Vista install question/problem

[NCBob]

Trying to install beta 1 (build 5112) on an Intel P4, 1.3G with 2 HDD, not SATA.

HDD1 has win2K, win98, win2kserver

HDD2 has XP and this is where I am trying to install Vista to a 2nd partition on this drive. This drive is the 2nd drive on the cable. The version I am installing is from DVD from Technet.

Install runs fine when started from XP.

Does 1 reboot and continues.

Does 2nd reboot and when left alone boots to a screen with a dos prompt behind it. The message says that "This environment should only be used to recover from a failed installation. Type exit at the prompt and restart." When I type exit the system shuts down and reboots. If I let this continue, it is an endless loop.

The install winds up with 2 boot managers. The vista one first, which gives me the choice of Vista or Legacy.

The default is Vista which leads to the endless loop above.

If I choose Legacy, I can get to Win2k and XP. My other 2 choices in Legacy are Vista and Vista setup. ???

If I choose Vista, it boots to a black screen with the message, "Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt : <windows root>\system32\hal.dll. Please reinstall a copy."

I copied the latest version of the hal.dll on my system to the system32 folder but this did not help. The system starts to boot and just freezes with a black screen and a white progress bar with no text.

Any suggestions appreciated.

[gunsmokingman]

Hit f8 and try the various options there.