Vista will not install on my HD - Thinking of migrating to SATA

Hey everyone. I did do a search, but didn't find anything. Probably right
under my nose.

I've had this problem with XP before, but I didn't expect it to be this bad
for Vista. First off, my comp:

Abit AV8
Athlon64 3000+
1GB RAM (generic)
Maxtor 120GB HD
PIONEER 12x DVD+-RW
floppy
Geforce 5500fx

Also, my patition layout:

part1 100mb linux ext3
part2 48 GB NTFS
part3 48 GB unformated (will probably be data disk, download folder, NTFS)
part4 12 GB linux XFS
part5 1GB linux swap

Anyway, I initially tried to install my beta2 of Vista (64bit) from within
xp64. When it rebooted, the bootloader was able to find the bootfile (cant
remember the name, /boot/somefile - it doesn't use boot.ini anymore).

So I tried to boot off the dvd. No matter what I did, it continually told me
it could not find any suitable disks, even though I know I had enough room
and I was trying to install to partition2, a primary partition.

It just dawned on me tonight that this might be similar to the problem I
have had with xp where I have to play with the access mode for the disk (CHS,
LBA, Large, Auto). At this point, I can't even install XP. The only thing I
can install at this point is linux.

I'm wondering if it's a combination of the IDE controller, the hard drive
(not the newest thing in the world), psh even the cable could be a problem.
I'm just getting fed up and thinking of going to SATA.

It's a Via chipset, and looking at some posts on here, SATA install should
be doable. I'm just wondering if I'll have the same problems. I'm kinda new
to SATA, but I doubt you have to worry about the access mode, since things
like LBA were just workarounds to the IDE size limitations.

So any help anyone can pass my way would be appreciated. I lost all of my
music, videos and downloads in getting this going. I'd like to try vista, but
I just want to get something installed at this point.

Thanks,

Wackman

i think you need a windows accesible first (C) partition...

"Wackman" <Wackman@discussions.microsoft.com> escribió en el mensaje
news:E5801DCF-4AED-45BB-A336-E17126C10E15@microsoft.com...

> Hey everyone. I did do a search, but didn't find anything. Probably right
> under my nose.
>
> I've had this problem with XP before, but I didn't expect it to be this
> bad
> for Vista. First off, my comp:
>
> Abit AV8
> Athlon64 3000+
> 1GB RAM (generic)
> Maxtor 120GB HD
> PIONEER 12x DVD+-RW
> floppy
> Geforce 5500fx
>
> Also, my patition layout:
>
> part1 100mb linux ext3
> part2 48 GB NTFS
> part3 48 GB unformated (will probably be data disk, download folder, NTFS)
> part4 12 GB linux XFS
> part5 1GB linux swap
>
> Anyway, I initially tried to install my beta2 of Vista (64bit) from within
> xp64. When it rebooted, the bootloader was able to find the bootfile (cant
> remember the name, /boot/somefile - it doesn't use boot.ini anymore).
>
> So I tried to boot off the dvd. No matter what I did, it continually told
> me
> it could not find any suitable disks, even though I know I had enough room
> and I was trying to install to partition2, a primary partition.
>
> It just dawned on me tonight that this might be similar to the problem I
> have had with xp where I have to play with the access mode for the disk
> (CHS,
> LBA, Large, Auto). At this point, I can't even install XP. The only thing
> I
> can install at this point is linux.
>
> I'm wondering if it's a combination of the IDE controller, the hard drive
> (not the newest thing in the world), psh even the cable could be a
> problem.
> I'm just getting fed up and thinking of going to SATA.
>
> It's a Via chipset, and looking at some posts on here, SATA install should
> be doable. I'm just wondering if I'll have the same problems. I'm kinda
> new
> to SATA, but I doubt you have to worry about the access mode, since things
> like LBA were just workarounds to the IDE size limitations.
>
> So any help anyone can pass my way would be appreciated. I lost all of my
> music, videos and downloads in getting this going. I'd like to try vista,
> but
> I just want to get something installed at this point.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Wackman

I'ts worked before to have the first partition be a small non-dos partition,
then a large windows drive.

New developement: The IDE drive died today. I went out and got a new sata
250GB drive. Now, I need to find information on making a driver disk for my
sata controller (at this point, xp or vista doesn't entirely matter). I can't
even get linux to write a good mbr.

Wackman schrieb:

> I'ts worked before to have the first partition be a small non-dos partition,
> then a large windows drive.
>
> New developement: The IDE drive died today. I went out and got a new sata
> 250GB drive. Now, I need to find information on making a driver disk for my
> sata controller (at this point, xp or vista doesn't entirely matter). I can't
> even get linux to write a good mbr.

Did you consult the documentation accompanying your motherboard? In
some cases, there is a make-SATA-driver-disk program on the mainboard CD.

Roy