See my wiki A Clean Install of Windows Vista.

Hi Phil,

I would first suggest you to run the Dell diagnostics on your system to check the hardware functionality. Below are the steps to run the diagnostics:

• Restart your system and keep tapping “F12” key as soon as the Dell logo appears.
• Select “Diagnostics” using up and down arrow key and press enter.
• Press “y” when the color bars are displayed.
• If the diagnostics pass, you will be prompted “Do you want to run the remaining memory test”.
• Press “N”.
• If the diagnostics fails, you will get an error code.

If the diagnostics completes without any error, operating system needs to be re installed with the combination of Media direct.

To prepare your hard drive:

Note:This will delete all your data like pictures, songs, documents etc. Also please remove any external peripheral connected to your system.

1. Turn on your computer.
2. Insert the Media Direct CD into the CD/DVD drive, and then restart your computer.
3. Restart your computer and when the Dell logo appears, press immediately. This will take you to the boot menu where you need to select CD/DVD drive.
4. When the Media Direct Re-installation menu appears, select the option to partition the hard drive.

• Select "Option 1" (press 1 on the keyboard) from the menu if you wish to use all of the hard drive for your operating system installation. 
• Select "Option 2"(press 2 on the keyboard), if you wish to designate a size for your operating system and have a data partition. This will allow you to specify a size for the operating system partition. An image is shown below.

• Press to proceed to the next step.
  
  

If you press , the partitioning process begins and this message is displayed:

Creating hard drive partitions...

If you select the Option 2 , this screen will appear. Select the size that you want to assign.

• Once you have prepared the drive and you have returned to the main recovery menu, remove the media direct disk and replace it with the operating system re-installation CD. Select the option to reboot your computer.
• Your system will restart automatically. Keep tapping 'F12' as soon as the system restarts and when the message 'Press any key to boot from the CD or DVD' appears, press a key to continue booting to the DVD.
• After Vista Setup loads, confirm the language, time, currency and keyboard method settings are correct then click 'Next'.
• On the windows Vista installation page, click Install 'Now'.
• Review the terms and click 'I accept the license terms' to proceed.
• On the 'Which type of installation do you want?' window, click 'Custom (advanced)'.
• On the 'Where do you want to install Windows window', make sure the largest 'Primary Partition' is selected then click 'Next'. If the primary partition has 0GB free, there should be a separate line for 'Unallocated Space'. Select this unallocated space and click 'Next'.

Note:

• When the setup window appears, select a user name, password, and picture for your user account. 
• On the next couple of screens, use the default or recommended settings prompted and click 'Next' until you see the time & date screen.
• Click to select your time zone then click 'Next'.
• After the 'Thank You' message appears, click 'Start' and follow the on screen instructions.
• Once you have completed the installation of the operating system, you can begin re-installation of the Dell Media Direct software.

To re-install the Dell Media Direct software:

1. At the Windows desktop, close all open applications.
2. Insert the re-installation media into the CD/DVD drive.
   The Dell Media Direct Powered by Cyberlink window opens automatically.
   
3. Press to re-install the software.
   When the re-installation process is complete, a message will be displayed.
   
4. Press to exit the re-installation window, and then remove the re-installation media from the DVD drive.
5. Shut down the computer through the Start menu.
6. Once your computer has completely turned off, press the Dell Media Direct button on your computer to launch the application.
7. After installing the operating system and the appropriate drivers, the user needs to insert the Media Direct installation media. It automatically runs and displays the screen below.

Press to start the final installation of Media Direct. The screen below displays.

Once the installation has completed, the final screen, pictured below, appears.

The Dell MediaDirect™ feature is an instant-on multimedia playback mode for digital media. Press the Dell MediaDirect button, located on the hinge cover, to launch the tool.

When the computer is turned off or in the Sleep state, you can press the Dell MediaDirect button to start the computer and automatically launch the Dell MediaDirect application..

Keep me posted. Please reply for any questions.

Hi Vrikram,

I did run the diagnostic and got no error.

But was still unable to start windows in normal mode neither in safe mode...

