WIN Reinstall with no D: drive

[traineespark]

Hi all, new to forum! Its cool. So much good advice....

My prob is i'm trying to fix my laptop... 2009 Toshiba Satellite... win vista failed, so HDD needs to be formatted and reinstalled! The D drive wont work... it will be a few weeks before it arrives. i want to reinstall windows now... I have set up vista premium on a flash drive... it goes through "windows is loading files" at dos then blank black screen with cursor next... then it hangs... is the HDD kaputt?

Regards
Joe

[Geek-9pm]

Welcome!
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What does this mean?

I have set up vista premium on a flash drive.

Did you try using the original Vista disc?

[patio]

How exactly did you set up this flash drive ? ?
And is the laptop able to boot to a USB device ? ?

[traineespark]

I have a vista disk... but the CD drive is busted.... like i said

Usb is set up as primary boot device... I have googled how to set up windows on a usb for installation from here:

http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-install-windows-7vista-from-usb-drive-detailed-100-working-guide/

[patio]

OK...looks like the instructions are correct.
How much RAM is in this laptop and what OS was originally installed ? ?
Were you having HDD issues prior to this ? ?
Are you installing with AC power and not on battery ? ?
This is a must for an install.

[traineespark]

2gb ram...
vista 32 premium...
HDD cluttered and probably infected as *censored* (brother had laptop in college!)
Laptop plugged in beside me yes!

Jus to note i got "killdisk" USB version for dos... so currently formatting the C drive now... It will prob take 40mins... so hopefully that will tell let me know if the HDD is wrecked

Its run via the USB flash drive...

[patio]

If there are 2 RAM sticks try removing one of them before the install...
The only other reason it would hiccup like that is if it's an "ahem" version of Vista

[traineespark]

Its the Original "ahem" version that came with it

Interesting.... what does removing of ram stick do?

[patio]

There are documented issues with Vista being installed with more than 1 stik of RAM...
Only on certain MBoard setups...

[traineespark]

interesting....

killdisk is still running... it will take a while. if that doesnt sort will try that....

But im trying to install with USB... Vista setup doesnt even start....

[patio]

But im trying to install with USB... Vista setup doesnt even start....

If this is happening then you need to revisit those instructions....

[Geek-9pm]

Toshiba makes an external DVD drive for about $50.

[patio]

Personally i think it's the "ahem" ver. of Vista that's the culprit here...