bad vista install

busyboy · 25th October 2008

I just tried to install vista home premium on a monster new build pc. It started to install and after it started to decompress some files it locked up. It gave me no choice but to reboot. (bad move) So when boot up started, it ended with boot mgr missing. So the hard drive is useless and leaves me stuck in a boot loop I can not get out of. Even if I disable the harddrive it still won't boot from the DVD/CD Rom. The DVD Rom drive is GOOD so I am lost. I tried a new different unformatted hard drive and it wants to try to boot to it instead of the DVD Rom even though the rom drive is listed as first boot device in the Bios. Microsoft could not help and claimed to never having seen this problem. I know that vista addresses the Bios during install but I can not find what it changed. I want my PC back can anyone help? Busyboy
ADDED-- The system does not seem to see the DVD DRIVES during boot but only after the bad partial install. I even tried making all boot drives DVD with no luck. Remember I installed another unformatted HD and DVD/CD it still will not see the DVD during boot. All parts are new and retested several times by me. I even tried two new Samsung 22xDVD/CD drives and got the same thing. I am convinced Vista changed something in my Bios. There are sublevels in the Bios that we can not see and can be modified by software. I graduated from Bell&Howell School of Technology 1973 now known as Devry. I am retired (disabled 1993) and in all my years of working on PCs & PC controlled machinery I have never seen anything like this. I stopped working on PCs period 4 or 5 years ago and this is my first stab at the new stuff and wow the changes. It looks like I may have to replace the motherboard. So based on the new info, can anyone help? Busyboy

**BurrWalnut** · 25th October 2008

Vista comes on a DVD, is it possible you’re trying to use a CD drive with DVD media?

The normal Vista OEM install sequence is:
Boot from the DVD, choose ‘Press any key to boot from CD/DVD’ and the install sequence is Loading files, type the Language, Time/Currency, Keyboard. Click Install now, type the Product key but don't allow activation, click to accept the license and click Custom for a clean install. Click 'Drive Options Advanced' to allow deleting/creating/formatting of partitions. Then the actual install starts.

**mattman** · 25th October 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by BurrWalnut

Click 'Drive Options Advanced' to allow deleting/creating/formatting of partitions. Then the actual install starts.

Try removing and remaking the partitions.

If you are still stuck, I suggest to use the HDD manufacturer's utilities to prepare/set up the drive. These might give you a guide.
http://tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287
For example, the set up utility for Maxtor is Maxblast, Seagate is Disk Wizard.

Matt

busyboy · 26th October 2008

Thanks for the info BurrWalnut & Mattman. Please reread my thread as I have edited it to make my case a little more clear. Also look at my system info in my profile. Thanks so much guys! Busyboy

**mattman** · 26th October 2008

Is the DVD IDE (PATA) or SATA? If it is IDE, try changing the jumper settings. Preferably use master or slave. If you are not certain, there should be a manual or instructions at the DVD drive manufacturer's website.

If it is SATA, check the cable connections (pull out and reseat), maybe try connecting it to a different SATA port.

Some BIOSes have a listing for the optical drive that is installed, others don't load the drive until after that stage (you need to check the System Configuration screen that appears at the end of POST).

Double check that you may have set the boot drive to say USB CD/DVD and not the internal drive.

It sounds like the DVD is not being installed by the BIOS (on and off). It happened to me when I built this computer. Mine will only work jumpered as slave.

Matt