Consider the following scenario:

• You try to use an unattended answer file (Unattend.xml) to install Windows Vista.
• To do this, you specify the value of the InstallToAvailablePartition XML element as “true” in the Unattend.xml file.
• The computer does not have an existing system volume. For example, there is no valid active partition on the boot disk.

In this scenario, you may receive the following error message during the installation of Windows Vista:

Windows could not prepare the computer to boot into the next phase of installation.

Note: The InstallToAvailablePartition XML element is in the following section of the Unattend.xml file:
[ImageInstall]\[OSImage]\[InstallToAvailablePartition]

• EasyBCD 1.6 Released!
  EasyBCD is a tool for configuring booting of multiple operating systems. This version has rewritten Linux support, among many other improvements.
  (tags: Software Dual Boot )
• Updated Olympus RAW Codec
  Olympus has updated their RAW codec to include 64-bit support.
  (tags: Codec RAW Olympus )
• VMware upgrade adds Vista support
  Vista support in VMware is now official. VMwar Workstation 6 supports Vista as the guest or host OS, as well as a number of other cool options.
  (tags: Virtualization Software Compatibility )
• Windows Vista AppReadiness
  A database of applications and their Vista ‘readiness’. There’s a ton of data here!
  (tags: Software Compatibility )
• Why Windows Vista is Doing Better Than You Think
  Some interesting information about Vista’s device support, and testing.
  (tags: Device Drivers )
• Microsoft Launches Bulgarian Version of Vista, Office
  The first time Windows is available completely translated to Bulgarian.
  (tags: Sales )

EasyBCD is a tool for configuring booting of multiple operating systems. This version has rewritten Linux support, among many other improvements. Keep reading →

Two of the methods I describe on this site are included (See tip #9 & tip #50) and a third that requires use of a Linux boot disc. Keep reading →

Programs that manipulate volume blocks during the boot process, either directly or by using the FSCTL_MOVE_FILE control code, may cause data corruption or data loss in Windows Vista and in Microsoft Windows Server 2003. In this case, a drive volume may become unmountable. Additionally, you may be unable to start Windows.

Note: Defragmentation programs that perform tasks early in the boot process, before the Autochk.exe program finishes, are one example of the kind of program that may experience this problem.

Most dual-boot scenarios start with Windows XP and then add Vista. This one starts with Vista, and then adds Windows XP… Keep reading →

When you start Windows Vista, you receive the following error message:

File: \Boot\BCD
Status: 0xc0000034
Info: The Windows Boot Configuration Data file is missing required information

You may experience the following problems on a Windows Vista-based computer that is using an NVIDIA nForce 430/410 (also known as MCP 51) Southbridge chipset:

• When you start the computer, no operating system is found. Additionally, you may receive an error message that resembles the following:
  

  No Operating System (OS) Found

  This problem may occur even though the computer has been operating correctly for some time. For example, the computer may have been operating for hours, for days, or for weeks. When you examine the NTFS file system boot sector, the NTFS boot record may have been moved by a multiple of 4 bytes.

• Random data corruption may affect any files on the computer.

When you try to start a Microsoft Windows XP-based computer after an unsuccessful upgrade to Windows Vista, the computer does not start. Instead, a black screen appears together with a blinking underscore.

You may experience this issue if the computer uses a third-party boot manager program such as PowerQuest BootMagic or GRand Unified Bootloader (GRUB).

When you try to run the BitLocker Drive Encryption program, you receive the following error message in a BitLocker Drive Encryption Error dialog box:

Cannot run.
The path specified in the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) for a BitLocker Drive Encryption integrity-protected application is incorrect. Please verify and correct your BCD settings and try again.