Vista x64 Random startup crash...

Hello... Just found this place... seems nice.

Anyway, I was running Vista32 for about 6 months with no real problems. I changed to Vista64 last night so that I could start using my current 4GB of RAM and be ready for more later on.

When I tried to install the files would copy to the HDD just fine, but when the PC would reboot for the first time it would crash at the "green motion bar" loading screen and restart... over... and over. I removed my extra hardware and went down to 2GB of RAM in dual channel mode and reduced timings from 4-4-4-12 to 5-5-5-18 and was able to install.

I then got all updates and hadded my hardware back... no problems. I then added my other 2GB of RAM back... no problems. I then increased my timings back to the correct 4-4-4-12... no problems, or so I thought.

I'm currently getting random crashes when loading Vista... same as before it will get to the "green motion bar" loading screen and either reboot or give a BSOD and force a restart. I've turned my timings down to 5-5-5-12 and it still happens... so I put them back to 4-4-4-12.

I've heard that Vista x64 might have problems with 4GB of RAM on certain systems but I'm not sure how true this is.

I guess I'm wondering if anyone else has heard of this and if there's any known fix for this? Maybe a beta update from MS or something?

Also... once I get past this "glitch" and Vista loads... it runs rock solid with no issues. All my drivers are the latest available and signed as required. ((downloaded them all last night))

Here's my system, remember... I ran Vista32 for months without a problem on the same system.

Asus P5N32-E SLI (latest BIOS 1205)
nVidia 7900GS (not using SLI)
Corsair 4-4-4-12 DDR2 RAM *SLI Ready* (4 matched sticks of 1GB each)
Antec TruePower 650 PSU PCI-E & SLI Ready
C = 320GB SATA2 Seagate
D = 400GB SATA2 Seagate
E = 400GB SATA2 Seagate
F = 500GB SATA2 Maxtor
G = 500GB SATA2 Maxtor
H = Lite-On SATA 20x SuperMulti Burner
J = 400GB IDE Seagate (will be removed, being used for data transfer from 32bit Vista for now)


Thanks for any help in this... I'm tempted to go back to 32bit just because of the startup crash... but then I can't access my full 4GB of RAM.... goods and bads no matter what I do.

TK.

Try Installing this update from Microsoft :
Update for Vista X64.

Thanks... I'll check it out.

Call me a noob... but if this is happening when installing Windows, how to do they want me to install the update? lol.

Also, forgot to list my Proc... Intel Core2 Duo e4300

The reason I ask is because I'm about to install x64 on another computer (everything is the same, minus a few HDDs) to see if the problem repeats.

I'll run the upate on my current PC though and see if that stops the startup crash.

TK.

Well never mind... I guess I'm supposed to remove extra RAM, install... then apply the update. Will report back... but if there are any other ideas feel free to list in the mean time.

TK.

Well... I applied the update and restarted 10 times... no crash. I'll hold my breath for about a month and hope it doesn't reappear.

Thanks a ton!!

(on a side note, the other PC... installed just fine on the first try... which I find a little odd as the hardware is identical to the PC that crashes)

TK.

Question...

Is this patch specific to a hardware combo?... I ask because I tried to apply this patch to the other PC that worked from the begining and it says that "it's not for this computer". ???

Same motherboards, same BIOS revisions, 4GB RAM at 4-4-4-12 (non working PC Corsair / working PC Patriot), Same main 320GB HDD (non working running as listed / working has 2 400GB SATA2 Segates), CDRoms (nonworking SATA / working IDE), same graphics cards, same procs.

Both running the same x64 Vista installed from the same CD so I'm a little confused as to why one works and the other doesn't.

Before you ask... every BIOS setting is the same as well... just double checked that.