The not-very-elusive Vista problems...

RatBurger08RatBurger08 Corpus Christi, TX
edited August 2007 in Science & Tech
Ok, I'll admit to maybe pirating a few installations of Vista, and having nothing but success. My issue is, why is it that the one time I buy retail software legally, I have nothing but trouble with it?

I have Vista Home Premium right. (Same as Ultimate, without extra crap (including price)) I install the software from XP (intended as upgrade), but I do a full install. When it finally boots up 30 mins later, updates won't work, internet is on and off, the side-bar is nowhere to be found, and the graphics drivers installed before installation are also nowhere to be found. (thank god for partitions)

So I reinstall vista and I have more success this time around. The updates work, and everything goes accordingly. But oh, what's this? Vista won't stay running for 5 damn minutes without making my system hang. I don't know what's causing it. The drivers were all installed, the internet works, everything works, and i'm (pretty) sure it's not overheating.

I've also scanned the D partition with AVG from XP with no virus signature.

Anything I might be able to do to fix this or atleas find out what's wrong?

Thanks!

Corey

Comments

  • deaden_07deaden_07
    edited July 2007
    What motherboard are you using? I had similar troubles in Vista, and may have only recently found the problem.

    I would recommend running some diagnostic software to make sure the hardware is ok. Then When you install Vista, make sure to let it do the Windows Updates first. Then take not of what drivers get installed and in what order. Try to see when the problem shows up.

    For me the problem was a failing PSU and an external DVD drive plugged into usb port 3. Vista would boot up and power off when it tried to go to the desktop, or shortly thereafter. Once the instant power off had occurred, it would boot up and just go blank. I powered off the DVD drive and it booted right up and stayed running. I turned the drive back on and the pattern repeated. I moved the DVD drive to another port and turned it on, and it was ok.

    You might want to see if there are firmware updates for the DVD drives. Update them in DOS or XP, don't trust Vista to do it.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited July 2007
    Never do an upgrade, ever, ever, ever.

    Install XP, install Vista from inside XP, then reinstall Vista by booting from CD. All existing Vista crap will be moved to "Windows.old." When the second install is done, delete Vista.old.
  • WingaWinga Mr South Africa Icrontian
    edited July 2007
    deaden_07 wrote:
    For me the problem was a failing PSU and an external DVD drive plugged into usb port 3. Vista would boot up and power off when it tried to go to the desktop, or shortly thereafter. Once the instant power off had occurred, it would boot up and just go blank. I powered off the DVD drive and it booted right up and stayed running. I turned the drive back on and the pattern repeated. I moved the DVD drive to another port and turned it on, and it was ok.
    I have experienced similar problems with Vista and an external IDE HDD.
    The PC doesn't even get past the initial bootup screen if I do a restart.
    It boots to windows if I do a cold boot.

    Then as soon as I try copy or transfer files between the hard drives, be it the internal ones or the external, the whole PC just freezes.
    As soon as I switch the external drive off, the problem goes away.

    I'm not too stressed about it as I have other ways to transfer external data, but thought I'd mention you not alone with this type of problem.
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited July 2007
    Thrax wrote:
    Never do an upgrade, ever, ever, ever.

    Install XP, install Vista from inside XP, then reinstall Vista by booting from CD. All existing Vista crap will be moved to "Windows.old." When the second install is done, delete Vista.old.
    QFTT
  • WingaWinga Mr South Africa Icrontian
    edited July 2007
    Thrax wrote:
    Never do an upgrade, ever, ever, ever.

    Install XP, install Vista from inside XP, then reinstall Vista by booting from CD. All existing Vista crap will be moved to "Windows.old." When the second install is done, delete Vista.old.
    So what you saying Thrax? Re-install over Vista once you've upgraded from XP or once you've installed Vista as a fresh install with the XP moved to "window.old"?
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited July 2007
    1. Install XP.
    2. Upgrade from Vista inside XP.
    3. Boot Vista from CD and install over Vista.
    4. When finally at the desktop, delete Windows.old.

    You'll know you've selected the right option for step 3 when it blankly tells you: Your old windows files will be moved to windows.old.
  • WingaWinga Mr South Africa Icrontian
    edited July 2007
    What would be the advantages of doing the extra step?
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited July 2007
    Upgrading XP to Vista leads to problems like this:
    I have Vista Home Premium right. (Same as Ultimate, without extra crap (including price)) I install the software from XP (intended as upgrade), but I do a full install. When it finally boots up 30 mins later, updates won't work, internet is on and off, the side-bar is nowhere to be found, and the graphics drivers installed before installation are also nowhere to be found.

    Or the HAL being unable to detect CPU speed/RAM quantity.

    Or being unable to detect if a network connection exists.

    Or giving random explorer.exe crashes.

    Or being unable to start random services.

    Or, or, or..
  • RatBurger08RatBurger08 Corpus Christi, TX
    edited July 2007
    Well I'll try Thrax's advice and I'll update you as to how it goes. Cross your fingers... LOL
  • stoopidstoopid Albany, NY New
    edited July 2007
    Thrax is correct, but I would go one step further and say emphatically - do NOT do OS upgrades!! EVER!
  • RatBurger08RatBurger08 Corpus Christi, TX
    edited July 2007
    ok, well now it has installed correctly, and everything is working, but everytime i let it update, it crashes. I'm assuming there's one update that installs that makes it do the same thing it was doing earlier, but I'm not sure which one. Is there a way to find out which update is making this thing happen, and then find out why it's making this happen?

    Thanks!

    Corey
  • deaden_07deaden_07
    edited July 2007
    Only way to do that is to set Windows update to a manual setting and install one update at a time and reboot.

    Have you run any diagnostic software within Vista before doing any updates? Do you have any USB storage devices connected? Are you using the latest BIOS for your motherboard? What power supply do you have?
  • RatBurger08RatBurger08 Corpus Christi, TX
    edited July 2007
    ok in answer to your questions:
    No, No, IDK, 500w
  • deaden_07deaden_07
    edited July 2007
    The power supply seems a little low. What are the amps on each of the rails?

    Are you installing the updates first or the drivers first? I let Vista do all the updating it wanted before installing any additional drivers on my system.

    Found a great resource site for Vista support. http://www.vistax64.com

    Lot's of good vista information there. Not all 64 bit either.
  • RatBurger08RatBurger08 Corpus Christi, TX
    edited July 2007
    i've tried letting it update as soon as i started it, and i've tried not letting it update until after i get the other drivers, but anytime they're installed, it hangs immediately. As long as they're not installed, it works fine. I'm actually on it now, and no problems. but I have not let it update at all.

    The amps on each rail I believe is 18mAh

    Corey
  • deaden_07deaden_07
    edited August 2007
    So you can install all drivers and it remains happy? Have you tried using only 2GB of RAM and doing the updates?

    Otherwise, install one update and a time and see what happens.

    Have you checked the manufacturers support site for your motherboard?

    Do you have access to a PSU with 20+ amps on the 12v rails?
  • RatBurger08RatBurger08 Corpus Christi, TX
    edited August 2007
    in answer to your questions:
    Yes, No

    Not yet, plan on doing that today,

    No

    Corey
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