Vista Ultimate doesn't install

[Guest]

I'm trying to install Windows Vista Ultimate as an upgrade from XP. I've run
the Upgrade Advisor with just some minor application warnings. It states
that I am able to upgrade to Vista.

After several hours, the installation reaches the last step. It then
rollsback to XP and gives the error...

"This version of Windows could not be installed. Your previous version of
Windows has been restored."

There is no indication of what the problem could be.

I tried using the Microsoft support, but they require the product ID (which
I get after installation) or $59. Kind of lame to not support customers with
installation issues.

Should I just return Vista and stick with XP?

 

[Rock]

I'm trying to install Windows Vista Ultimate as an upgrade from XP. I've
run
the Upgrade Advisor with just some minor application warnings. It states
that I am able to upgrade to Vista.

After several hours, the installation reaches the last step. It then
rollsback to XP and gives the error...

"This version of Windows could not be installed. Your previous version of
Windows has been restored."

There is no indication of what the problem could be.

I tried using the Microsoft support, but they require the product ID
(which
I get after installation) or $59. Kind of lame to not support customers
with
installation issues.

Should I just return Vista and stick with XP?

You need to post what the computer is, the motherboard, the chipset, number
of drives, configuration of the drives, SATA or PATA, the amount and type of
RAM, and the video card. Check with the computer manufacturer to see if
they have Vista compatible drivers for it. Do the same for the
manufacturers of all the other hardware devices and check the software
compatibility for all programs by checking on the program authors web sites.

You can't rely on the Upgrade Advisor as a definitive guide. Uninstall all
AV applications, 3rd party firewalls, CD/DVD burning apps, system level
utilities, and any software that uses drivers. Disconnect all peripherals
except the monitor, keyboard, mouse, and DVD. Remove other add in cards.

Make sure there is a full and complete backup. I recommend imaging the XP
installation using something Acronis True Image saving the image to an
external hard drive.

 

[Squibbly]

You need to post what the computer is, the motherboard, the chipset,
number of drives, configuration of the drives, SATA or PATA, the amount
and type of RAM, and the video card. Check with the computer manufacturer
to see if they have Vista compatible drivers for it. Do the same for the
manufacturers of all the other hardware devices and check the software
compatibility for all programs by checking on the program authors web
sites.

You can't rely on the Upgrade Advisor as a definitive guide. Uninstall
all AV applications, 3rd party firewalls, CD/DVD burning apps, system
level utilities, and any software that uses drivers. Disconnect all
peripherals except the monitor, keyboard, mouse, and DVD. Remove other
add in cards.

Make sure there is a full and complete backup. I recommend imaging the XP
installation using something Acronis True Image saving the image to an
external hard drive.

as for returning vista you really cant, since you opened it

 

[Guest]

That's all well and good, but wouldn't it be more helpful if the installer
told me why it failed. Microsoft is no longer support Intel motherboards?
Or ATI video cards? Then just tell me that before the installation rather
than wasting 12 hours of installation time just to roll back. Why bother
with a Upgrade Advisor if the software is just going to decide several hours
into the installation that something is wrong.

I'm more interested in finding about a log file or something that tells me
the problem. My hardware is working fine with XP.

 

[BigJim]

Ultimate should be done with as clean install

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Squibbly

This is not correct. Go to the following link and READ.

Microsoft North American Retail Product Refund Guidelines:
http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/productrefund/refund.asp

 

[Guest]

I had a similar problem. It turned our that I needed to load a driver for the
secondary IDE. In fact I had to load both eht eprimary and secondary ide
drivers for my intel 845E chipset.

 

[Michael Jennings]

I found returning it correctly to San Leandro gets you a check. You must:

Promptly ship everything bought via traceable means with a short explanation;
include the store's name and address, your street address and phone number,
and a copy of the sales receipt, credit card statement or canceled check.
Also, uninstall the software and delete any copies.

I wasn't sure I'd get the check, but it came after I returned Works. I was
astonished and grateful that they also reimbursed my costs to return it.
Promptly means don't dither - they give you 45 days from date of purchase.

 

[Darrell Gorter[MSFT]]

Hello Brian
Can you send me the setupact.log file?

depends on where in setup you are sometimes, so use this article to help
locate the file.
It lists some of the other log files as well
927521 Windows Vista setup log file locations
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;927521

Most likely locations are:
C:\$WINDOWS.~BT\Sources\Panther\setupact.log
C:\WINDOWS\PANTHER\setupact.log


Remove the online from my email address
Zip the file if you can it may be rather larege.


