Potential Problems During Windows Vista Setup

written by: Scott Nugati; article published: year 2007, month 01;


In: Categories » Computers and technology » Windows Vista » Potential Problems During Windows Vista Setup

Fully documenting all of the problems that could occur during the installation of Windows Vista would require a tutorial10 times the size of this one. Here, though, are some of the most common problems you're likely to encounter, and how to solve them:

  • An out-of-date BIOS may cause a failed installation. Your motherboard will have a software-upgradeable flash BIOS. Contact the manufacturer of your system or motherboard for any BIOS updates it has available, but don't bother unless a BIOS upgrade is absolutely necessary. (A failed BIOS upgrade will make your motherboard unusable.)

  • Another common stumbling block to Windows Vista setup is your video card (display adapter). If setup stops with an unintelligible error message, hangs at a blank screen, or reboots unexpectedly during setup, your video card may be at fault. If replacing the video card permits Windows Vista to install, you should discard your video card.

  • If installation stops because files cannot be copied from the DVD, the disc may be scratched or dirty, or there may be a problem with your drive. Remove the disc, clean it with a soft cloth, and try again. Try another DVD with your drive to see if there is a problem with the drive.

  • Incompatible hardware may cause your PC to stop responding. If that is the case, exit the installation and then disable any unnecessary hardware. Remove Universal Serial Bus (USB) devices, and remove or disable your network adapters, sound cards, and any other cards, then restart the installation.

  • Another cause of your system not responding may be a conflict with your antivirus program. Disable the antivirus program and try installing again, but remember to turn it on after the installation is complete (you may need to upgrade to a Vista-compatible version after the upgrade; Vista will warn you about any incompatible software you have installed if you are upgrading from Windows XP).

legal disclaimer

1) Our website is not responsible for the information contained by this article as well for any and all copyright infringements by authors and writers. E-articles is a free information resource. If you suspect this article for any copyright infringements, please read the Terms of service and contact us to investigate the problem.
2) The E-articles directory team is not responsible for inaccuracies, falsehoods, or any other types of misinformation this tutorial may contain and will not be liable for any loss or damage suffered by a user through the user's reliance on the information gained here. Please read the Terms of service

Useful tools and features

Translate this article to...    Send this article to you or to a friend

Link to this article from your page   
If you like this article (tutorial), please link to it from your web page using the information above. Linking to this page, this is the only way to help us improve our service, the same time providing your visitors with a way to improve their online experience.

related articles

1. What`s in the Start Menu: All Windows Vista Versions
All Programs When you click All Programs, you're presented with an important list indeed: the master catalog of every program on your computer. You can jump directly to your word processor, calendar, or favorite game, for example, just by choosing its name from the Start -> All Programs menu. In Vista, as you'll notice very quickly, Microsoft abandoned the superimposed-menus effect of Windows XP. Rather than covering up the regularly scheduled Start menu, the All Programs list replaces it ...

2. How to change the desktop background in Windows Vista
Vista has a whole new host of desktop pictures, patterns, and colors for your viewing pleasure. You want widescreen images for your new flat-panel monitor? No problem, Vista's got 'em. Want something gritty, artsy, in black and white? They're there, too. And you can still use any picture you'd like as your background as well. To change yours, right-click the desktop. From the shortcut menu, choose Personalize. In the Personalization dialog box, click Desktop Background. Use a Microsoft Photo...

3. Common Windows Vista and XP Filename Extensions
This tutorial lists many of the most common filename extensions that you'll find on your system, that you might download, or that you have received over the Internet. Extensions were universally used on DOS and Windows 3.1 files, but Microsoft has gone to some difficulty to hide them in Windows Vista. This is unfortunate, because they play a major role in the way Windows decides what application will be used to open a file, as well as which files will be visible when opening files in a given application. Although direct a...

4. Upgrading to Windows Vista from Earlier Versions of Windows
When you buy Windows Vista, you buy either a full version of the operating system or an upgrade. Ideally, you'd like to upgrade, because an upgrade is less expensive than buying the full version. Only PCs with Windows XP or Windows 2000 qualify for upgrades; users with PCs running earlier versions of Windows will have to buy the full version. Users who have Windows XP or Windows 2000 and can upgrade will have one of two choices when they do the Windows Vista installation. They can either perform an in-place upgrade or do ...

5. Windows Vista Sidebar and Gadgets
Gadgets perform automated tasks and display information; they live in the Windows Sidebar on the Desktop. To open Double-click the Windows Sidebar icon in the notification area. Control Panel -> [Appearance and Personalization] -> Windows Sidebar Properties -> Start Sidebar when Windows starts Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> Windows Sidebar Description One of Windows Vista's most useful new features is the Windows Sidebar and the Gadgets that ...

6. How to Start Up Applications in Win Vista
Windows Vista has more ways to launch a program than just about any other operating system: Double-click on a program icon in Explorer, on the Desktop. Double-click on a file associated with an application to launch that application and open the file. Pick the name of a program from the Start menu. Click on a program's icon in the Quick Launch Toolbar to start it. This toolbar can include icons for any programs, although by default, it often has icons...

7. How to use the clipboard in Vista
A shared, system-wide storage area for temporarily holding and moving data. To open Edit -> Cut (Ctrl-X) Edit -> Copy (Ctrl-C) Edit -> Paste (Ctrl-V) Description The Clipboard is an invisible portion of memory, used to temporarily hold data as it's moved or copied from one application to another. Although you will never "see" the Clipboard, it's used every time you cut, copy, or paste something. Using the Clipboard is easy. Select a portion of text in your...