Can't clean install Vista Ultimate

I am at wits end. I have scratch-built a system, all new components. I had
some problems with bad RAM sticks, but at the point now where I am able to
boot to my copy of Vista Ultimate from MSDN. I have tried multiple times to
run the install, but continue to get assorted Blue Screen errors during the
'extracting files' process. So far, I have received
DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (2 seperate times, with different locations
listed), BAD_POOL_HEADER, CACHE_MANAGER and 0X8E (which is apparently a
KERNAL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED error).

The system I am running is:
* Intel Core2Duo E6400 Processor
* Intel DG965WH M/B
* 1 Gb of DDR 800 MHz RAM - I have tried with 2 Gb, using dual channel, but
got similar results. I had heard reducing the RAM sometimes helped, so down
to the 1 Gb now.
* 320 Gb Western Digital SATA HDD
* 18x Dual Layer DVD-RW
* Case with front and side fans, 450 W P/S
* Basic PS/2 KB, USB Mouse, LCD Monitor

I have no other devices or peripherals attached. I have run the HDD as RAID
(installing RAID driver and without) and IDE - Native and Legacy. I format
the drive entirely between attempts, and it shows the total file space for
the primary partition is being used each time. I have also tried creating
multiple partitions under the 129 Gb limitation (though I had thought Vista
cracked that). I have already flashed the BIOS to the most recent version on
the Intel website.

What am I missing? Or what hardware should I be focusing on? Due to issues
with the hardware mentioned previously, I have already swapped the
motherboard (the one listed is the newest one). I am reasonably sure the
stick of RAM in the system is functional, since I tested the system by
booting with 1 stick at a time until I booted past BIOS consistantly (since
it was locking up in BIOS with the bad sticks I had also gotten).

<snipped>

>
> What am I missing?

http://preview.tinyurl.com/yfj836

Personally, I would still suspect the RAM.

The only RAM I absolutely trust these day is made by either Corsair or
Crucial. The reason is, if their RAM configurator says it will work, it
will. If you get the RAM they specify for your particular computer/MB there
are no problems - unless it is defective (unlikely, but possible). Then you
use your 100% lifetime warranty. They will send out new RAM before you even
remove the suspect RAM from your computer.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

"EBB" <EBB@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B1C07F61-31A5-4CB1-9459-6BCE36837973@microsoft.com...
>I am at wits end. I have scratch-built a system, all new components. I had
> some problems with bad RAM sticks, but at the point now where I am able to
> boot to my copy of Vista Ultimate from MSDN. I have tried multiple times
> to
> run the install, but continue to get assorted Blue Screen errors during
> the
> 'extracting files' process. So far, I have received
> DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (2 seperate times, with different locations
> listed), BAD_POOL_HEADER, CACHE_MANAGER and 0X8E (which is apparently a
> KERNAL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED error).
>
> The system I am running is:
> * Intel Core2Duo E6400 Processor
> * Intel DG965WH M/B
> * 1 Gb of DDR 800 MHz RAM - I have tried with 2 Gb, using dual channel,
> but
> got similar results. I had heard reducing the RAM sometimes helped, so
> down
> to the 1 Gb now.
> * 320 Gb Western Digital SATA HDD
> * 18x Dual Layer DVD-RW
> * Case with front and side fans, 450 W P/S
> * Basic PS/2 KB, USB Mouse, LCD Monitor
>
> I have no other devices or peripherals attached. I have run the HDD as
> RAID
> (installing RAID driver and without) and IDE - Native and Legacy. I format
> the drive entirely between attempts, and it shows the total file space for
> the primary partition is being used each time. I have also tried creating
> multiple partitions under the 129 Gb limitation (though I had thought
> Vista
> cracked that). I have already flashed the BIOS to the most recent version
> on
> the Intel website.
>
> What am I missing? Or what hardware should I be focusing on? Due to issues
> with the hardware mentioned previously, I have already swapped the
> motherboard (the one listed is the newest one). I am reasonably sure the
> stick of RAM in the system is functional, since I tested the system by
> booting with 1 stick at a time until I booted past BIOS consistantly
> (since
> it was locking up in BIOS with the bad sticks I had also gotten).

