[2002transam]

I have a toshiba laptop computer that was running windows 7, I started having problems with some of my programs so I decided to format the hard drive and reload it with windows vista since I already had the operating system. It is set to load from the disk, when it loads I go through the process of putting in the key, accepting the license terms, the upgrade tab has been disabled so I chose the custom tab and it goes to where do you want to install windows it show my drive highlited: Disk Unallocate Space Total Size: 464.3GB/ Free Space: 464.3 and on the bottom of the screen it reads; This computers hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disk's controller is enabled in the computer's BIOS menu. I have no idea what that means! so I click on Next and it reads: Windows is unable to find a system volume that meets its criteria for installation and the diks unallocated space is still highlighted. I would appreciate any help with this since I have been trying to get it up and working for a month and a half.

Thanks,
Ronnie

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Is looks like you're trying to install Windows Vista over Windows 7 before you've formatted the drive. Have you fully formatted the drive which has Windows 7 installed before trying to install Window Vista to it?

You may have to disable AHCI and run in Legacy mode

Edited by MikeMason, 09 August 2012 - 01:39 PM.

[MikeMason]

Is looks like you're trying to install Windows Vista over Windows 7 before you've formatted the drive. Have you fully formatted the drive which has Windows 7 installed before trying to install Window Vista to it?

You may have to disable AHCI and run in Legacy mode

Edited by MikeMason, 09 August 2012 - 01:39 PM.

[rshaffer61]

What was the original OS that was installed on the system? It should be on a sticker on the bottom of the laptop.
When you formatted did you get rid of the recovery partition that was on the hard drive also?
Where did the Vista disk come from and is it presently loaded on another system using the serial number with the disk?

[2002transam]

The OS on it was windows 7 home premium, I bought the windows vista off of ebay and was suppose to be brand new and the serial number has never been used. And yes when I formatted the hard drive the recovery partion was deleted also. I am going to attach the system information that I printed before I did anything to the computer, maybe it will help. I am also trying to load the 64 bit programs. I also just purchase a brand new in the box never opened windows 7 ultimate and when I try to load it it does the same thing.

Thanks  Toshiba Laptop.pdf   223.03KB   148 downloads

Edited by 2002transam, 10 August 2012 - 12:18 PM.

[2002transam]

Yes because when I start the computer up with out a os disk, it will go through a start up step, this is what is on the screen:

Intel UNDI, PXE-2.1 (BIULD 082)
Copyright Atheros PCIE Ethernet Controller v2.0.0.4(03/03/09
Client Mac ADDR:00 26 9E 3E 6C 13 GUID:403AD1A6-A5BB-DC11-8799-00269E3E6C13
PXE-E51: NO DHCP or Proxydhcp OFFERS WERE RECEIVED.
PXE-MOF: Exiting Intel PXE ROM.
Operating System not found.
And it does nothing else from there.

Thanks,

[rshaffer61]

From your original post it looks like the partition is not formatted and maybe even not setup yet. It shows as unallocated then the partition isn't setup.
Does it ask you about setting up the partition and then formatting it using NTFS before it starts to install?
Are these full versions of Win7 or upgrades?

[rshaffer61]

Intel UNDI, PXE-2.1 (BIULD 082)
Copyright Atheros PCIE Ethernet Controller v2.0.0.4(03/03/09
Client Mac ADDR:00 26 9E 3E 6C 13 GUID:403AD1A6-A5BB-DC11-8799-00269E3E6C13
PXE-E51: NO DHCP or Proxydhcp OFFERS WERE RECEIVED.
PXE-MOF: Exiting Intel PXE ROM.
Operating System not found.
And it does nothing else from there.

This means it is trying to boot to a network. In the bios go to boot sequence and make sure it says
Cdrom and then hd.
Nothing else should be in the boot sequence unless you want to setup to boot to a USB device.

[2002transam]

No it doesen't ask for any of those, When boots from the disk it goes to INSTALL NOW,THEN IT WILL ASK FOR THE PRODUCT KEY,THEN TO ACCEPT LICENSE TERMS, THEN WHICH TYPE OF INSTALLATION DO YOU WANT?
UPGRADE OR CUSTOM (ADVANCED) the upgrade has been disabled and custom is the only one highlighted and can click on. It says to upgrade, start the installation from windows.

[rshaffer61]

Yep upgrade should be greyed out because you are doing a fresh install. I have a hunch and if you would please do the following.

Run hard drive diagnostics: http://www.tacktech....ay.cfm?ttid=287
Make sure, you select tool, which is appropriate for the brand of your hard drive.
Depending on the program, it'll create bootable floppy, or bootable CD.
If downloaded file is of .iso type, use ImgBurn: http://www.imgburn.com/ to burn .iso file to a CD (select "Write image file to disc" option), and make the CD bootable.

NOTE. If your hard drive is made by Toshiba, try the Hitachi DFT CD Image version of the software

Thanks to Broni for the instructions

[2002transam]

Ok, this will take me while to do, I am not sure how to do this I don't know to much about computers when it comes to this, I can load software as long as there is no problem like this but thanks alot. I will let you know how it goes.

[rshaffer61]

OK you are going to download the manufacturer diagnostic tool for your hard drive. If you are not sure who makes your hard drive then get the SeaTools DOS CD ISO.

If you do know just make sure it is the DOS cd ISO version. The reason for that is then the system will boot to the cdrom and doesn't need the hard drive for anything but testing. Since you can't load Windows I am suspecting something is wrong with the hard drive.