Vista won't startup, won't repair, or let me reinstall.

[MovePleaze]

Well that explains the recovery partition issue. You dont have it anymore. Was the HDD formated when it was recieved as a replacement? Chances are it was.

There is no recovery partition anymore. Your only option is disk. I need to know what kind of HDD it is. Can you take it out and see? I suspect it is SATA.

I will find the controller. You will need either a flash (thumbdrive), or usb floppy. Hit F2 and make sure you are set to boot off a FDD/USB before the hard drive.

Again...I really appreciate everything you're doing for me.

I looked up the product info under the account and it has listed WU077 Hard Drive, 80GB, S2, 9.5, 5.4K TSHBA-LEO, however the hard drive I just pulled out is a Fujitsu SATA 80GB model MHZ2080BH G2, Part Number CA07018-B30200DL.

I believe the hard drive had everything already on it when we received it. If I remember correctly, I just popped it in and it went through the entire install itself, but I could be mistaken.

 

[rive0108]

I think you have the driver, and are just trying to install it incorrectly.

ATI AHCI Compatible RAID Controller
ATI AHCI Controller - HP Dc5750
ATI RAID Console
ATI RAID Controller - HP Dc5750
Intel(R) 631xESB/632xESB SATA AHCI Controller
Intel(R) 631xESB/632xESB SATA RAID Controller
Intel(R) 82801 FBM SATA AHCI Controller
Intel(R) 82801 FR SATA AHCI Controller
Intel(R) 82801 FR SATA RAID Controller
Intel(R) 82801 GBM SATA AHCI Controller
Intel(R) 82801 GHM SATA AHCI Controller
Intel(R) 82801 GR/GH SATA AHCI Controller
Intel(R) 82801 GR/GH SATA RAID Controller
Intel(R) 82801 HEM SATA RAID Controller
Intel(R) 82801 HEM/HBM SATA AHCI Controller
Intel(R) 82801 HR/HH/HO SATA AHCI Controller
Intel(R) 82801 HR/HH/HO SATA RAID Controller

Did this sytem originally have XP. I think these may be XP drivers, but download the vista one.
This is the AHCI driver for the 1501

Windows Vista ATI AHCI Compatible RAID Controller controller
AHCI COMPATIBLE RAID CONTROLLER [PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_4380]

"ATI AHCI Compatible RAID Controller"


Insert the Vista disk, load, then select Install. You will see a screen to load "3rd party drivers", remove the Vista dvd, and insert your Resource CD (show compatable), navigate to the above controller, clicking open all files untill you see the Vista raid driver, doubleclick on that.

You can also download the driver here, then extract the RAID driver folder onto a thumbdrive, etc.
ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS/misc/sata/ATI_RAIDAHCI_V25154035_Vista32bit64bit.zip

Once the driver loads, and you see the Hard drive, reinsert the Vista DVD. Delete ALL partitions, then install vista into unpartioned space.

 

[rive0108]

ps- check the BIOS F2 and make sure first boot device is cd/DVD, most are set to boot from harddrive if there is/was a recovery partition. This must be changed. Set all to boot first, then HDD to boot last

boot order:
CD/DVD
FDD
USB (all devices)
HDD

 

[MovePleaze]

I have no idea how it happened, but I just got into the advanced boot options. I have the option of safe mode, safe mode with networking, safe mode with command prompt, last known good configuration, start windows normally....which one?

 

[rive0108]

I have no idea how it happened, but I just got into the advanced boot options. I have the option of safe mode, safe mode with networking, safe mode with command prompt, last known good configuration, start windows normally....which one?

try last good config, but I still think you need to do a fresh reinstall. I have been looking, and I think I found the problem.

Apparently the resource CD is XP only. When I search for the ATI RAID/SATA controller for Vista on the DELL downloads there isnt one for the 1501. This system evidently shipped with XP resource CD instead of a vista resource, and you have a non-compatable Vista driver issue (hence no compatable sata driver on the resource cd)

Here is the correct Vista RAID/SATA/SCSI storage controller which should be compatable. In the event last good config fails, download the driver, and reinstall Vista.
Windows Vista ATI AHCI Compatible RAID Controller controller

AHCI COMPATIBLE RAID CONTROLLER [PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_4380]

"ATI AHCI Compatible RAID Controller"
ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS/misc/sata/ATI_RAIDAHCI_V25154035_Vista32bit64bit.zip

 

[rive0108]

Correction:

you either have the Intel matrix storage controller (most DELL systems use this), or the ATI AHCI controller.

Here they both are. This will enable you to reinstall Vista.

Intel(R) 631xESB/632xESB SATA AHCI Controller
Intel(R) 631xESB/632xESB SATA RAID Controller
Confirm Download


ATI AHCI Compatible RAID Controller
ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS/misc/sata/ATI_RAIDAHCI_V25154035_Vista32bit64bit.zip

 

[MovePleaze]

Correction:

you either have the Intel matrix storage controller (most DELL systems use this), or the ATI AHCI controller.

Here they both are. This will enable you to reinstall Vista.

Intel(R) 631xESB/632xESB SATA AHCI Controller
Intel(R) 631xESB/632xESB SATA RAID Controller
Confirm Download


ATI AHCI Compatible RAID Controller
ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS/misc/sata/ATI_RAIDAHCI_V25154035_Vista32bit64bit.zip

I tried both and neither of them seemed to work when I installed them at the drivers screen on the windows install page; windows install still fails. I'm going to try this again, but most likely not until tomorrow evening.

Thanks for your continued help. I'll post again tomorrow after I try it again.

 

[rive0108]

This system was originally installed with XP. Dell aparently does not provide the Vista sata non-RAID driver. Someone apparently Installed Vista, so they either booted off IDE controller, or have the required SATA driver. Look into this, and find out what driver was used, or contact Dell If still within Warranty for the proper disk installation method. I cannot find the proper SATA driver, though It appears this one can be used:

IDE interface: ATI Technologies Inc SB600 Non-Raid-5 SATA
( SATA controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB600 Non-Raid-5 SATA)

note- when installing "3rd party driver", you must navigate to the contents inside the unzipped x86 folders (try both)

Ps- it would help If you could access the device properties and provide the Storage controller manufacturer and model # (i.e., VIA VT6421)