Thanks,
Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
--------------------
|>Thread-Topic: Vista Ultimate doesn't install
|>thread-index: AcdT9+plWbndHBLlSPCERs9LgRLdIg==
|>X-WBNR-Posting-Host: 24.7.21.73
|>From: =?Utf-8?B?QnJpYW4=?= <[email protected]>
|>References: <[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
|>Subject: Re: Vista Ultimate doesn't install
|>Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2007 23:31:05 -0800
|>Lines: 9
|>Message-ID: <[email protected]>
|>MIME-Version: 1.0
|>Content-Type: text/plain;
|> charset="Utf-8"
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|>X-Newsreader: Microsoft CDO for Windows 2000
|>Content-Class: urn:content-classes:message
|>Importance: normal
|>Priority: normal
|>X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.3790.2757
|>Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windows.vista.installation_setup
|>Path: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl
|>Xref: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl
microsoft.public.windows.vista.installation_setup:9177
|>NNTP-Posting-Host: tk2msftsbfm01.phx.gbl 10.40.244.148
|>X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.windows.vista.installation_setup
|>
|>That's all well and good, but wouldn't it be more helpful if the
installer
|>told me why it failed. Microsoft is no longer support Intel
motherboards?
|>Or ATI video cards? Then just tell me that before the installation
rather
|>than wasting 12 hours of installation time just to roll back. Why bother
|>with a Upgrade Advisor if the software is just going to decide several
hours
|>into the installation that something is wrong.
|>
|>I'm more interested in finding about a log file or something that tells
me
|>the problem. My hardware is working fine with XP.
|>

 

[Darrell Gorter[MSFT]]

Hello Brian,
one other question?
When you placed the support request did you use Phone support or Internet
support to place the support request?
Phone support should take the call without a PID.
The Internet support option may be limited.
Thanks,
Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
--------------------
|>Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windows.vista.installation_setup
|>From: (e-mail address removed) ("Darrell Gorter[MSFT]")
|>Organization: Microsoft
|>Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 02:25:19 GMT
|>Subject: Re: Vista Ultimate doesn't install
|>X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.windows.vista.installation_setup
|>MIME-Version: 1.0
|>Content-Type: text/plain
|>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
|>
|>Hello Brian
|>Can you send me the setupact.log file?
|>
|>depends on where in setup you are sometimes, so use this article to help
|>locate the file.
|>It lists some of the other log files as well
|>927521 Windows Vista setup log file locations
|>http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;927521
|>
|>Most likely locations are:
|>C:\$WINDOWS.~BT\Sources\Panther\setupact.log
|>C:\WINDOWS\PANTHER\setupact.log
|>
|>
|>Remove the online from my email address
|>Zip the file if you can it may be rather larege.
|>
|>
|>Thanks,
|>Darrell Gorter[MSFT]
|>
|>This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
|>--------------------
|>|>Thread-Topic: Vista Ultimate doesn't install
|>|>thread-index: AcdT9+plWbndHBLlSPCERs9LgRLdIg==
|>|>X-WBNR-Posting-Host: 24.7.21.73
|>|>From: =?Utf-8?B?QnJpYW4=?= <[email protected]>
|>|>References: <[email protected]>
|><[email protected]>
|>|>Subject: Re: Vista Ultimate doesn't install
|>|>Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2007 23:31:05 -0800
|>|>Lines: 9
|>|>Message-ID: <[email protected]>
|>|>MIME-Version: 1.0
|>|>Content-Type: text/plain;
|>|> charset="Utf-8"
|>|>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
|>|>X-Newsreader: Microsoft CDO for Windows 2000
|>|>Content-Class: urn:content-classes:message
|>|>Importance: normal
|>|>Priority: normal
|>|>X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.3790.2757
|>|>Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windows.vista.installation_setup
|>|>Path: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl
|>|>Xref: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl
|>microsoft.public.windows.vista.installation_setup:9177
|>|>NNTP-Posting-Host: tk2msftsbfm01.phx.gbl 10.40.244.148
|>|>X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.windows.vista.installation_setup
|>|>
|>|>That's all well and good, but wouldn't it be more helpful if the
|>installer
|>|>told me why it failed. Microsoft is no longer support Intel
|>motherboards?
|>|>Or ATI video cards? Then just tell me that before the installation
|>rather
|>|>than wasting 12 hours of installation time just to roll back. Why
bother
|>|>with a Upgrade Advisor if the software is just going to decide several
|>hours
|>|>into the installation that something is wrong.
|>|>
|>|>I'm more interested in finding about a log file or something that tells
|>me
|>|>the problem. My hardware is working fine with XP.
|>|>
|>

 

[Rock]

Ultimate should be done with as clean install

Why? And does that mean Vista Home Premium doesn't have to be done as a
clean install? What about the Business version?

 

[joseph2k]

That's all well and good, but wouldn't it be more helpful if the installer
told me why it failed. Microsoft is no longer support Intel motherboards?
Or ATI video cards? Then just tell me that before the installation rather
than wasting 12 hours of installation time just to roll back. Why bother
with a Upgrade Advisor if the software is just going to decide several
hours into the installation that something is wrong.

I'm more interested in finding about a log file or something that tells me
the problem. My hardware is working fine with XP.

So don't DOWNGRADE. Vista is clearly not ready for prime time and and is
already well known for breaking applications. Plus all that DRM crap
really frightens me. I am sticking with XP for now.