Windows Vista Discussion Thread

aaggoswami · 30th January 2009, 11:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by vikram_d

The biggest problem with Windows installation is that if it hangs you have no way of finding out what is causing it. Try scanning the HDD with Chkdsk and see if there are any errors on it.

I have already checked my HDD with seatools. My hdd is Barracuda 7200.10.
What is irritatingly surprising is that XP installs and runs very smoothly, but not these installations.

I have check the hardware and all of them are easily compatible with Vista.

vikram_d · 30th January 2009, 11:51

This is really strange. You mentioned having 3gb of ram. Does the BIOS detect the complete 3gb?

aaggoswami · 30th January 2009, 12:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by vikram_d

This is really strange. You mentioned having 3gb of ram. Does the BIOS detect the complete 3gb?

Yes, it does. Even windows does that.
I will post my hardware configuration here :
1) Mobo : MSI K9N Neo V3, nVidia 560 chipset.
2) Processor : AMD Athlon X2 5000+.
3) HDD : a) Seagate Barracude 7200.10 SATA 250 GB ( here is where Windows goes )
b) Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 IDE 250GB. This is where Linux goes.
4) RAM : 2 X 1GB Dynet 667 MHZ DDR2.
1 X 1GB Transcend 667 MHZ DDR2.
Total 3 GB.
5) Optical Drive : LG DVD writer.
6) Graphics Card : Point-Of-View 7300GT 512 MB DDR2.

One more thing I would like to tell is that while I was trying to play UnderCover, the machine would just hang up for a moment or two and then restart.

Is all this installation error becasue of RAM ?

vikram_d · 30th January 2009, 12:24

It could be because of the RAM, but if the ram is being detected then there should be no problems with it. How many slots does your MoBo have for RAM?

Also is Linux already installed on the machine?

anupmathur · 30th January 2009, 12:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

3) HDD : a) Seagate Barracude 7200.10 SATA 250 GB ( here is where Windows goes )
b) Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 IDE 250GB. This is where Linux goes.

Maybe, just maybe, you should unplug the 3(b) HDD and try again to install Vista.
IDE somehow always shows up at the top of a heap. SATAs follow.

aaggoswami · 30th January 2009, 12:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by vikram_d

How many slots does your MoBo have for RAM?

Also is Linux already installed on the machine?

4 slots. Initially when I had not installed the transcend module, the RAM was in dual channel mode. After installation of Transcend module, its no longer in dual channel mode.

Yes linux is installed in ide drive, but whenever I am installing either Linux of windows, I disconnect the other hard drive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anupmathur

Maybe, just maybe, you should unplug the 3(b) HDD and try again to install Vista.
IDE somehow always shows up at the top of a heap. SATAs follow.

Whenever I am installing either Linux of windows, I disconnect the other hard drive.

@vikram_d, anupmathur:
I have tried various combination with ram configuration. Keeping those two dynet in dual channel while installation, keeping one dynet and transcend in single channel, only one dynet, only one transcend, but no success till now.

I am struck with a machine that is now only XP machine. Linux is also not working properly.

vikram_d · 30th January 2009, 13:04

Are all the RAM slots the same colour or are they different in colour?

anupmathur · 30th January 2009, 13:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

I have tried various combination with ram configuration. Keeping those two dynet in dual channel while installation, keeping one dynet and transcend in single channel, only one dynet, only one transcend, but no success till now.

When you change the RAM, are there any BIOS settings that need to be altered? Maybe, BIOS needs to confirm the change before accepting it.

I would feel that the dynet RAM in dual channel mode should be the best.
Please confirm that BIOS acknowledges this mode.

aaggoswami · 30th January 2009, 20:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by vikram_d

Are all the RAM slots the same colour or are they different in colour?

NO they are of different color for dual channel configuration.
The colors are
1) Green
2) Orange.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anupmathur

When you change the RAM, are there any BIOS settings that need to be altered? Maybe, BIOS needs to confirm the change before accepting it.

I would feel that the dynet RAM in dual channel mode should be the best.
Please confirm that BIOS acknowledges this mode.

Whenever the Ram is shifted to dual channel mode, BIOS comes to know about it. I need not alter anything.

@anupmathur, vikram_d :
I have been keen on hardware, but this time I am not able to trace the problem. What are you able to foresee as reason of this problem.

vikram_d · 30th January 2009, 20:36

I am assuming the 2 dynets modules are plugged into similar colour ports and the transcend is connected to one port of the other colour.

If not try this configuration. Put both the dynets on the green ports and the transcend on the orange port and try. Also try vice versa of this. Dynets on orange and transcend on green.

aaggoswami · 30th January 2009, 20:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by vikram_d

I am assuming the 2 dynets modules are plugged into similar colour ports and the transcend is connected to one port of the other colour.

If not try this configuration. Put both the dynets on the green ports and the transcend on the orange port and try. Also try vice versa of this. Dynets on orange and transcend on green.

All these have been attempted. But still I am not able to install Vista.
In fact I was so irritated that I tried installing Vista with only one single module of Transcend, but still it would not install.
This is very annoying and weird behavior from my computer.

im_srini · 30th January 2009, 21:05

Hi, the green & orange slots indicate channels A or B respectively. With MSI, the channels are usually printed on the boards themselves.

