replaced my SATA boot disk, as per other thread, and decided to rebuild, since my old drive is partitioned, and could get messy.

anyway, if I try install Vista Home Premium from scratch, it lists the drive volume, but says Windows can't find a volume which meets the requirements (or similar) - there's 200+Gb on there, and it was formatted as NTFS.
I tried to use the partition and format tools it offers, but got the same message.

So I went to my old method of putting XP on, and then Vista, however the XP install just cycles. You select the drive, format it (or leave it), then it loads files, reboots, and starts the install again.

The first install I did when I fitted the drive worked fine using the above method, I only re-installed because just as I'd got all my apps on there, something auto-updated and managed to screw the boot files.

I love Windows...

 

Did you leave the CD in the drive when it asked you to reboot? Maybe its booting back off CD and starting the install again? Check your boot order in the bios.

J

 

Use the version of Windows you are installing to actually fully format and configure your HDD. Windows can get tetchy about how the drive is formatted (yes, all programs should do it the same way, but they don't)

 

yes
it's set to USB (I hoed it would boot from my external bootable HD, but it dodn't), then CD, then HD.
would it be worth changing it to HD then CD at the point at which it reboots?
the cd will still need to be in to continue the install.

I'm going to suggest to Bill that he calls the next version of window Windows PITA.

 

Yeah theres the problem. Just remove the CD with it says press a key to reboot. It'll ask you to put the disk back in if it needs it.

J

 

worked a treat, cheers
stopped my HP printer software auto-updating incase it screws it all again!

 

thats strange. from my experience that should not have worked. Windows install discs put up a message on the screen asking you to press a button to boot from cd. This you would ignore and let the machine boot up itself, you should not have to take the disk out of the machine.

 

I believe that some of the early XP installs didnt have this functionality as they display a message at the end of the first stage of the install saying please remove all floppies and cd's before rebooting.