Before I Go Nuts - Reinstall of Vista

[Leevis]

All
Having a nightmare here, Dads laptop got a virus so I attempted a fresh install of Vista using the Dell discs that came with the laptop.

It had been doing some random wierdness so i removed a new stick of RAM that he had added recently. Anyway, trying to install Vista and got hung up on Service Pack 1, eventually managed to get it installed, let it do its thing and now it is asking me for a key. This key is on the underside of the laptop but for some reason its telling me that it is incorrect (nice).

I only have 3 choices now.
1 call the automated line which i did but when it gave me the codes it said that i had input these incorrectly and to try again which i did but is still telling me that the ones i input are not correct (very wierd)
2 run the laptop with limited functionality, tried this one but the limited bit is a screen which tells me to buy windows 7 or 8 because vista is not supported
3 try again which i did but not happening

Any ideas?

Lee

 

[MilesAhead]

Look for the thread about Vista ISO download. You can legally install MS Windows for a 90 day evaluation using the retail disc. When it asks for the product code, just don't put anything. That should give you enough time to figure out what to do.

 

[Leevis]

More badness on this one.

I bought a new hard disk as i thought that it was this that was failing

Put hd in, and now i am getting a [h=4]0x80070003 error[/h]
Not too sure what this one is to be honest, but i thought i would try to load a different Vista disk with the serial thats underneath the laptop, this gave the same error

Thought i would try XP just to get this one off my plate but need some drivers on a floppy and have no floppy drive nor do i know which drivers (I guess they are the Dell drivers from the disk).

This one is REALLY getting on my nerves now. Wasting time and money to get it going again, help please

 

[wither 3]

I don't know when you're getting the error message with the new hard drive. You should only use the Dell discs.

I wonder if your optical drive is dirty. I don't know if one of the cleaning discs works without the OS.

 

[Leevis]

Maybe, something really wrong with it. Even when i put in the Dell discs now it doesnt seem to be able to read them, getting BOOTMGR errors allsorts really. Something proper fahooked on it really i think.

I was under the impression that i could get a new HD, any Vista disk and enter the key on the bottom of the laptop (both will be for Vista Home Premium). Doesnt seem to like it at all, i am wondering if i need a SATA driver or some other driver but i have no idea which and also how to install when there is not OS (they all seem to be .exe files)

 

[Leevis]

OK, tried an alternate cd/dvd drive from another dell 1525 and ... same thing happens. Always same error at more or less the same stage (expanding data).

So now i have tried, 2 hard disks, 2 cd/dvd drives, 2 actual Vista Install disks (one from Dell and the other my own one).

Suggestions please as this is getting worse

 

[MilesAhead]

Can you boot using a different CD? Maybe the Dell discs themselves have problems.

 

[Leevis]

I have tried the Dell one and also a different Vista disk

 

[MilesAhead]

I don't know much about laptops. But if the optical drive is on the same controller as the HD then a flaky controller could make them both act weird. I'd run a disk diagnostic on the HD. If there are a lot of retries then it may be hardware.

 

[Leevis]

I Run the diagnostic and thy are all OK, evrything passed very bad times

 

[MilesAhead]

Did you get some kind of manual or software package with the machine? It seems to me I remember machines sometimes had stickers on them with product IDs that didn't work. The ID that did work was in the manual that came with the machine.

Also, an alternative to the Dell discs, get a Vista commercial install DVD and install with no product ID. See the Vista ISO thread where to download. If nothing else, if it installs and boots you know it's not a hardware problem and you'll have 90 days to figure out what to do.
edit: that is assuming you can get someone to download and burn the ISO for you.

 

[Leevis]

Already have a commercial install disk and that gives the same error, just managed to almost get XP installed on it but thats now stuck in an endless boot loop with an invalid boot.ini file
Pain in the ****

 

[Leevis]

I reckon it must be a driver problem somewhere along the lines, problem is i do not have any idea how to install these on a blank hard drive

 

[wither 3]

You should stick with the original hard drive and the Dell Vista discs (since you probably have a OEM installation). No sense in creating new variables.

Have you tried formatting the original hard drive?

Does your Dad also have the Dell discs with all the drivers on them? If so, I would try installing them. You can update them later.

 

[MilesAhead]

It might be time for a Disk Management Screen Shot, if still possible. That way we can see that current state of things. It's pretty confused now.