[pvc_]

I've tried installing vista on 2 different drives and each one has been giving me different errors. When I boot up using the installation disk (on both drives), after loading the windows compornents (with the progress bar), it gives me a blue screen with only 3 hex values. When I run the installation from windows, my sata drive asks for serial number and everything, and then gives me a 0x80070241 error.

When I do the installation on my IDE drive, right at the begining it gives me a 0x0 windows setup experienced an unexpected error, restart the installation error.

My pc is brand new and the only problem that the upgrade advisor has is the graphic card, which is a 8800 gts with the latest drivers.

[DaveA]

"upgrade advisor has is the graphic card"
That is most likely your problem and the install can NOT get passed this issue.

[12ian34]

This is what i did to fix that problem, worked for me perfectly!

Vista Installation Problem - Solution!!!

Download vLite - http://www.vlite.net/download.html

On your desktop, create a folder called "Vista"

Install the program (vLite)

Run the program

Click I Agree to any rubbish that comes up

Then, on a window entitled "dependencies", click "Install"

Once that is finished, a window will come up saying "Welcome to vLite"

Now, insert the Vista installation disc

On vLite, click on the dropdown menu and select the appropriate menu, if nothing comes up, READ THE NEXT STEP

Click on "browse" on the right

Select the CD drive and press "OK". Make sure that you dont select anything inside the CD drive, just the whole CD drive.

A new window should come up entitled "Copy Files".

Remember that folder you (should have) made on your desktop? Select that. This is where vLite will copy the ISO image.

Press OK
It should start copying Vista to that folder.

Once it is successfully copied, a window should come up in vLite entitled "Images". You should see a list of Vista operating systems.

Select "Windows Vista Ultimate", unless you want a crappy version... Press "OK"
Click on components on the left and a window should pop-up with three options on it to include.

Select all of them if you want and press OK.

In the components section, make sure EVERYTHING does not have a tick by it. unless you want Vista with nothing in it, like a cereal box without the cereal.

Click on Tweaks if you want to do anything interesting, but i recommend that you don't. Seriously.

Click Apply at the bottom of the vLite window

A window should come up entitled "Apply Method".

Read it if you want, but I'm right, so click "Just Apply the Changes".

Press OK.

Select Windows Vista Ultimate from the menu. Also click on "don't show this window again", its really annoying.

Press Continue.

It should start doing things.

Close all other programs. (Apart from the internet browser with this email in)

Click on priority and press High to make it go super speedy.

When it says "Finished", Press Next.

An interesting window will come up saying lots of things. Insert a new BLANK DVD, and where it says Media, press the little refresh button to the right of it, make sure your DVD comes up in it.

DO NOT press "finish

Click on "Make ISO", and make sure you are making it on your desktop. Call it Vista. It will make an ISO image on your desktop.

Once thats done, go to that bit that said Mode, and select the dropdown menu, this time click on "Burn Image"

Then press "Burn" and select that ISO that you just made, which (SHOULD BE) on the desktop (if you listened to me correctly). Press OK once it has been selected.

Wait a bit.

Exit and Run the DVD to install Vista!

[pvc_]

thanks for the help, but that only took care of a portion of my problems because after the files are copied, I do a restart and it goes back to the blue screen with 3 hex values. As for the Vista upgrade advisor, I don't know what to do with my gpu. It is a NVidia 8800 GTS 512 MB, which is more than enough for running vista and it has the lastest drivers.

[crjdriver]

If the pc you are working on is the one in your specs, I see two rather big problems

1 The memory you selected uses 2.0V vdimm. Your board will default to a vidmm of 1.8V. Have you set the correct vdimm [ram voltage] in the bios?

2 Next item. The pw supply. I could not find ANY specs at all on it. With an 88xx series card, I would like to see a name brand unit with a min of 600W and 40amp or so on the combined 12V rail

[crjdriver]

Here is what I would do before attempting another install.
1 Set the correct ram voltage in the bios
2 Once that is done, run memtest for at least a few hrs. If there are no errors, you can continue
3 Download and run the hd maker's utility for checking the drive.

Note both of the above run from bootable media ie CD or floppy; no need for an os to be installed.

Once you are sure the HW is OK, then we can attempt an install of vista.

[pvc_]

well, I was having some issues with this pc that I've built, but those issues seem to be fixed for now. I have changed the ram to a 512 MB (1.8 v) and have changed the sata cable I was using with my hdd, which I think was causing my computer to be unstable and crash. but when I was using the old 2 gb ram, in bios I had set the ddr2 to increase the voltage by 1.75 volts.
The power supply is a 650W, which I think is powerful enough for this system, here are the specs for the psu:

http://pc.pcconnection.com/1/1/69334...ly-lsp650.html

Do you think this psu is barely ok, or it'd be fine even if I add a couple more devices. thanks for the help.

[crjdriver]

It only has 38amp on the 12V and does not say if it is a single 12V dual, triple, or what. It is marginal for a system with that video card. If you had a lower end card like an 86xx series, then it would be OK. With a pw supply, the wattage rating means next to nothing. It is the amp on the 12V rail along with the general quality that is important. Good brands; antec, enermax, sparkle, FSP, PC Power&Cooling, Seasonic.

Next if you increased vdimm by 1.75V, you would have fried the ram. I doubt any bios would give a setting to add 1.75V to ram voltage. Most would not go above 2.4V or so. This would add .6V to vdimm. Not an increase of 1.75V

In any case, test both your ram and hd before doing another install.

FWIW running vista with 512 of ram is pretty marginal. It really needs a min of 1gig and runs very well with 2gig.

[pvc_]

I meant to say 0.175 or something. I've tried two other power supplies (one from antec 650W and one from RocketFish 700W), I liked the one from RocketFish a lot better than those other 2 because the cables were really easy to manage. The problem with power supplies is that when I was shopping for one, I was going by the gpu's specifications that asks for a 600W non-sli psu and doesnt mention anything about amps. Anyway, at the moment I don't think the psu or the ram are the problem, this has to be a problem with my mobo or gpu.
btw, this ram I'm using is just a temporary solution till I get another 2GB of RAM.