Vista hangs when installing - Help!!

[Coldharbour]

Hi,
Having a bit of trouble with a new build HTPC. When I run Vista to install it goes through the "installing files" part and I get to the blue/green screen but then that's it. The HDD light stays on and the CD-ROM drive spins up but no activity and spins down. Then it spins up again but still nothing. My set-up is:

AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+
Abit AM-2HD mainboard (nForce 630a/GF 7050 chipset)
4GB GeIL Black Dragon quad channel DDR2 6400
500GB SATA2 WD Caviar HDD
LG GGC-H20L Blu-Ray/HD Combi Drive
Antec Fusion Black HTPC Case

Odd thing is that it takes XP no problem but when I try Vista again it des the same thing. I have tried both a 32-bit and 64-bit version of vista - both the same result.

Many thanks
Anyone got any ideas?

 

[caretaker]

Issue:

After installing updates from Windows Update, you may get into a Reboot loop where you machines gets to “configuring updates 3 of 3. 0% complete” then reboots. The machine then continues to reboot.

Solution:

1a. Boot to the Windows DVD and choose the repair option in the lower left hand corner, choose System Restore, and select a Restore Point predating the attempted installation of the updates.

1b. If you don't have the DVD and the Vista came preinstalled on the machine, boot to the Safe Mode options using F8 during startup (tutorial: How to start Windows in Safe Mode).

Once in Safe Mode, invoke System Restore as follows:

Start | Run | (type in) rstrui.exe | [OK]

Select an available Restore Point predating the attempted installation of the updates.

Recommendation:

To avoid running into the same problem again, install the following update separately and ASAP:

A software update is available for the Windows Vista installation software feature:
A software update is available for the Windows Vista installation software feature

Download links for manual installation:

Vista x86 : Download details: Update for Windows Vista (KB937287)

Vista x64: Download details: Update for Windows Vista for x64-based Systems (KB937287)

--

 

[Coldharbour]

Hi, this isn't the issue I'm having. It's a clean install so I should get to the screen advising me I can only do "advanced - install a clean copy" but I am not even getting to that screen. It hangs right at the first point where the green/blue screen comes up.

 

[Coldharbour]

Ok, it seems to have resolved itself after I threatened to throw it through the window (I'm assuming this is what fixed it as I tried everythin else lol)

 

[caretaker]

it can be a real problem installing the prerequisite updates, nearly every computer requires a different way to fix them lol

 

[Felicity2215]

With a very similar setup, I had the same problem and ended up buying an IDE DVD just to get Vista loaded. My setup is:

AMD Athlon 64 X2 5400+
MSI K9NGM4-F V2 mainboard (nForce 630a/GeForce 7050)
2 GB Kingston KVR800D2N5/1G DDR2 PC6400
80GB SATA2 Seagate ST380815AS
LG GGC-H20L Blu-Ray/HD Combi Drive
Originae Black HTPC Case

Any application that accesses the LG ODD consumes zero CPU, but also doesn't respond for hours. I've tried a couple of different driver sets, cables, SATA ports, and media with no change. Does anyone have this drive working with the nForce 630a?

 

[Felicity2215]

Switched to an Asus M3A78-EMH HDMI and the GGC-H20L works perfectly.

 

[PaxeSalute]

Hi,
Having a bit of trouble with a new build HTPC. When I run Vista to install it goes through the "installing files" part and I get to the blue/green screen but then that's it. The HDD light stays on and the CD-ROM drive spins up but no activity and spins down. Then it spins up again but still nothing. My set-up is:
Anyone got any ideas?

ColdHarbour, i am not familiar with AMD but I had a lot of trouble the last past days when I built my new rig, no problem at all with XP Pro, but Vista x64 will hang on installation.
So may be my the different moves I did can help you.

First I recommend you to install x64 to get full performance of your 4GB RAM and if you want to add more RAM later that can be a good decision I have 8GB and it works fine.

Could be: Vista with AHCI or RAID mode for HARD DRIVE
Vista x64 do not have included in Installation the Drivers for AHCI nor RAID mode (SATA modes) of the HDD so if you have in your BIOS set HDD mode one of these 2 option instead of IDE you have to load during installation the drivers in the window where you can point which partition you want to install vista, this drivers should be on your MoBo installation disc.
Even like that I had troubles, I had to set BIOS with HDD IDE mode and after installation make a workaround to get back to AHCI mode to get full performance of my SATAs device.
You can see how to process here:Error message when you start a Windows Vista-based computer after you change the SATA mode of the boot drive: "STOP 0x0000007B INACCESSABLE_BOOT_DEVICE"
Follow exactly the steps. And try to download from your HDD manufacture the last DRIVERS or Signature to install them once Vista is installed on IDE mode and before restart. Do not forget to get back in BIOS to AHCI o RAID mode once you di the workaround, if you forget do not worry nothing bad will happen but you won't be able to take full advantage for having SATA devices.

Also: Vista with USB device.
Make sure that no USB device is plugged until you finished to Install Vista x64, Vista has some trouble with them, I have a Keyboard & Mouse Wireless USB and untill I unplugged the USB connection and started Vista only with PS2 Keyboard, Vista was taking 10mn to load after installation. Once in Vista you can Plug your USB device and Vista will recognize them and install necessary drivers, after that you can keep them Plugged, mine went from 10 mn to 30 seconds to Load.

Also: Vista with more than 3GB RAM
Even so I had apparently no problem when I installed I just left 2 stick of RAM (4 gb total), just make sure to Install the Microsoft Hotfix for x64 I put on attachement once you succeed to install and you are in Vista.

In general try to Install Vista with the minimum Hardware installed and add after you succeed to install.

Hope this can help you.