. It
completed installing files did the next part (which i think is verifying
files) and then sat at updating files for a while (no progress), then
rebooted.
The first time it rebooted after a long time it went to a black screen with
just a mouse pointer. Each time i rebooted then it would eventually get back
to the same black screen so i decided to do a fresh install, booted from the
Vista DVD and selected the drive (partition) I wanted, formatted it and then
did the install again.
It went through the same steps rebooting at the updating files step, but
this time it came back with an error message: "pci.sys file is missing or
corrupt", if I then try to use the Vista repair option it tells me that it
could not fix the problem.
Then if I try to install over top of this current installation (thats not
working) it will again get to the updating files section, reboot, and then
say that windows was not shut down properly and give me the startup options
"Safe mode, etc." any of these options I choose it waits for a while then
reboots to the same spot.

My specs (brand new system):
AMD 64 6000+
ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe
EVGA 8600GTS 256Mb
2GB RAM
SATA HD (40Gb Partition)

Please any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Paul Randall]

I picked up a copy of Vista Home Premium yesterday and first attempted to
install it over my current XP setup which seemed to be working ok. It
completed installing files did the next part (which i think is verifying
files) and then sat at updating files for a while (no progress), then
rebooted.
The first time it rebooted after a long time it went to a black screen
with
just a mouse pointer. Each time i rebooted then it would eventually get
back
to the same black screen so i decided to do a fresh install, booted from
the
Vista DVD and selected the drive (partition) I wanted, formatted it and
then
did the install again.
It went through the same steps rebooting at the updating files step, but
this time it came back with an error message: "pci.sys file is missing or
corrupt", if I then try to use the Vista repair option it tells me that it
could not fix the problem.
Then if I try to install over top of this current installation (thats not
working) it will again get to the updating files section, reboot, and then
say that windows was not shut down properly and give me the startup
options
"Safe mode, etc." any of these options I choose it waits for a while then
reboots to the same spot.

My specs (brand new system):
AMD 64 6000+
ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe
EVGA 8600GTS 256Mb
2GB RAM
SATA HD (40Gb Partition)

Please any help would be greatly appreciated.

You say it is a brand new system, but you have WXP on it. Was WXP
preinstalled on this system?
You say you bought Vista Home Premium. Is it an upgrade version or a full
install version or an OEM version?

-Paul Randall

 

[Guest]

It is a new system, as in everything is new except the harddrives.
I had installed XP onto the 40Gb partition a couple of days before i picked
up vista.
It is the full version of Vista, and is OEM, but the OEM should not affect
anything as I didnt put in the KEY so windows has no way of knowing which
version I am installing.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

OEM versions of Windows Vista must be "clean installed"
as they cannot upgrade over an existing Windows XP installation.

How to Install or Reinstall Windows Vista
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/e77344fa-e978-464c-953e-eba44f0522671033.mspx

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User

---------------------------------------------------------------------------­-----

"Bjorn" wrote:

It is a new system, as in everything is new except the harddrives.
I had installed XP onto the 40Gb partition a couple of days before i picked
up vista.
It is the full version of Vista, and is OEM, but the OEM should not affect
anything as I didnt put in the KEY so windows has no way of knowing which
version I am installing.

 

[Guest]

Yes I am doing a fresh install. Formatting the partition first.

 

[Guest]

I know this is a silly question, but do you have the BIOS set to boot from
the CD/DVD Drive first?

That is the way you do a clean install.
Once the DVD boots, follow instructions to DELETE the existing
partition(containing XP), then formatt, etc.

 

[Guest]

The bios varies from computer manufacturer to computer manufacturer. Almost
all computers will enter the bios when you press a key or key combination
when the computer starts and before it begins to load windows. Some will
tell you what key to press i.e. "press F1 to enter setup". Most computers
use one of the following: F1, F2, F10, F11, F12, <del>, <shift><del>,
<ctrl><alt><insert>, or <ctrl><del>.

You will need to change the boot order in the bios. I can't give you exact
instructions because that is dependent on the bios. You may find
instructions to your bios by looking on the manufacturer's website.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your advice guys. I have figured out what the problem was, by
installing a old IDE drive and installing windows on there, and it worked
fine. I had installed the drivers for my sata drives on earlier attempts but
think something might have been wrong with the drive I was trying to put it
on.
Anyway It is working for now. and eventually I will figure out how to get
it onto the faster SATA drive.