Vista Tutorial - SP1 won't install - constant BSOD

Have you changed your hardware in any way in the time between when you uninstalled Vista and attemtped to reinstall it?

I am running just Symantec Antivirus but I have tried having it disabled. I even tried installing SP1 in safe mode and no luck. As to the DVD slipstream. That idea probably will work but I want to reformat as a last resort. I want to know I have tried everything else before reformatting. Thanks for the ideas though.

How much memory are you running there? If you have more then 4bg installed by chance that could be a reason right there especially with a 32bit edition of Vista.

I have 4gigs of ram but I am running Vista Home Premium 64-bit. I will admit at first when I built my comp I couldn't get it to start. I had to install vista64 with only 2 gig then get a BIOS update and than I added in the last 2 gigs and it worked fine ever since.

Are you trying to reinstall SP1 with 4 gigs of RAM?

On top of the BIOS update, you also need to install the KB929777 update.

In order to get into windows to do it, you'll need to remove some RAM (I drop down to 2 gigs) and then you'll be able to reinstall Vista. Once you've got Vista reinstalled, update using that patch and then restart.

Then, shut down your comp and add your previously removed RAM.

I recieved the BSOD for the better part of half a day because I was trying to install Vista Ultimate X64 initially with too much RAM.

Installing Vista is fun. It's like playing Tetris. But instead of lego-like blocks, you're using clay. And instead of Tetris, you're actually playing Jenga.

I am not trying to reinstall Vista SP1. I am trying to simply upgrade to SP1 from an already working Vista Home Premium 64-bit. I have also tried installing the update with only 2 gigs of RAM and still no luck.

I'm just wondering if you grabbed the 32bit version of SP1 by mistake and saved that to the drive instead of the 64bit release. That would stall you right there.

You may want to dump what you have there now and verify the SP1 64bit version at MS is the one actually downloaded.

Through windows update the code number is... KB936330

It states that it is Windows Vista Service Pack 1 for x64 systems. I have also tried downloading the standalone which is labeled as...
Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Five Language Standalone for x64-based Systems (KB936330)

Generally I would think you catch something like that anyways but had to rule it out as one possible cause. The only other thing besides something installed being a problem with seeing SP1 go on would be not having Windows activated and having gone through the WGA process. But then you wouldn't be able to download the service pack to start with.

Sciz,

I understand you have tried most MS advice and now suspect you have a hardware related problem. You may want to try out the System Update Readiness Tool as well as Resolution 2 on this page, if you have not already tried this. You have updated your drivers, I suppose. In the end, the free MS support may perhaps be a way.

I am sure you have run the Systems File Checker Tool and checked if there was something it couldn't fix, which could provide a clue in case software related.

I turned on my Vista Firewall, checked it did not say I wasn't using the recommended settings, then turned off my 3rd part firewall and virus protection. That helped for me. You may also want to disable other memory resident non-MS programs.

You are not saying exactly what happens, when the BSOD appears and what errors you get? Such info may find its way to some hardware wizzard who can interpret.