Can't finish Vista install because of a BSOD

apu95

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I'm trying to install Vista on a Dell Dimension 8300 and I can't finish a Vista installation because nvlddmkm.sys crashes, and it's just looping over and over.
Is there anyway I can finish this? I figured I could try to force Vista into booting with VGA mode, and then I can just install the latest drivers from nVidia, but I've no idea how I'd go about doing that...
 
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Generally a problem with a nVidia card and the driver in Vista. Easiest solution might just be to get another (ATI) video card. Other wise, you can try to pull the latest (or an older) version of the nvlddmkm.sys and find a way to replace it during the install (or just after the install). You can try to boot to a parallel install of XP and copy the file over the existing one or something along those lines..
 
Okay, so I did some investigating, and after replacing the driver, the computer wouldn't give me the BSOD, but it still was still hung at a certain part of the "Completing Installation" phase. I decided to go into the Dell Diagnostics utility that comes with all Dells, and ran the Hard Drive test. Sure enough, the SATA hard drive is corrupted sectors and refuses to work.
I just plugged in 2 IDE drives, so I'm gonna try installing again. I'll report back a little later ^_^
 
Oh so that partition we erase on all new dell servers we order is usefull? Or is that limited to desktops?
 
I've no clue if it's only for desktops, but it was quite well designed. Nice GUI with mouse support and everything. It has a bunch of tests for pretty much every component in the computer :).

With regards to the problem, I just tried reinstalling Vista in the new hard drive, and the BSOD came again. I tried starting over and replacing the drivers with newer ones from nVidia's website before the "Completing Installation" phase came about (since it reboots, I'll go into the command prompt, replace the drivers, and then reboot normally), and it still gave a blue screen. I don't know what else to do apart from using another video card to set up the computer and then replacing with the old nVidia one (it's an FX5200 I think).
 
ah last I heard you need a 6000 series card or higher for vista. Hit google to confirm validity of that though. If you have an old PCI card you could use that to install and swap later.
 
Wow, that sucks >.<, especially considering that my laptop has an integrated Intel card that runs on Vista just fine (without Aero though).

Before completely dumping the card...would it work if I install Vista using my ATI 9600XT, and once it's up and running, I swap with the FX5200?
 
A new discovery: The video card is also effed up.

I decided to install XP on the computer, so it would at least be working, and after the XP install was done, it still wouldn't boot into it. I booted into VGA mode (not Safe mode), and when I manually tried to change the resolution on the screen, the computer died. I'm quite sure now that the video card is at fault (along with the dead SATA hard drive from the beginning).
 
Well as I said I'm not 100% certain that vista is limited to certain models of anyones cards. I think its more of a driver limitation imposed by the company in question. Even then I'm not certain that is an accurate statement you will want to search google and confirm either way.

Having said that if the card is up the river its largely moot what works and what doesn't anyway :D
 

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Also Hi EP and people. I found this place again while looking through a oooollllllldddd backup. I have filled over 10TB and was looking at my collection of antiques. Any bids on the 500Mhz Win 95 fix?
Any of the SP crew still out there?
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Just did some crude math and I apparently joined almost 18yrs ago, how is that possible???
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