Vista Headache - startup repair over an hour

[nibblesandbits]

Before reading this long rant, my simple question is:

"How do you get a Vista DVD (with all versions on it) to install on a dell laptop that's wanting a CD-DRIVE driver as soon as it boots from CD into the vista installer"?

How did the computer boot up if it didn't recognize the drive? Doh!

So I've been sitting here with a Dell Studio 17" and the thing will NOT boot up. I've tried my Vista disc and of course it says "we need a driver for your cd drive" umm... YOU ARE VISTA YOU SHOULD HAVE THE DRIVERS SINCE WHEN DOES WINDOWS ASK FOR REMOVABLE STORAGE DRIVERS?!?!?!?!?!?! AHHHHHHHHH


Okay, so enough there. But seriously, I'm sick of watching the start up repair progress bar go over and over and over only to end up saying Window cannot repair this computer automatically. I can use the dell image after formatting, but then I end up getting the same stop error that started this whole problem.

[NYJimbo]

You need to post the exact error. I think I know what you are seeing but I cannot be sure.

[Doctor Micro]

Is your Vista DVD a Dell DVD or Generic OEM?

Maybe the internal drive is bad, or (could this be possible... the internal drive is a CD and your Vista disk is a DVD... are you perhaps missing something very obvious here?)

Otherwise, you might try an external USB DVD

[nibblesandbits]

Will post back with my findings. Seems to be working now without asking for a dvd-drive driver. Odd. I've done it 10 times, then I post this and it seems to be fine.

Gotta love it when no matter how much you know - the computer still beats you by giving you some inexplicable error then works as it should.

[NYJimbo]

Originally Posted by nibblesandbits

Odd. I've done it 10 times, then I post this and it seems to be fine. Gotta love it when no matter how much you know - the computer still beats you by giving you some inexplicable error then works as it should.

Yes, if you did the SAME EXACT THING 10 TIMES, but then why would you do the same thing exactly the same, 10 TIMES. Did you do something different, a little different each time?. Then it's not really inexplicable, is it ?.

[nibblesandbits]

Originally Posted by NYJimbo

Yes, if you did the SAME EXACT THING 10 TIMES, but then why would you do the same thing exactly the same, 10 TIMES. Did you do something different, a little different each time?. Then it's not really inexplicable, is it ?.

You'd think this would be the case, but when the only thing I COULD do was insert DVD, "press any key to boot from CD" and then WAIT... no I didn't do anything different this time and it's installing. Now THAT IS inexplicable. lol

EDIT: Oh, and clicked Install after it loaded the DVD. haha I wasn't even getting that the first 9 times. And I did it 10 because I knew that's all you have to do.

[MrUnknown]

I can use the dell image after formatting, but then I end up getting the same stop error that started this whole problem.

I think you need to diagnose more. 9 times of doing nothing and then it automatically fixes itself. A stop error after a restore?

To me it sounds like something else is happening.

[Davis Computer Services]

Why would you try the same exact thing a tenth time after it hadn't worked the nine times prior?

[Methical]

Because he is persistent

But I do think somethin' else is happenin' for it not to work 9 times, but work the 10th..