Have you tried getting the install done on just 1 GB (i.e. single-channel mode) possibly using Dynet ?

P.S. - Very many years ago we ran into a peculiar problem with a network engine on which we could install Win2K only if the RAM wasn't Transcend !?!

aaggoswami · 30th January 2009, 21:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by im_srini

Hi, the green & orange slots indicate channels A or B respectively. With MSI, the channels are usually printed on the boards themselves.

Have you tried getting the install done on just 1 GB, i.e. single-channel mode ?

P.S. - Very many years ago we ran into a peculiar problem with a network engine on which we could install Win2K only if the RAM wasn't Transcend !?!

As mentioned earlier, I have tried installing even with 1GB ram and the module was first trancend, then Dynet and again Dynet, so total three times I tried installing with one gb modules and each time the module would be different.

I am aware of the dual and single channel, and again I repeat, I have tried each and every available and possible combination.

Small confession.
Normally due to ram divider, the 667 mhz ram was running at 333mhz ( came to know about this from CPU-Z ). BIOS showed 667. I overclocked the RAM to 802 in BIOS ( cpu-z was reading 400 mhz ). Is it that the RAM chipset is spoiled ?

ph03n!x · 31st January 2009, 08:22

Where does the Windows installation hang / crash exactly? If i remember right, there will be a log file in the root of the drive Windows is being installed.

Try installing with minimal hardware - least possible hardware combo, no add-on cards or USB devices. And reset the BIOS to fail-safe defaults (or equivalent) if available.

I would say it is one piece of hardware that is biting your butt, as Fedora, Vista, as well as 7 dont install smoothly...

aaggoswami · 31st January 2009, 08:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by ph03n!x

Where does the Windows installation hang / crash exactly? If i remember right, there will be a log file in the root of the drive Windows is being installed.

Try installing with minimal hardware - least possible hardware combo, no add-on cards or USB devices. And reset the BIOS to fail-safe defaults (or equivalent) if available.

I would say it is one piece of hardware that is biting your butt, as Fedora, Vista, as well as 7 dont install smoothly...

As mentioned earlier, the installation will hang just after the " Windows is loading files ". Sometimes even the menu where we select the language,etc. wont come. Sometimes, it does come, but after the installation starts, it just hangs up.

I have tried so many combinations with hardware, like keeping only one ram module, disconnecting extra DVD writer, etc. Generally when I am installing any OS, I make sure that there are only three connections from mobo back panel. They are mouse, keyboard and monitor from graphics card. Nothing else, not even the network cable.

I dont know what is exactly wrong with my hardware configuration that itself above average IMO. The most surprising bit is that I am able to install and run XP with all 3GB of Ram and I even tried installing with network cable, usb devices plugged in and still the installation went through easily.

I dont think that MSI mobos are not good and this one is rock stable with XP. I think its my nVidia chipset that is playing spoilsport.

Any idea about nVidia MCP65 giving these errors/problems ?

30th January 2009, 11:51	#482
vikram_d Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,422 Thanked: 1,188 Times	This is really strange. You mentioned having 3gb of ram. Does the BIOS detect the complete 3gb?
	() Thanks

30th January 2009, 12:24	#484
vikram_d Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,422 Thanked: 1,188 Times	It could be because of the RAM, but if the ram is being detected then there should be no problems with it. How many slots does your MoBo have for RAM? Also is Linux already installed on the machine?
	() Thanks

30th January 2009, 13:04	#487
vikram_d Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,422 Thanked: 1,188 Times	Are all the RAM slots the same colour or are they different in colour?
	() Thanks

30th January 2009, 20:36	#490
vikram_d Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,422 Thanked: 1,188 Times	I am assuming the 2 dynets modules are plugged into similar colour ports and the transcend is connected to one port of the other colour. If not try this configuration. Put both the dynets on the green ports and the transcend on the orange port and try. Also try vice versa of this. Dynets on orange and transcend on green.
	() Thanks

30th January 2009, 21:05	#492
im_srini BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Portland Posts: 1,010 Thanked: 491 Times View My Garage	Hi, the green & orange slots indicate channels A or B respectively. With MSI, the channels are usually printed on the boards themselves. Have you tried getting the install done on just 1 GB (i.e. single-channel mode) possibly using Dynet ? P.S. - Very many years ago we ran into a peculiar problem with a network engine on which we could install Win2K only if the RAM wasn't Transcend !?! Last edited by im_srini : 30th January 2009 at 21:09.
	() Thanks

31st January 2009, 08:22	#494
ph03n!x Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Coimbatore Posts: 2,602 Thanked: 6,159 Times	Where does the Windows installation hang / crash exactly? If i remember right, there will be a log file in the root of the drive Windows is being installed. Try installing with minimal hardware - least possible hardware combo, no add-on cards or USB devices. And reset the BIOS to fail-safe defaults (or equivalent) if available. I would say it is one piece of hardware that is biting your butt, as Fedora, Vista, as well as 7 dont install smoothly...
	() Thanks