Solved Vista only connects in safe mode

I had some severe issues with a working Vista 64 installation today. Wouldn't boot, told me no system restore points (they were there yesterday), kept getting BSDs when I tried to boot from Vista disk.

Ultimately I reformatted my C drive and reinstalled Vista. Had a few other minor issues (a BSD when I restarted after reinstall) but finally got it running. Then I tried to install Norton 360 (free from my ISP Comcast). It worked well prior to today, but as soon as it started to install I got the BSD. Three times. Uninstalled.

Now having connect problems. I can connect in safe mode, but not in regular mode. I am thus not able to run windows update. I've tried IP release and renew, connect to network, etc. Part of the issue may be a stalled install of Cisco's Network Magic Pro. In safe mode I can't start the Platform Service. In regular mode I can't connect to the internet, so the install won't proceed.

Another oddity is that safe mode will only display in 800X600. Monitor is 1920x1200. Could have sworn that I used to be able to view higher resolution in safe mode, but changing it and clicking apply does nothing.

Any help you can render would be most helpful.

Safe mode, may be a driver problem

Also try clean boot. The results of the two tests will give us a handle.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/83172-dump-files-upload-seven-forums.html

The problem occurs in clean boot also. I'm connected to the internet according to the network and sharing center. But I can't open any pages.

A summation of the problem so far: 1) no internet connection. Vista says I'm connected, but I can't get any pages to open (in regular mode) in any browser. I CAN access pages just fine in safe mode (seems odd). It seems to me that there's some little switch somewhere that I haven't turned on (or off) but for the life of me I can't find it or remember it.

2) Network magic may be part of the problem. I've used it for a few years to link all my pcs at my house together. I reinstalled it on the troubled pc but it is hung up - can't proceed with free trial/register key until I have internet access. I can't imagine that THAT is the problem since I had the problem without reinstalling Network magic, but there it is.

3) My pc somehow now has an invalid driver for my CD/DVD drive, so that doesn't work, which means I can't use the Vista disk for repair. Oy Vey - it would be funny if it wasn't happening to me.

4) Nvidia drivers for the two LAN ports (on the 780i) are fine, but it seems to me there's a memory that Nvidia drivers always caused problems and I usually stuck with a default driver (like Marvel?).

I'm going to keep working at it since the downed rig is my main one. If anyone has any suggestions I'll try. As a last possible resort I guess I could take it to Best Buy, although I REALLY don't want to do that.

EDIT - one step foward two back - I managed to find the proper driver for the CD/DVD from the web,installed it and restarted. Viola! it works! Then another BSD.

Put Vista disk in and restart from disk to repair. I cracked the case and checked all the connections - everything is tight. Next step will be to reformat c drive (again) and (again) try to reinstall vista. Barring that I'll yank that HDD and then try to install to a second HDD. Jeez, what a pain!

Problem solved!

I was using an OEM Vista install disk from my other PC. Once I realized and popped in the retail version I have for this pc then install went smoothly with NO BSDs!

In hindsight I feel like an idiot.

Thanks for your help

Glad that you worked it out. Good luck in the future.