Can't install Ultimate 64

About 2/3 the way through the install it does an unscheduled restart. When the screen opens up it just says that it wasn't supposed to restart at that point and to start the installation again. No error code.

Could this be the same problem as the "too much memory" error? I've got 4GB of ram plus 256 in the Graphics Card, should I take out half the ram and try again?

At which step does it restart? Did u boot from the vista cd or you tried to install it when you were on xp? Go to BIOS setup when you are booting the computer and disable SATA Native Support. I guess that would work

First of all, Thanks for your input, mad, I'm at my wit's end.

I'll try to remember, I sort of gave up on it til I found this forum.It's after the first re-start (scheduled). It's in the final step, I think. The progress bar, as I said, was about two thirds from complete.

I also have a 32bit version, for a different PC that gave me the same problem until one day I popped out the MB battery, waited a few seconds, and put it back in, and used non-USB keyboard and mouse (all remedies I got from various websites).

Well something worked because it installed (there was much rejoicing!). BUT, it didn't work on the 64. back to square one.

So back to your suggestion. I did boot from the CD, formatted etc. as per directions. You think it might be an issue in the BIOS?

Are you using a licensed Recovery set of disks from another OEM, or a Vista O/S retail/upgrade/system builder DVD?

If you are trying to install from an OEM set of Vista recovery disks it may fail as these are slipstreamed/Imaged with drivers/software for a certain system which may conflict with the hardware on the one you are trying to install it on.

ecsson said:

So back to your suggestion. I did boot from the CD, formatted etc. as per directions. You think it might be an issue in the BIOS?

Click to expand...

Yeah it is an issue in the BIOS. Under system configuration, disable SATA Native Support. It might work just give it a try

And as rive0108 replied, if you are using Vista OEM Recovery Disk or something, the drivers included in them might not be compatible with your system or your system might not be compatible with the drivers included in the disc.

Thanks everyone for your help. I couldn't respond earlier because I was away for a couple of days.

I fanally got the 32bit version installed. In BIOS settings I changed the power setting from shut down (after 4 seconds) to hibernate. I also popped out the battery (reset the clock?) and took out the PCI adapter. I don't know which of those it was, but one of them did it. I'm thinking it was the power setting change because something was triggering a power shutdown as it was restarting to the "how do want to start up windows" screen. It would install as scheduled untill after the first restart (after installing updates) then sit idle on the finishing install screen then quit after 30 or so seconds. What was most frustrating was the lack of an error message.

Should I try to do it all again with the 64 or leave well enough alone?

I hope that post made sense. I tried to edit but but it posted the way it was.

Just give it a try...

Taking half of the RAM should work.

Fastboy42 said:

Taking half of the RAM should work.

Click to expand...

What this person said. Vista 64 will not install OR will have problems during installation with over 3 gigs (or there abouts) installed so 4gigs will give you problems. Install with 2 gigs(or 1 depending on you DIMMs) then install the ram patch and then you can install the rest of the ram.

Taking half of the RAM should work.

Click to expand...

What this person said. Vista 64 will not install OR will have problems during installation with over 3 gigs (or there abouts) installed so 4gigs will give you problems. Install with 2 gigs(or 1 depending on you DIMMs) then install the ram patch and then you can install the rest of the ram.

Click to expand...

Thanks for confirming that.:D I was pretty sure that would be the solution.

Well, I got it in. Thanks everybody, for all your help.

I took out 2/4 gig. of ram, as you said. Same problem. Next I reset the bat., setup the BIOS as it was for the 32bit version (still 2/4 RAM), still nothing. I had to take out the PCI adapter (for wireless) as well as all of the above for it to work. I STILL don't know what the real problem was.

As I said earlier, I had the same problem with my 32bit PC (2 GB of RAM) until I popped out the battery for a minute, put it back in and it installed, without any changes to BIOS.

So now on this PC (64bit) I have vista ult. 32 on drive C: and vista ult 64 on drive D: and nothing on drive E: In my desparation I also divided the HD (320G) into 3 partitions, approx. 100 each. What the hell, if there's too much RAM, maybe there was too much HD? (keyword: desparation).

Now can I uninstall the 32bit version and gain some more space for the 64?

Again, kudos to everyone.

How are you planning on doing that?

Is the one you want to get rid of (32bit) on the first partition - is it marked as System in Disk Management?

Thanks for responding, SI.


Well that's just it. I'm not sure how to go about it, if it's possible, even. Where do I find Disk Management? I found it once a long time ago from a website when I was trying to add a partition to my step-son's HP/Premium64, but chickened out before I did it (I forgot about it, til now).

All I know for sure is that it's the 1st OS to go in. In MY Computer it is listed as C: drive, the 64 is listed as D: (2nd to go in) and E: has nothing on it.

Any tips would be much appreciated.

Type Disk Management in start search and click where indicated - it will load up in a couple of seconds:



Then post a screenshot like this:

SIW2 said:

Type Disk Management in start search and click where indicated - it will load up in a couple of seconds:

View attachment 12677

Then post a screenshot like this:

View attachment 12678

Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll give it a go

SIW2 said:

Type Disk Management in start search and click where indicated - it will load up in a couple of seconds:

View attachment 12677

Then post a screenshot like this:

View attachment 12678

Click to expand...

Well, Everybody, I FINALLY achieved my goal.

On this particular machine I had to reset the clock (remove battery for a while), remove 2/4 gig of RAM. In BIOS, since I don't have a SATA HD those settings are disabled. In POWER, I changed "power down" from off (after 4 secs) to the other choice (hibernate or whatever it is, can't remember the term). Also reset boot order to CD 1st, HD 2nd, removable 3rd. Lastly I removed the wireless adapter.

As far as removing the 32 bit version from C: drive it was a matter of reinstalling the 64 bit over it. C: had all the boot "stuff" on it plus other vitals that rendered it "undeletable." After Vista Ultimate 64 was on C: drive I just went to disk management and deleted the other two partitions and expanded C: drive.

So after a about a year after purchase I have Windows Vista Ultimate 64 (there was much rejoicing).

Thanks to everyone involved and to Vista Forums. I couldn't have done it without you.

Your welcome, ecsson.