Win XP and Upgrade to Vista

Don't forget to check the box that says show updates when you are in the add/remove dialog box.

This may be what you are missing
Also
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950376

Is the Vista DVD 64-bit?  If that is the case, you must do a fresh install. There is no upgrade from 32-bit to 64-bit.

No, all x32.  The XP and Vista discs are Dell provided when new.

Then back up the data and perform a clean Vista install.

Geez...you guys are a wealth of bad news........lol..lol...

Sounds like my only real option is a full reload.

Thanks for the help.

The above solutions might very well work to get Vista successfully installed, but after the time and effort you already spent on this install, and the severely bloated OS that Vista is, the questions is:  Why would you want to continue down this road?

Windows 7 will definitely run on this system, has much less overhead and is significantly more stable than Vista, and it's cost should be offset by the time saved on the continued efforts to install Vista.

I'd take the difficulties encountered as an omen - and move on to Windows 7 ASAP.

I'm with Protech
you may as well do the smart thing and upgrade now instead of waiting 3-4 years and seeing if your clients apps can all be taken down and reinstalled again causing more upgrade issues.
Stay with the system that will be around another 10-12 years and that way he will know if his current systems and future systems will stand the test of time.

If you need an earlier version for something there is always VM

I agree with first comment by: TG-TIS

XP was and is solid. Vista was and is unstable and near unusable what with all the incompatibilities. So many have asked help to revert to XP from Vista. Now XP is no longer supported while more vulnerabilities are released.

If you want Vista, load it clean as in install not upgrade, and do not plan to add or upgrade anything.

Your best answer is clean install of Windows 7, with v8 alternate once you've the experience and desire now that it has upgrades to make it more usable.

Windows 7 was essentially Vista with all its upgrades and patches, and should be available OTS as an upgraded version itself, lending more stability and functionality prior to linking to MS upgrade site.

Unless your client is experienced and versatile with Vista, they will likely be dissatisfied and either desire your continued support or discredit your effort. I concur with comment by: ProTechComputing especially, and others with similar content. Simplify (KISS it).

Ignore OS 'upgrade' or disk from manufacturer with 'add-ons', rather get the clean Microsoft install version of OS. If leary of losing data, a simple resolution is to just get another disk drive for the primary, they've become ridiculously economical (cheap), and your client will not only retain data (now 2nd drive), you'll be providing them with vast increase in storage capability as well as 'more modern' OS. Future brag rights.

FTR, I'm all for a Win 7 upgrade, new hardware, new OS.  Unfortunately, the client believes that his 5 year old laptop still has some life i it and it will be with Vista since he won't buy the Win 7.  Crazy, but true.  About this time next year I'll be setting up his new laptop and he'll be happy for getting another year out of his laptop.  Go figure.  Pennywise, pound foolish.

Agreed,

oh clients clients clients.. Hire someone smart just to disregard their advice. I feel bad for them until I copy their music :P

try removing powershell with revo  http://www.revouninstaller.com/

You could try to remind of current lack of XP support means lack of Vista support near future, and how it is so incompatible, perhaps with currently used H/W S/W, and likely fail.

While unaware of your available copy of upgrade, I do recall one disk I was able to tweak, for when it did not perform well enough out of the box, I found it had some batch files to kick off the loading of OS with some warnings, choices. Maybe for user's language.

So before giving up, try to browse the disk. If it has such batch files you can load to hard drive to edit and run in the ram then exit to the dvd for the bulk program extraction process. There may be a test for powershell that you can comment out. Where powershell is similar to batch, this may be reason it needs to be removed, that there is similar startup code on the dvd (that has an incompatibility you may need to address once moved to HD). While this may be more work, it may also permit you to tweak some other feature coded in the upgrade for your advantage.

Consider that DVD may be trying to run powershell present on DVD but path is miscoded to prefer the HD version. Simple fix for that.

While I agree on Windows 7 as a strategy for the future, a properly installed Vista system is stable and reliable. I ran it for nearly 2 years as a business consulting system with zero reliability issues.

So if you want to do Vista for as long as this computer will run, you can do it. If you wish to convince the user to purchase Windows 7 for the future, it really wants to be 64-bit and so probably means a newer computer.

Did we answer your question completely?

Question was properly answered. I had thought that I had closed this.  I'll re-do.  Thanks all, Jim

Hi jwhite,

To close a question, all you do is click Accept Multiple Solutions or Accept as Solution and click the Grade at the bottom. The question will close immediately.

Hope this makes it easier next time.

I've requested that this question be deleted for the following reason:

Not enough information to confirm an answer.

I answered this question in my post http:#a40016459 and the author jswhite agreed in the following post.

Others assisted as well.

This post should be closed awarding points to:

http:#a40016459   Thinkpads_User
http:#a40016418   TG-TIS