Vista Ultimate Install Headache

[Guest]

I am trying to install Vista Ultimate on a new computer, clean install.
Issue is just after install is almost complete and windows restarts the
following message appears...

**the computer restarted unexpectedly or encountered an unexpected error.
Windows install cannot proceed. To install windows, click "OK" to restart the
computer, and then restart the installation." **

so I click "OK", system restarts and gives me the same message above. Then
it just continues to give me the same message everytime I hit "OK" and the
computer restarts. So, then on the last restart I hit F8 and that asked me
to choose a boot source, it listed, both my hard drives and the original
microsoft vista ultimate 64 bit dvd, so I choose the dvd and the issues
starts all over again after install. The hard drives are only formatted.
HELP!!!....

-Thanks to anyone who can shed some light!!!

 

[Jane C]

Some computer specs would help. Make/models of motherboard etc? What type
of hard drives? RAM? Graphics card? PSU?

If you built the computer yourself, are all components firmly seated, and
correctly wired to the power supply?

 

[Guest]

Thanks for responding Jane....Issue persists...I was on the phone with
Microsoft for almost 3 hrs. today w/ no success. If you can help in any
capacity, please!!

Here are My System Specs:

MOTHERBOARD: ASUS M2R32-MVP AMD 580X CROSSIFRE CHIPSET

CPU: AMD 64 X2 6000+ DUAL-CORE

GRAPHIC BOARDS: 2X SAPPHIRE ATI RADEON HD 2600XT (CROSSFIRE CONFIGURED)

MEM: 2X1GIG PC6400 DDR2/800 CORSAIR XMS XTREME

HARD DRIVES: DUAL MAXTOR 250GB SATA-II 3.0GBS 8MB CACHE 72OORPM

psu: 750watt thermaltake toughpower

Purchased from Cyberpower Inc.
Baldwin Park CA

Microsoft tech support ran me thru the standard install issues w/ vista
ultimate but no success, they are having another person call me tomorrow
between 5-7pm cent

I'm at my technical wits end...

Appreciate any advice/help/prayers

 

[John Barnes]

I would start by removing one of the graphic boards and providing the latest
drivers during the install. There have been a number of install problems
with certain ATI graphics cards. You could search this and the .general
site and see it there is a solution that matches your circumstances.

 

[dean-dean]

Have you tried disconnecting the hard drive you are not installing Vista on?
That is, perform the install with only one hard drive. The second one can
be reconnected after Vista is installed, if the install is successful.

 

[Guest]

Currently computer is down to one graphic card, one hard drive, one stick
mem, and all non-vital devices have been disabled. Another 3 hours with
microsoft yesterday. I will let microsoft know of the ATI situation you
refer too. Thanks for the help. Computer is still having the same reactions
to vista install......there is a device causing the problem we think, but
cannot find source of problem. This is pretty strange. Going to reformat
and go with win xp in a day or so if microsoft tech cannot fix. My phone
bill is probably high enough now.

 

[John Barnes]

Good luck. Hope you got elevated high enough to have a good tech. Most of
the starter techs just input keyword and read what comes back, whether it
makes sense to the situation or not.
Let us know how you get it resolved.

 

[John Barnes]

Incidentally you hit F8 too early. You have to wait until the last page of
POST before hitting F8 if you want to see if you can get into safe mode.
You have the same BIOS function key I have, and you get the boot device
screen. You have to wait until the point where the BIOS no longer controls
the function keys before you can pass the F8 to the Microsoft boot up
process.