Ultimate install onto new HD

While installing Windows Vista Ultimate onto a computer with a new 500GB SATA
HDD, the install proceeds normally until the "Completing Install" step. It
has been on that step for a bit over 4 hours now, but it doesn't appear
"hung", as the elipsis are still ticking off (. .. ..., . .. ..., etc.)
Could it really take that long to format the new HDD? Should I interrupt the
install and restart? Should I partition and format the HDD first (Vista
didn't complain when I selected the unpartitioned / unformated device during
setup). Thanks.

It is long past the formatting stage, and Vista only does a quick format
anyway. If you are upgrading an old XP, it can easily take that long and
more. If you are doing a custom install, you are having problems as it
should not take much over 1/2 hour.

"Gene" <Gene@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:394E6638-E157-4380-9FF9-CA58F599EBD4@microsoft.com...
> While installing Windows Vista Ultimate onto a computer with a new 500GB
> SATA
> HDD, the install proceeds normally until the "Completing Install" step.
> It
> has been on that step for a bit over 4 hours now, but it doesn't appear
> "hung", as the elipsis are still ticking off (. .. ..., . .. ..., etc.)
> Could it really take that long to format the new HDD? Should I interrupt
> the
> install and restart? Should I partition and format the HDD first (Vista
> didn't complain when I selected the unpartitioned / unformated device
> during
> setup). Thanks.