Clean Install Vista Ultimate

[NJLOAD]

I'm about ready to use this machine as a boat anchor.

I am trying a clean install on a 500gig WD hard drive, I've formated it using Acronis and when I do a clean install with OEM Vista Ultimate 64 bit, after all is said and done, it will not start up without the install disk. I've tried like 3 times, I have used the option to format within the Vista install and still the same results, after all the drivers and updates are installed and it reboots, nothing. I think the last message was something like missing NTLDR is Missing.

Does the drive have to be formated as a system drive, because I don't remember seeing any option for this type of format anywhere.

Please any help is appreciated.

NJLOAD

Could it have anything to do with installing with other drives already installed and running?

 

[Muadib]

Why did you format it at all? You should have let Vista format it. Start the install again, and after it sees the hard drive, choose the option to delete the current partition, and let Vista do it's thing.

 

[NJLOAD]

Sorry for the confusion, I didn't format it the first time and got the same message.

 

[Muadib]

What model WD drive do you have, and what motherboard?

 

[techmanc]

1. Run Windows Vista setup and use the repair Vista installation or something to that wording.
2. Make sure your OS drive is listed before and other hard drives in the boot order.

 

[Billb2]

After all those bad installs, I'd run FixMbr and FixBoot from the Vista Recovery environment.

Text

 

[NJLOAD]

Mystery solved.

For some reason the install didn't like having other drives hooked up. I removed the power connection from all the other drives in the box, re-installed and presto, every thing is fine.

Who Knows?

Thanks for all the replys.


Does anyone recall the Windows site for driver compatibility. I stumbled across it the other day and can't find it now for anything.

NJLOAD

 

[techmanc]

"Does anyone recall the Windows site for driver compatibility. I stumbled across it the other day and can't find it now for anything."

Use you browsers history function.

 

[NJLOAD]

Thanks for the suggestion but I'm not home at this moment!

 

[Muadib]

Here is the driver compatibility list for Vista.

 

[NJLOAD]

Here is the address I was talking about. Link