Vista Strikes

After creating a RAID array that the computer didn't like and watching the tediously slow install of Vista crash time and time again we loudly swore at the computer, swapped some leads, and found it working at last. But not for long...

..."No hard disk", Vista reported, "F**k you, Vista", we replied "we have more hard disks than your fat momma has McDonald's lunches". We didn't really, cos we knew you have to install the drivers, but where's the fun in that?

Anyway, Vista, being so "helpful" allows you to install drivers off a USB key. Fine. Restart again with a USB key with drivers installed.

Hard disk found.

Next.

"Windows can see you have a hard disk, and that it works, and that it's big enough but ALAS it can't use it due to unspecified error 0x00000000"

Nads

"Oh and to add insult to injury, you can't just try again, Windows Installation must now quit, forever, and make you start again. Have a good day."

Fine. Restart. This time partition and format the drive. How do you like THEM bananas, Vista?

"Not much, actually, STILL can't see a Hard Disk. Despite having just let you partition and format it and it being all lit up in this pretty list"

Restart again. No other choice.

Thankfully, we had a good old Windows XP machine at hand with which to browse the internet and look up the answer.

And the answer is this: If vista boots up with a USB drive plugged in, it will assume (despite it not listing it, or telling you about it's assumptions) that you want to install it on the USB key, and OBVIOUSLY you don't have enough space (for Vista ~1-2TB minimum install), you STUPID user, why were you trying to install it on a USB key??!?! Haven't you heard of a Hard Disk?.

Eventually got it to see the disk and installation continued...

...and so did the fun.