frustrating installation error aborts setup

"an error occurred while preparing windows setup to boot into the next stage of setup"
After working through many many errors in a valiant struggle against the various evils of Windows Vista installation, I have stumbled on a foe that seems to be completely impossible to conquer; I've decided to reach out for help! Every single time I try to install Vista by booting off of my DVD, (I've burned two different copies at 2x, both of which give me the same error) I get the same annoyingly general error message. After I enter the key code and picked the drive, I'm politely informed that SOMETHING went wrong, and then sends me back to the "Install now" page.
Armed with the knowledge that SOMETHING has gone wrong, I have been systematically poking and prodding my way through the internet looking for a solution. Has anyone at all seen this message and found a way to make it work? I have several computers, a handheld, and a baseball bat ready, as I am willing to do anything to solve it.

Eek, sorry for the double post >.<

Have you tried alternative method to installing such as extracting the contents of the ISO to a folder in XP and launch setup from there? Have you tried booting from the DVD and see if the install works that way?
Also check the MD5 checksum to see if its correct, I use the one from Ahead Nero http://ww2.nero.com/nero6/eng/Nero_MD5_Verifier.html
Here are the MD5/CRC values for x86 or x64 depending on which every ISO you downloaded:
x86 - File Size = 3.12 GB (3,355,598,848 bytes) - CRC Value = 0x67E089E0 - MD5 Value = 0E733AB1A8E8FF9A8684FD3639332773 x64 - File Size = 4.01 GB (4,309,368,832 bytes) - CRC Value = 0x48697711 - MD5 Value = E43502D0A15EADD551119D5639859E04
Paste the MD5 Checksum for either x64 or x86 depending on which one you want check in Step 1, Step 2 - Browse to where you stored the ISO on your drive and open it and it will automatically start the varification process and generate the has in the third field, if it matches Step 1, then you are safe. -- -- Andre Windows Connected | http://www.windowsconnected.com Extended64 | http://www.extended64.com Blog | http://www.extended64.com/blogs/andre http://spaces.msn.com/members/adacosta
"MaddeningToaster" wrote in message

"an error occurred while preparing windows setup to boot into the next stage of setup"
After working through many many errors in a valiant struggle against the various evils of Windows Vista installation, I have stumbled on a foe that seems to be completely impossible to conquer; I've decided to reach out for help! Every single time I try to install Vista by booting off of my DVD, (I've burned two different copies at 2x, both of which give me the same error) I get the same annoyingly general error message. After I enter the key code and picked the drive, I'm politely informed that SOMETHING went wrong, and then sends me back to the "Install now" page.
Armed with the knowledge that SOMETHING has gone wrong, I have been systematically poking and prodding my way through the internet looking for a solution. Has anyone at all seen this message and found a way to make it work? I have several computers, a handheld, and a baseball bat ready, as I am willing to do anything to solve it.

I hate to report that it all checked out, but I still have the problem. Thank you very much though. I even re-downloaded Vista, burned it at 1x, with absolutely no luck whatsoeever. Unfortunately, my Windows XP is already cleared out of the system, and I no longer have the disk. If anyone can help me I would appreciate it a lot.

Hi, I've found the same problem. As I tried the instalation from winXP I found in the logs that the instalation looks for a file called "install.win". I've looked throug the files on the DVD burned from the ISO image and it's not there. I'm not sure if the program builds it or if it's a file that has to be there from the ISO image, but I'm sure that the setup needs it to run properly and beguin the instalation. Do you know were can I find that file?
"MaddeningToaster" wrote:

I hate to report that it all checked out, but I still have the problem. Thank you very much though. I even re-downloaded Vista, burned it at 1x, with absolutely no luck whatsoeever. Unfortunately, my Windows XP is already cleared out of the system, and I no longer have the disk. If anyone can help me I would appreciate it a lot.

I also have had the same problem on one of my computers. Maybe my computer is not good enough: 256MB RAM, AMD 1700 processor.
"lobogimp" wrote:

Hi, I've found the same problem. As I tried the instalation from winXP I found in the logs that the instalation looks for a file called "install.win". I've looked throug the files on the DVD burned from the ISO image and it's not there. I'm not sure if the program builds it or if it's a file that has to be there from the ISO image, but I'm sure that the setup needs it to run properly and beguin the instalation. Do you know were can I find that file?
"MaddeningToaster" wrote:
I hate to report that it all checked out, but I still have the problem. Thank you very much though. I even re-downloaded Vista, burned it at 1x, with absolutely no luck whatsoeever. Unfortunately, my Windows XP is already cleared out of the system, and I no longer have the disk. If anyone can help me I would appreciate it a lot.

"REL" wrote in message

I also have had the same problem on one of my computers. Maybe my computer is not good enough: 256MB RAM, AMD 1700 processor.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/capable.mspx
At 256MB of RAM, that particular unit is actually near the minimum for XP. Perhaps, when Vista is a retail product, and it is time for you to purchase a new computer, of course, you can make this particular one into a file server on your network.

FWIW I had one machine where the installation would always hang in the "Completing..." stage, and I could get no clue as to what the problem was. So I yanked out all unessential hardware (extra vid cards, sound card, TV card) connected the mouse and keyboard straight to the machine (rather than through my usual KVM switch), made sure all USB ports were empty and started from there. It was able to install in that "minimal" environment. After the install I put all the yanked stuff back in, and now it’s all working OK. A pain, but it solved the problem.
"REL" wrote in message

I also have had the same problem on one of my computers. Maybe my computer is not good enough: 256MB RAM, AMD 1700 processor.
"lobogimp" wrote:
Hi, I've found the same problem. As I tried the instalation from winXP I found in the logs that the instalation looks for a file called "install.win". I've looked throug the files on the DVD burned from the ISO image and it's not there. I'm not sure if the program builds it or if it's a file that has to be there from the ISO image, but I'm sure that the setup needs it to run properly and beguin the instalation. Do you know were can I find that file?
"MaddeningToaster" wrote:
I hate to report that it all checked out, but I still have the problem. Thank you very much though. I even re-downloaded Vista, burned it at 1x, with absolutely no luck whatsoeever. Unfortunately, my Windows XP is already cleared out of the system, and I no longer have the disk. If anyone can help me I would appreciate it a lot.

According to MS, the minimum system requirements for Vista is 512MB of ram and a 40 GB drive with at least 15GB free.
"REL" wrote in message

I also have had the same problem on one of my computers. Maybe my computer is not good enough: 256MB RAM, AMD 1700 processor.
"lobogimp" wrote:
Hi, I've found the same problem. As I tried the instalation from winXP I found in the logs that the instalation looks for a file called "install.win". I've looked throug the files on the DVD burned from the ISO image and it's not there. I'm not sure if the program builds it or if it's a file that has to be there from the ISO image, but I'm sure that the setup needs it to run properly and beguin the instalation. Do you know were can I find that file?
"MaddeningToaster" wrote:
I hate to report that it all checked out, but I still have the problem. Thank you very much though. I even re-downloaded Vista, burned it at 1x, with absolutely no luck whatsoeever. Unfortunately, my Windows XP is already cleared out of the system, and I no longer have the disk. If anyone can help me I would appreciate it a lot.