Vista - "A disk read error occurred"

For the XP/Vista problem I would suggest doing a clean install from the Vista
DVD if you have a DVD drive. If not I would re-install XP and then try to
move over to Vista again. As far as the pen goes, I have yet been able to
figure out how to install the drivers for my FinePoint Digitizer. I'm still
working on that part so my Pen does not work at all right now.

-Daniel

"Mark" wrote:

> Hi
>
> I too have had the same problems. After a whole day I had no XP and just
> pebbles on my screen.
> Somehow I now have a vista machine, but with a lot of rubbish from XP on it
> unaccessible. I don't seem to be able to boot into XP or repair this. Plus
> some of the drivers don't work (Xircom 10/100 and the multibay), plus I can't
> get the stylus to work. Any ideas!
>
> "Runaround" wrote:
>
> > Great news! I'm posting this in Vista on my Tablet. I finally got it to work.
> > Here is what I did. 1st I did a complete format and created 2 partitions. I
> > made the C drive big enough for Vista and the D drive just enough to install
> > XP. Booted up into XP and copied the install files to the D drive. I ran the
> > setup and did not do the upgrade option. I selecet drive C and the install
> > completed just fine that way. No more disk read error. Hopefully this will
> > help you as well.
> >
> > -Daniel
> >
> > "Runaround" wrote:
> >
> > > Don't worry, I had reinstalled XP serveral times before I tried that. I tried
> > > the Vista install again last night and it looked like it got to about 27%
> > > expanding files before it said it had to reboot. It may have gotten a little
> > > bit further as it was going kind of fast, but I don't think it made it to
> > > 30%. One the reboot got the disk read error again. I'm going to try again
> > > later today and see if it goes any further or still stops at the same place.
> > >
> > > -Daniel
> > >
> > > "Joesc" wrote:
> > >
> > > > Oh, don't tell me that! I've been reformatting and reinstalling XP every time
> > > > I tried an upgrade install.
> > > >
> > > > Oh well. Not going to try to run this on my main pc. Hopefully someone else
> > > > has a solution.
> > > >
> > > > "Runaround" wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > More on the boot loader problem - I put the XP CD in and went to the repair
> > > > > console and ran "fixboot" and it booted back into windows right away. No
> > > > > reinstall needed so it is not corrupting the drive at all. I'm not sure about
> > > > > the percentage though. I did install it on another one of my PCs and it works
> > > > > fine. I did not see far it got on the "Extract Files" section on the either
> > > > > PC. I'm going to retry the install on my Tablet and report back how far it
> > > > > gets.
> > > > >
> > > > > -Daniel
> > > > >
> > > > > "Joesc" wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > Some more info on when this happens. I've tried every possible configuration
> > > > > > on my computer. I removed extra drives and tried installing to the only
> > > > > > completely formated and clean drive on the system from DVD. I tried an
> > > > > > upgrade install from Windows XP on the same drive, same error. Copied the
> > > > > > setup files to the HD, and tried installing from there. I even verified the
> > > > > > ISO image with an MD5 checker and ran the install using the daemon tools
> > > > > > virtual drive. No dice.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > The thing I'm noticing though is that the Install gets to the Extract Files
> > > > > > portion of the install (about 20%) then says it needs to restart the computer
> > > > > > to complete the install. After that reboot, it gives the error.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Is everyone else seeing the install reboot at this point? Maybe that's the
> > > > > > problem, it's not completely installed?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > "Joesc" wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > I've gotten the same error when trying to do a dual boot.
> > > > > > > My configuration: Windows XP on C: my primary master hdd and Loading Vista
> > > > > > > on D: my secondary master hdd.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > I'm guessing it's a problem with the boot loader. Anyone figure this out yet?
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Thanks
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > "Runaround" wrote:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > He all. I'm hoping I can get to the bottom of why this is happening when I
> > > > > > > > install Vista. This is going on a Compaq TC1000 TabletPC. I have tried to
> > > > > > > > install using Daemon Tools and also by extracting the files to a directory on
> > > > > > > > my hard drive. I have no issues using XP Tablet ed. I have actually done a
> > > > > > > > clean XP install twice and then tried upgrade and custom install. I do not
> > > > > > > > have a DVD drive for the tablet.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > The install process works fine all they way up to the point where it
> > > > > > > > restarts the PC after copying the files is complete. Every time it boots up
> > > > > > > > and gives the following error:
> > > > > > > > A disk read error has occurred
> > > > > > > > Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Restarting brings me back to the same screen.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > -Daniel

Joesc: did you ever get Vista to load? I get the same exact error explained
in this post and have tried every possible scenario with no luck. I'm about
to give it up. I know this is beta but give me a break. It should at least
install. My computer passed all of the Vista "are you ready" tests. I've read
about how this new boot loader is not compatible with older computers. Mine
is pIII 800 mhz. Maybe mine just can't run Vista even though the microsoft
vista system checker said it could? Anyway I really would like to know the
root cause of this "disk error" problem. Any help would be greatly
appreciated.

"Joesc" wrote:

> I've gotten the same error when trying to do a dual boot.
> My configuration: Windows XP on C: my primary master hdd and Loading Vista
> on D: my secondary master hdd.
>
> I'm guessing it's a problem with the boot loader. Anyone figure this out yet?
>
> Thanks
>
> "Runaround" wrote:
>
> > He all. I'm hoping I can get to the bottom of why this is happening when I
> > install Vista. This is going on a Compaq TC1000 TabletPC. I have tried to
> > install using Daemon Tools and also by extracting the files to a directory on
> > my hard drive. I have no issues using XP Tablet ed. I have actually done a
> > clean XP install twice and then tried upgrade and custom install. I do not
> > have a DVD drive for the tablet.
> >
> > The install process works fine all they way up to the point where it
> > restarts the PC after copying the files is complete. Every time it boots up
> > and gives the following error:
> > A disk read error has occurred
> > Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart
> >
> > Restarting brings me back to the same screen.
> >
> > -Daniel

I replied before, but still don't see my response. So I'll reply again.

