"ktheking" <ktheking.3ap8ga@no-mx.forums.vistaheads.com> wrote in message
news:ktheking.3ap8ga@no-mx.forums.vistaheads.com...
>
> Hold on (long reading but it's worth it) : this story didn't end (I
> hoped it did ,but it didn't ). This machine was a Packard Bell ,for
> which this company refused to hand me over the install DVD. So I fetched
> an Vista OEM SP1 from the net. I advise NEVER to buy a packard bell !
> Worst support ever !
>
>
> Nice install guideline doc over here : 'Clean Vista install WITH NO
> ACTIVATION - Notebook Forums and Laptop Discussion'
> (http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=120228)
>
> During the reinstall of this machine I found some VERY interesting
> facts :
>
> The re-installation ALWAYS interrupted with either BLUES SCREENS OF
> DEATH (BSOD) , or were interrupted during the expanding phase of the
> files.
> Doubting that I had a good source ,I burned over and over the same iso
> again ,with all possible variations (change of
> reader,cable,burnsoft,medium,burnspeeds,etc ..) .
> After browsing numerous hours the web , I came to the conclusion that
> this must be a hardware problem.
>
> So I removed 1 memory bar (there were 2 present of 1Gb) ,and .... :
>
> NOW THE INSTALLATION PROCEEDED ,AND FINALIZED
>
>
> Hmm .. did I say to myself : A beginners error ? Just a memory hardware
> error ?
> Strange ,because during all other activities with the livecd/dvd ,were
> memory is intensively used ,this problem didn't occur ?
> So next step : Testing the memory
>
> And what shows : No error reported by mem check tools whatsoever. I
> launched 5 different mem check tools.
>
> Hmm even stranger : Conclusion Vista SP1 installation doesn't like 2
> bars of memory (or doesn't like the management of the memory) .
>
> Coming to the final conclusion : *The initial problem of the VISTA
> corruption occurs on the installation of a certain update (yet unclear
> if only with SP1 or another) ,together with a certain chipset (unknown
> which ones) AND THE PRESENCE OF 2 MEMORY BARS !!! During this upgrade-or
> install- ,a BSOD will occur or the upgrade will fail. But when a repair
> will be executed afterwards ,it will fail also because of the presence
> of these 2 memory bars. As a result ,many people will launch several
> repairs ,ending up with a total loss vista install.
>
> *SO :
> WHENEVER INSTALLING SP1-and the following updates- (TROUGH CLEAN
> INSTALL OR TROUGH UPGRADE ) MAKE SURE ONLY 1 MEMORY BAR IS PRESENT IN
> YOUR SYSTEM. VISTA DOES HAVE ISSUES WITH MEMORY MANAGEMENT OF CERTAIN
> BIOS OR CHIPSETS. ONCE YOU'VE DOWNLOADED ALL THE POSSIBLE UPDATES ,YOU
> MAY REINSTALL THE SECOND MEMORY BAR.
> TO BE SURE ,YOU CAN RUN AFTERWARDS -AFTER THE INSTALL OF ALL UPDATES-
> THE 'MEMORY DIAGNOSTIC TOOL' (%SystemRoot%\System32\MdSched.exe)
>
> I hope this might help some of you. I've spent 18h hours to conclude
> this using the trial and error method.
>
> Kind regards,
>
> K.
>
> Thank you MS for giving me this extra work,I will never run out of
> business thanks to you. This reminds me of the days of Windows 3.11 ...
>
>
> --
> ktheking
> Posted via http://www.vistaheads.com
>


You sure had a strange problem, but it must be more than just 2 sticks of
memory. I've done a couple of clean installs and upgrades of vista OS on a
couple of machines and both have 2 sticks of memory, never had any problems
at all. At least you got through it o.k. Have a great day...