Vista Install Black Screen

[MrAnderson2121]

I am working on a friends laptop to install vista after wiping the hard drive.
The issue arises when I try to boot from the CD a white bar loads across the bottom of the screen, saying Windows if Loading. After that it comes to a black screen with the normal small loading bar and Microsoft trademark. That only partially loads leaving the bar and words faded. When I boot with out the vista CD it says no operating system found like it should.
I have wiped it twice and I know the vista CD works. I have run HD diagnostics and it passes. Vista was originally installed and the reason for wipe was to clean it up from previous owner.

Any ideas, suggests, thoughts are greatly appreciated.

 

[badge]

Perhaps when you 'wiped' the HD, it was rendered 'useless' for lack of a better word. I would try booting to a Windows XP CD and format the HD. After the HD is formatted, try booting to the Vista DVD and install the OS.

 

[MrAnderson2121]

Thanks for the idea, i think i have a spare copy of xp lying around at home so i will try that tonight after work.

I will be back with the results.

 

[badge]

I believe it will work. Get back with the results.

 

[MrAnderson2121]

Well installation of XP froze at the "Setup is starting Windows" screen. Any other ideas on what might be wrong?

 

[badge]

Well, when you say you 'wiped' the hard drive, how did you do it? The HD does not have to wiped, reformating a partition would wipe prior installations and prepare for a fesh installation of the OS. Be sure, CD is set as the first boot device in BIOS and boot the system. When asked to 'press any key to boot to CD' do so. Any chance to install the HD in another working system ans try formatting the drive there in Disk management? Sounds like the drive is either bad or corrupted.

 

[MrAnderson2121]

I used killdisk and Dariks nuke and boot. The reason for wiping the drive was to remove data from the last owner. Boot order is CD first and the install started but stopped before getting very far. I would rather not resort to opening it up quite yet but it will probably come to that. Also I ran a HD diagnostic program and it said the drive was good.

 

[badge]

Maybe someone knows of a program you could boot to to format the drive. I believe when you 'nuked' it, the drive corrupted. You just ned to find some software to boot to to format it corectly. WDC.com has software for formatting, but I do not believe they offer a bootable disk for Vista.

 

[badge]

WD's data Lifeguard tools would format the drive, but I am not sure a bootable version is available for Vista.

http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=612&lang=en

Another site.

http://www.bootdisk.com/

 

[badge]

This says supports Vista. Try and make a bootable CD. Not really sure it will offer formatting the dive.

http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=612&sid=30&lang=en

 

[MrAnderson2121]

Well the tools was for WD drives only. So time to open this thing up and try putting it in my desktop. Will be back with results.

 

[badge]

Disk management should format the drive.

 

[badge]

I invested in one of these SATA usb stations. This one is refurbished for $20. I use it often.
http://thermaltakestore.com/blacx-n0020028.html

 

[MrAnderson2121]

Well the drive would not read since the voltages are diffrent for a laptop and i dont have a converter and couldnt change volts through BIOS. Looking for a formatting program to try starting from dos, the Western Digital stuff is for WD drives only and this is Toshiba.

 

[badge]

I have to say I have never 'nuked' a hard drive. If I have trouble formatting a Vista installation on a SATA drive, I have alay had succes just booting to a Windows CD and formatting.

I'm surprised someone has not chimed in at this point with a suitable bootable software to format that HD.

 

[MrAnderson2121]

I thank you for your ideas and effort. I really shouldnt have to format after wiping a drive since they both preform the same basic action. I am beginning to think that the computer maybe just be dying.

 

[badge]

Kepp checking back. Someone may have a bootable software solution or otherwise.