I would also suspect the RAM. It may not be that the RAM is bad but
something else is misconfigured or installed wrong causing the symptom of
bad RAM. The first step is to test the RAM. I like memtets86+

www.memtest.org

Reset the BIOS to the defaults. Run memtest86+ for several hours. If it
locks up or gets even one error you have a RAM problem. I would try some
different RAM first. If it still gets an error then disconnect everything
except the motherboard, video, keyboard, and whatever drive you need to run
memtest86+. If it still gets an error you have bad RAM, or a bad
motherboard, or a bad CPU, or a bad power supply. If there are no errors
start adding things back in one at a time until errors occur. It will either
be that peripheral or the power supply is overloaded at that point. You have
to make a plan and test only one thing at a time. There are no shortcuts. It
can take many hours of testing.

--
Kerry Brown
Microsoft MVP - Shell/User
http://www.vistahelp.ca


"EBB" <EBB@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B1C07F61-31A5-4CB1-9459-6BCE36837973@microsoft.com...
>I am at wits end. I have scratch-built a system, all new components. I had
> some problems with bad RAM sticks, but at the point now where I am able to
> boot to my copy of Vista Ultimate from MSDN. I have tried multiple times
> to
> run the install, but continue to get assorted Blue Screen errors during
> the
> 'extracting files' process. So far, I have received
> DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (2 seperate times, with different locations
> listed), BAD_POOL_HEADER, CACHE_MANAGER and 0X8E (which is apparently a
> KERNAL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED error).
>
> The system I am running is:
> * Intel Core2Duo E6400 Processor
> * Intel DG965WH M/B
> * 1 Gb of DDR 800 MHz RAM - I have tried with 2 Gb, using dual channel,
> but
> got similar results. I had heard reducing the RAM sometimes helped, so
> down
> to the 1 Gb now.
> * 320 Gb Western Digital SATA HDD
> * 18x Dual Layer DVD-RW
> * Case with front and side fans, 450 W P/S
> * Basic PS/2 KB, USB Mouse, LCD Monitor
>
> I have no other devices or peripherals attached. I have run the HDD as
> RAID
> (installing RAID driver and without) and IDE - Native and Legacy. I format
> the drive entirely between attempts, and it shows the total file space for
> the primary partition is being used each time. I have also tried creating
> multiple partitions under the 129 Gb limitation (though I had thought
> Vista
> cracked that). I have already flashed the BIOS to the most recent version
> on
> the Intel website.
>
> What am I missing? Or what hardware should I be focusing on? Due to issues
> with the hardware mentioned previously, I have already swapped the
> motherboard (the one listed is the newest one). I am reasonably sure the
> stick of RAM in the system is functional, since I tested the system by
> booting with 1 stick at a time until I booted past BIOS consistantly
> (since
> it was locking up in BIOS with the bad sticks I had also gotten).

As most have intimated it sounds like a memory problem. You can either use
Memtest or Vista's own memory test option to check out the memory,

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows - Shell/User

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..

"EBB" <EBB@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B1C07F61-31A5-4CB1-9459-6BCE36837973@microsoft.com...
>I am at wits end. I have scratch-built a system, all new components. I had
> some problems with bad RAM sticks, but at the point now where I am able to
> boot to my copy of Vista Ultimate from MSDN. I have tried multiple times
> to
> run the install, but continue to get assorted Blue Screen errors during
> the
> 'extracting files' process. So far, I have received
> DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (2 seperate times, with different locations
> listed), BAD_POOL_HEADER, CACHE_MANAGER and 0X8E (which is apparently a
> KERNAL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED error).
>
> The system I am running is:
> * Intel Core2Duo E6400 Processor
> * Intel DG965WH M/B
> * 1 Gb of DDR 800 MHz RAM - I have tried with 2 Gb, using dual channel,
> but
> got similar results. I had heard reducing the RAM sometimes helped, so
> down
> to the 1 Gb now.
> * 320 Gb Western Digital SATA HDD
> * 18x Dual Layer DVD-RW
> * Case with front and side fans, 450 W P/S
> * Basic PS/2 KB, USB Mouse, LCD Monitor
>
> I have no other devices or peripherals attached. I have run the HDD as
> RAID
> (installing RAID driver and without) and IDE - Native and Legacy. I format
> the drive entirely between attempts, and it shows the total file space for
> the primary partition is being used each time. I have also tried creating
> multiple partitions under the 129 Gb limitation (though I had thought
> Vista
> cracked that). I have already flashed the BIOS to the most recent version
> on
> the Intel website.
>
> What am I missing? Or what hardware should I be focusing on? Due to issues
> with the hardware mentioned previously, I have already swapped the
> motherboard (the one listed is the newest one). I am reasonably sure the
> stick of RAM in the system is functional, since I tested the system by
> booting with 1 stick at a time until I booted past BIOS consistantly
> (since
> it was locking up in BIOS with the bad sticks I had also gotten).