So in a s much detail as possible considering i dont know much about this sort of thing, i have built a new comp, on startup it boots into a screen with header pci device listing. As my vista disk is already inserted it comes up with press any key to boot from CD, now i get all the way through the Vista installation at which point it needs to restart and as it restarts it boots back into the PCI device listing screen instead of vista installation.

I understand this may not be a very good description but if anyone can help feel free.

Thanks!

did you tacking the CD out before rebooting?

The limits of my language are the limits of my world.

First, make sure that you do not hit enter again when Vista reboots. You don't want to boot from the CD a second time. Second, is your hard drive listed in the BIOS and connected to the motherboard ?

brillser - i have tried multiple different methods on when to put the CD, non being successful.
kx5m2g - Yes my hard drive is listed in bios and is connected to my motherboard.

Is it an SATA HD, and what mode is SATA listed as ? You really don't have to take the CD out before rebooting, as long as you don't hit enter again to boot from the CD.

kx5 - how would i go about checking that information?

thanks!

http://www.dabs.com/productview.asp... thats the HD, above question on what it is listed as :>

You can check the mode for SATA in the BIOS. You would know if the HD is SATA if you built the computer-you would have used an SATA cable.

i had a little help with the building process :P. Ill check the mode now for you.

Ok it is listed as IDE channel 0 Master

That should be OK. I'm not sure if this has anything to do with your problem, but is there a video card installed, and is it PCI, PCI express, or AGP ?

Yes, PciE http://www.dabs.com/productview.asp...

Any other ideas on what could be causing this problem?

Give us the error message verbatim....

BTW, is this your first computer build?

Boot order in bios?

I read it wrong and answer it wrong too. So get off my case you peanut.

sabertooth - Yes it is.

jefro - removable, CDROM, Hard disk.

sabertooth - took this picture of the screen on my phone so it my not be perfect but hopefully its clear enough. http://xs.to/xs.php?h=xs225&d=08116...

Looks to me like it's trying to boot off the network - are you sure network boot isn't enabled?

Alex - If your basing that off of the 'Nvidia Boot Agent' at the bottom i think this is just due to the fact i didnt have vista CD in when i took this pic.
But anyhow heres the boot priority in bios - http://xs.to/xs.php?h=xs225&d=08116...

Thanks for the help thus far!

Hit enter on Hard Disk Boot Priority and see what it brings up.

kx2 - http://xs.to/xs.php?h=xs225&d=08116...

That looks OK, so it must be something else.

any other ideas?

When a system halts during POST, a hardware is usually to blame....

I would suggest the following in your process of elimination:

- Reset the CMOS from the BIOS & if needed via the "Clear CMOS" jumper on the motherboard.

- Power OFF the machine.

- Disconnect all peripherals & pullout all discrete cards other than the video card.

- Make sure your HDD is connected & configured correctly before powering the machine back ON.

Oh & BTW, how many HDDs are in this machine?

sabertooth - ill try that and i have 1 HDD.

I have Acer laptop 5310. windows vista home basic is installed and I wanted to change into XP Pro Edition... Can anyone help me co'z i tried it but won't work. It appears ( drive cannot found due to manufacture setting ).

Carl

Carl: You should start a new thread with your post. Then someone will try to help you.