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Install Vista Problem

Discussion in 'Windows Vista' started by Bill, Jun 29, 2009.

  1. Bill

    Bill Guest

    Attempting to install Vista on a reapired computer and Vista CD is not
    booting. BIOS says there is a SATA drive there.

    PCTools diagnostics goes through the following routine:

    Loading smartdrv.exe
    Insufficient XMS memory to load smartdrv.

    Autoexec: Setting up Ramdisk

    XMS get free mem error
    Autoexec Aborted
    Press any key to continue..

    Nothing happens when any key is pressed.

    I have swapped hard disks but same symptoms.

    Any ideas where to go from here?

    Thanks
     
  2. You will have to go into the computer bios and check that your computer is
    set to boot from a DVD/CD first and the hard drive second.

    Many computer are set from the factory to boot first from the hard drive and
    second from a DVD/CD.

    Look in the boot options section of the bios. If necessary make any changes.
    Then choose save the changes and exit the bios.

    If you do not have to make any changes, or feel uncomfortable with what you
    may have done choose exit, without saving the changes.

    --

    Richard Urban
    Microsoft MVP
    Windows Desktop Experience


    "Bill" <hercjunk@hotmail.com> wrote in message
    news:BE2DE326-0EB9-439F-AC5B-CF5E7990038D@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
    > Attempting to install Vista on a reapired computer and Vista CD is not
    > booting. BIOS says there is a SATA drive there.
    >
    > PCTools diagnostics goes through the following routine:
    >
    > Loading smartdrv.exe
    > Insufficient XMS memory to load smartdrv.
    >
    > Autoexec: Setting up Ramdisk
    >
    > XMS get free mem error
    > Autoexec Aborted
    > Press any key to continue..
    >
    > Nothing happens when any key is pressed.
    >
    > I have swapped hard disks but same symptoms.
    >
    > Any ideas where to go from here?
    >
    > Thanks <!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
     
  3. Bill

    Bill Guest

    Yes, it is set to boot from CD for first two options - then hard disk.

    More complicated than that sadly ...





    "Richard Urban" <richardurbanREMOVETHIS@hotmail.com> wrote in message
    news:uJQ8xzN%23JHA.200@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
    > You will have to go into the computer bios and check that your computer is
    > set to boot from a DVD/CD first and the hard drive second.
    >
    > Many computer are set from the factory to boot first from the hard drive
    > and second from a DVD/CD.
    >
    > Look in the boot options section of the bios. If necessary make any
    > changes. Then choose save the changes and exit the bios.
    >
    > If you do not have to make any changes, or feel uncomfortable with what
    > you may have done choose exit, without saving the changes.
    >
    > --
    >
    > Richard Urban
    > Microsoft MVP
    > Windows Desktop Experience
    >
    >
    > "Bill" <hercjunk@hotmail.com> wrote in message
    > news:BE2DE326-0EB9-439F-AC5B-CF5E7990038D@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green <!--/coloro-->
    >> Attempting to install Vista on a reapired computer and Vista CD is not
    >> booting. BIOS says there is a SATA drive there.
    >>
    >> PCTools diagnostics goes through the following routine:
    >>
    >> Loading smartdrv.exe
    >> Insufficient XMS memory to load smartdrv.
    >>
    >> Autoexec: Setting up Ramdisk
    >>
    >> XMS get free mem error
    >> Autoexec Aborted
    >> Press any key to continue..
    >>
    >> Nothing happens when any key is pressed.
    >>
    >> I have swapped hard disks but same symptoms.
    >>
    >> Any ideas where to go from here?
    >>
    >> Thanks<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
    > <!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
     
  4. Bill wrote:<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
    > Attempting to install Vista on a reapired computer and Vista CD is not
    > booting. BIOS says there is a SATA drive there.
    >
    > PCTools diagnostics goes through the following routine:
    >
    > Loading smartdrv.exe
    > Insufficient XMS memory to load smartdrv.
    >
    > Autoexec: Setting up Ramdisk
    >
    > XMS get free mem error
    > Autoexec Aborted
    > Press any key to continue..
    >
    > Nothing happens when any key is pressed.
    >
    > I have swapped hard disks but same symptoms.
    >
    > Any ideas where to go from here?
    >
    > Thanks<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

    Have you tried another boot disc? Another OS maybe (just to see if it
    has the same problems the vista Disc had)?

    Google memtest, download and burn their free ISO file to make a boot CD
    and let it run for hours to thoroughly test your memory.

    Post back with the results.

    --
    "Software is like sex, it's better when it's free."
    - Linus Torvalds

    DRM and unintended consequences:
     

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