I never got Vista to load on that computer. I even installed Vista to a
different computer successfully, then moved that hard drive to the failed
machine. No go, still got the same error. I'm thinking my hardware on that
machine might be too old, even though it passed the upgrade advisor. It was a
Dell XPS R400 upgraded using a powerleap processor to Celeron 1200. So I've
given up on that machine.

Sorry for the bad news.

"Joe" wrote:

> Joesc: did you ever get Vista to load? I get the same exact error explained
> in this post and have tried every possible scenario with no luck. I'm about
> to give it up. I know this is beta but give me a break. It should at least
> install. My computer passed all of the Vista "are you ready" tests. I've read
> about how this new boot loader is not compatible with older computers. Mine
> is pIII 800 mhz. Maybe mine just can't run Vista even though the microsoft
> vista system checker said it could? Anyway I really would like to know the
> root cause of this "disk error" problem. Any help would be greatly
> appreciated.
>
> "Joesc" wrote:
>
> > I've gotten the same error when trying to do a dual boot.
> > My configuration: Windows XP on C: my primary master hdd and Loading Vista
> > on D: my secondary master hdd.
> >
> > I'm guessing it's a problem with the boot loader. Anyone figure this out yet?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > "Runaround" wrote:
> >
> > > He all. I'm hoping I can get to the bottom of why this is happening when I
> > > install Vista. This is going on a Compaq TC1000 TabletPC. I have tried to
> > > install using Daemon Tools and also by extracting the files to a directory on
> > > my hard drive. I have no issues using XP Tablet ed. I have actually done a
> > > clean XP install twice and then tried upgrade and custom install. I do not
> > > have a DVD drive for the tablet.
> > >
> > > The install process works fine all they way up to the point where it
> > > restarts the PC after copying the files is complete. Every time it boots up
> > > and gives the following error:
> > > A disk read error has occurred
> > > Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart
> > >
> > > Restarting brings me back to the same screen.
> > >
> > > -Daniel

Having exactly the same, identical problem here.

I've been running XP Pro ever since it's been out on my Dell Dimension XPS
T850r with no problem whatsoever.

In anticipation of the Vista Beta I bought a brand new super-fast WD 120GB
hard drive to load it on, and that's what I've been trying to do now for
about 8 hours.

I have the Vista DVD, totally clean install, changed the BIOS settings to
all possible configurations over and over again with no luck.

So far there only appears to be some of the downtrodden users posting here
over and over again, trying to cobble together some sort of a solution to
this real pain-in-the-neck problem on their own.

Please, let's see some real, live Microsoft Vista engineers weigh-in on this
by providing some basic Beta support, as promised.

It's obvious that a multitude of users are having (and will continue to
have) this same nightmarish problem, so it has to be fixed before the final
release.

A little Beta assistance is needed here, please!

"Runaround" wrote:

Hi all. I'm hoping I can get to the bottom of why this is happening when I
install Vista. This is going on a Compaq TC1000 TabletPC. I have tried to
install using Daemon Tools and also by extracting the files to a directory on
my hard drive. I have no issues using XP Tablet ed. I have actually done a
clean XP install twice and then tried upgrade and custom install. I do not
have a DVD drive for the tablet.

The install process works fine all they way up to the point where it
restarts the PC after copying the files is complete. Every time it boots up
and gives the following error:
A disk read error has occurred
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart

Restarting brings me back to the same screen.

Daniel

Sounding like a broken record now. Got the exact same problem. Tried three
different hard drives, all known good. Tried formatting the drive with
Partition Magic first, no go. Tried letting the install format the drive, no
go. My pc has an 800mz Pentium processor with the required ram. The repair
log indicates the OS loaded successfully. Yeah, I would like Microsoft to
weigh in and give us a solution. Rico

"Travis" wrote:

> Having exactly the same, identical problem here.
>
> I've been running XP Pro ever since it's been out on my Dell Dimension XPS
> T850r with no problem whatsoever.
>
> In anticipation of the Vista Beta I bought a brand new super-fast WD 120GB
> hard drive to load it on, and that's what I've been trying to do now for
> about 8 hours.
>
> I have the Vista DVD, totally clean install, changed the BIOS settings to
> all possible configurations over and over again with no luck.
>
> So far there only appears to be some of the downtrodden users posting here
> over and over again, trying to cobble together some sort of a solution to
> this real pain-in-the-neck problem on their own.
>
> Please, let's see some real, live Microsoft Vista engineers weigh-in on this
> by providing some basic Beta support, as promised.
>
> It's obvious that a multitude of users are having (and will continue to
> have) this same nightmarish problem, so it has to be fixed before the final
> release.
>
> A little Beta assistance is needed here, please!
>
> "Runaround" wrote:
>
> Hi all. I'm hoping I can get to the bottom of why this is happening when I
> install Vista. This is going on a Compaq TC1000 TabletPC. I have tried to
> install using Daemon Tools and also by extracting the files to a directory on
> my hard drive. I have no issues using XP Tablet ed. I have actually done a
> clean XP install twice and then tried upgrade and custom install. I do not
> have a DVD drive for the tablet.
>
> The install process works fine all they way up to the point where it
> restarts the PC after copying the files is complete. Every time it boots up
> and gives the following error:
> A disk read error has occurred
> Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart
>
> Restarting brings me back to the same screen.
>
> Daniel