Re: Vista SP2 Install Problems (Extended)

On Tue, 2 Jun 2009 18:02:38 -0400, "Vlad-the-Impaler"
<vlad@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

"Buck Rogers" <buck@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:u34b25d4n1kgq9tj8tf0q51jg6iqt97bm5@xxxxxxxxxx
Hello All,

I have a setup similar to a number of threads I've read here:

1. Multi-OS Setup Vista Ultimate, XP Pro, Fedora, Suse
All OS's are fully patched.

2. Bootloader is GRUB from the SUSE setup

I've had this setup and have used it with no problems for three years.
This is the way the system was set up from day one.

What's differenst with my setup is that I'm running 4 mirrored SATA
HD's off a 9500S 3Ware SATA conroller. HD0 has Vista, and SUSE. HD1
has XP Pro and Fedora.

I've attempted to install SP2 many times with no luck.

Realizing, finally, the lack of Vista's boot loader being present is
the culprit, I'm trying to get the Vista Boot Loader working but have
encountered the following stumbling block: When I load the Vista Disc
and it gets to the repair or install screen I click on repair. The
next screen asks me to pick the OS......and there is no OS to pick. So
I've attempted to load the 3ware drivers. Once via the 3ware disk,
once by floppy using the latest driver from 3ware, and once using a
USB stick with the latest drivers on it. The 3ware disk failed. The
floppy and USB went through the process of installing but no OS
appeared for me to choose from. I then clicked next anyway. From
there I clicked repair startup. A milisecond later it finishes and
says to reboot. I check the log and it states the partition table is
not valid and says it's fixed. I reboot and all is as it has always
been......GRUB and no apparent problems with the partitions. I've
gone through this process numerous times and end with the same
result......I can't get the Vista Boot Loader going.

I'm at a loss as to what to try next. Does anyone have a suggestion
that might help me out.....I'm desperate and don't want to have to
re-install Vista and everything else just to get SP2 going.

I'm going to try and install XP's boot loader while I'm waiting for
someone to throw me a bone to try. I'll report if it's successful. My
thought is if I can get a boot loader that MS can see, maybe then I
can get Vista's BL back???????? I'm fishing with no bait on this
idea.

Regards


I had the same problem with 2 hard drives (not RAID tho).
I had to turn off the non-Vista HD to be able to rebuild the MBR.

Not sure if you can do that with your RAID set-up.

Vlad,

Thanks for the input.

By reading bits and pieces posted around, I found out how to overcome
the hard drive not being seen:

Instead of repair, I clicked install. I didn't enter a key and after
a few screens it asks me to pick where to install. I have no choices
as before but it allows me to try and load the drivers again. This
time it succeeds and shows my HD configuration (both of them). I then
"x'd" out of the install and I was brought back to the install or
repair screen. I chose repair and the next screen listed my Vista
partition. I clicked next and chose command prompt. I then executed
bootrec /fixboot plus bootrec /fixmbr and rebooted into Vista.
Installed SP2, rebooted to ensure all was okay, and then rebooted with
the SUSE install disk. Booted existing install, put GRUB back in
place and all is now working well.

What a hassle. Microsoft should be better than this.

Regards
.

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