Install Vista Problem

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bill
  • Start date Start date
B

Bill

Attempting to install Vista on a reapired computer and Vista CD is not
booting. BIOS says there is a SATA drive there.

PCTools diagnostics goes through the following routine:

Loading smartdrv.exe
Insufficient XMS memory to load smartdrv.

Autoexec: Setting up Ramdisk

XMS get free mem error
Autoexec Aborted
Press any key to continue..

Nothing happens when any key is pressed.

I have swapped hard disks but same symptoms.

Any ideas where to go from here?

Thanks
 
You will have to go into the computer bios and check that your computer is
set to boot from a DVD/CD first and the hard drive second.

Many computer are set from the factory to boot first from the hard drive and
second from a DVD/CD.

Look in the boot options section of the bios. If necessary make any changes.
Then choose save the changes and exit the bios.

If you do not have to make any changes, or feel uncomfortable with what you
may have done choose exit, without saving the changes.
 
Yes, it is set to boot from CD for first two options - then hard disk.

More complicated than that sadly ...
 
Bill said:
Attempting to install Vista on a reapired computer and Vista CD is not
booting. BIOS says there is a SATA drive there.

PCTools diagnostics goes through the following routine:

Loading smartdrv.exe
Insufficient XMS memory to load smartdrv.

Autoexec: Setting up Ramdisk

XMS get free mem error
Autoexec Aborted
Press any key to continue..

Nothing happens when any key is pressed.

I have swapped hard disks but same symptoms.

Any ideas where to go from here?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Have you tried another boot disc? Another OS maybe (just to see if it
has the same problems the vista Disc had)?

Google memtest, download and burn their free ISO file to make a boot CD
and let it run for hours to thoroughly test your memory.

Post back with the results.

--
"Software is like sex, it's better when it's free."
- Linus Torvalds

DRM and unintended consequences:
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/security/?p=435&tag=nl.e101
 
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