So I follow the instruction on prepare hardware (after having made a backup of my data...)

and it freezes before getting to this point:

◦After Vista Setup loads, confirm the language, time, currency and keyboard method settings are correct then click 'Next'

It freezes at vista setup loads when the progress bar shows up.

Can't even get passed this point...  Can it be hardware related? such like damages cache memory???

Thanks,

Phil.

Hi Natakuc4,

I'll difinitely give a look at your wiki.

I hope I'll find a hint of a solution to my issue...

I'm not a real geek, but not at my first trial either... I start using an opening case of PC since DOS 4.1 that was on a 5.25" support...

Before any one asks, I did reseat the RAM and the HDD.  I did remove all USB devices also...

Thanks,

Phil.

Note you may need the SATA drivers here see Step 6. and 8 for loading the drivers during the Windows installation.

Also if your Reinstall DVD doesn't include Service Pack 1 you may wish to slipstream it with vlite and create a bootable USB as instructed here.

Thanks Natakuc4,

I tried your methodology described in your wiki, including a dban use to clear the HDD.  installation still freeze at the first green progress bar.

I feel there is something gone on the hardware even if Dell diagnostic tools report no issues, memtest are all clean and HDD integrity is good...

Enough waist of time on that 4 yo laptop...  I think I'll upgrade and buy a new one...

Thanks,

Phil.

Before giving up completely. Try using a Windows 7 32 bit .iso file to see if you can install Windows 7 with Service Pack 1.

The .iso may be found in Microsoft Windows 7 Official .iso Download Links (Digital River) instructions to make a bootable USB are found here also.

Use the Windows 7 32 bit Home Premium with Service Pack 1. Note you will get a 30 day trial without a product key which is fine to test.

If Windows 7 installs your system is fine and there is a problem with your Vista DVD. In which case you can try using a Vista .iso from Microsoft Windows Vista Official .iso Download Links (Digital River) instructions to make a bootable USB are found here also. You will need the 25 digit product key on the Windows sticker and phone activation for the Vista .iso.

If the Windows 7 install fails it suggest there is an issue with the hardware.

Also during the install, ensure no devices are plugged into the USB ports.

Try disabling the Flash Cache Module, this can sometimes hang the installation.

To do this at the Dell BIOs screen press F2.

In the BIOS setup there should be a category called onboard devices, expand it. Go Flash Cache Module and turn it off.

Note: The mouse/touchpad isn't present in the BIOs setup, you will have to use the keyboard arrow keys to move between the fields and enter to select a setting. When finished, press esc and you will be prompted to save and exit or just exit. Select save and exit.

Reattempt the install, does it once again freeze at the same screen?

If it freezes again try changing the SATA operation from AHCI to ATA.

To do this at the Dell BIOs screen press F2.

In the BIOS setup there should be a category called onboard devices, expand it. Go to SATA operation.

Is it set to ATA or AHCI? Try setting it to ATA (this is a step some people take when installing XP). AHCI is faster than ATA but theres not much difference in it on this model. Its worth trying to see if the DVD lets you continue with the install.

Note: The mouse/touchpad isn't present in the BIOs setup, you will have to use the keyboard arrow keys to move between the fields and enter to select a setting. When finished, press esc and you will be prompted to save and exit or just exit. Select save and exit

I forgot to mention, that I also tried installing Vista with the iso file from digital river just in case my DVD was boggus... but that didn't help either...

I might ttry to turn it into a linux box...  If this doesn't work it is really a hardware issue...

Thanks,

Phil.

Hi and Thanks  Natakuc4,

I already tried all that, disable the flash cache set drive in ATA, disable the media cards and 1394...  Nothing to do it still hang during install of XP, and for Vista it is also quo status (freeze on progress bar...)

I found the solution... I just gave up and bought an ASUS R500A laptop with Intel i7, 8GB RAM and 750GB HDD with windows 7 pre installed... from bestBuy for $550 Cdn...

If I can brig this old laptop up and runing I'll either try to sell it, give it to my son or a local charity...  If not I'll keep the HDD and install it in an external enclosure and use it as an external drive and see if someone wants the rest for the parts...

I can't thank you enough for you help and support on this quest  you are from far the one who gave me the best advices and guidance...

Thanks,

Phil.