Got a problem that i just cannot figure out.

 

Had a problem with my laptop the 250gb hard drive failed so bought a new 500gb hard drive and used the supplied restore disks, all seemed fine installed fine did the windows updates that took hours. problem is it will only boot into windows 1 in every 10 times. first i was getting the display drivers failing then a blue warning screen telling me drivers had failed and memory dump. so managed to get the right drivers reinstalled. but most of the time all ill get is the windows vista green loading bar then black screen.

 

Im wondering if the restore disks ive used are buggered?? I also get strange colours sometimes on the Advent boot screen so also wondered if it could be a bios problem thats causing windows not to boot?

 

I thought about reinstalling windows using a genuine Vista disk but i cant find mine for love nor money so im stuck with the restore disks.

 

Anyone got any suggestions as ive spent i dont know how many hours now and still no closer to fixing it?

 

cheers Craig

 

....Windows Vista Help!!! .....Anyone got any suggestions

 

 

Yes, 2...

 

 

 

or...

 

I tried using my genuine XP Pro cd it gets through the first part where it says pr f6 to instal scsi etc then loads some drivers but when it actually gets to starting windows install it says theres no hard drive installed??? there bloody is as sometimes i can get vista to boot?

Does safe mode boot ok?

Ive only tried windows in debugging mode a few times half the time it doesnt give me the option to boot in safe mode, When it does boot it works perfectly

It wont be a scsi interface, probably IDE...

 

and if you've replaced the hard drive check the block size.... see this link

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8557144.stm

 

Hope this helps

Immediately after the laptop turns on, mash the F8 button repeatedly, you should get a windows boot options menu (you may have to press a 'F-LOCK' key on your laptop keyboard to enable the F1-F12 keys, whether function lock is enabled is typically indicated by a num lock/caps lock/scroll lock style LED light).

 

If you can get into windows safe mode fine every time you try, its most likely a hardware driver problem (the difference between the two environments is that safe mode doesn't load majority of hardware drivers). Getting into safe mode every time would also rule out any fundamental problems with disk drive I/O (bearing in mind that an optimised I/O driver for your specific laptop's disk controller might not be loaded in safe mode).

 

From "Safe Mode with Networking" you should be able to download the most recent drivers from the laptop manufacturer's website and install them.

 

What's the laptop make/model? Could probably find you a link.

Its an Advent 5401 laptop, Ill give that a try later if not ill just have to buy a new copy of vista or probably go to windows 7 had some good feedback on it.

 

Ill let you know how i get on

 

Cheers Craig

I tried using my genuine XP Pro cd it gets through the first part where it says pr f6 to instal scsi etc then loads some drivers but when it actually gets to starting windows install it says theres no hard drive installed??? there bloody is as sometimes i can get vista to boot?

 

Because your hard drive is SATA, windows xp doesnt have very many sata drivers, this is why your hard drive isnt showing, get windows 7 mate, will make life alot easier.

ahh ok that was puzzling me, Cheers

I know the BIOS of some machines have a with some drives over 320GB. What version of Vista are you trying to install ? I may be able to provide you a copy of the disk, you would just need to use your license key.

 

Otherwise I would do as everyone else has said and go Win 7

I know the BIOS of some machines have a with some drives over 320GB. What version of Vista are you trying to install ? I may be able to provide you a copy of the disk, you would just need to use your license key.

 

Otherwise I would do as everyone else has said and go Win 7

 

Im not sure what version the Advent restore disks are but my genuine version if i ever find it was just the home version.

Something odd about this brand 'Advent', think it's one of these shared brands like you get in the fashion sector ...

 

An 'Advent 5401' is actually a 'Quanta TW7M', according to this authoritative looking site. But confusingly this forum says it could be an 'ECS S20 II'.

 

Drivers from Quanta aren't available though. Looks like your stuck with the drivers provided on system restore disks.

 

I would hope Windows 7 would work for you but the hassle of finding even drivers for XP/Vista on the net suggests that getting Windows 7 drivers might be a bit tricky, although Vista drivers 'should' work.

Something odd about this brand 'Advent', think it's one of these shared brands like you get in the fashion sector ...

 

An 'Advent 5401' is actually a 'Quanta TW7M', according to this authoritative looking site. But confusingly this forum says it could be an 'ECS S20 II'.

 

Drivers from Quanta aren't available though. Looks like your stuck with the drivers provided on system restore disks.

 

I would hope Windows 7 would work for you but the hassle of finding even drivers for XP/Vista on the net suggests that getting Windows 7 drivers might be a bit tricky, although Vista drivers 'should' work.

 

Didnt touch it last night so tonight all get cracking and try and get it to boot in safe mode and see what drivers i can find, strange that it didnt work first time after the new hard drive was in as the original drive was a 250gb sata all ive done is go bigger to a 500gb sata so all the original drivers i thought should be ok but ill give it another go later, heres hoping as its really driving me up the wall ive never had this amount of probs before and i can build pcs blind folded lol