I had already reinstalled the operating system twice before without any problem. Now, I can't format the drive clean because the computer says it doesn't have enough resources left to do that. Right now I think a solution might be to keep trying to initiate the second install to come up and if it does come up then I can get rid of enough files to do a reinstall. Of course if I try the third reinstall, then I might end up with three vistas. God knows what I would do then.
Clean install. Boot to the Bios. Change boot sequence to CD/DVD > Hard drive. Save & Exit. Continue to Desktop. Place Vista OS CD into CD/DVD. When prompted choose "exit w/o installing". (Leave CD in) Shut down computer. Re-boot and when prompted choose "boot from CD". Delete existing partitions (Warning: you will lose ALL data!) Re-format new partition. Follow instructions for a completely clean re-install. Good to go.
Maybe with Partition Magic you could reformat the HD and get ride of the newer Vista install: http://www.soft32.com/download_151.html But I agree with the poster who said, you should just do a clean install and whipe out everything.
I agree with killthesunshine. Clean format and clean install probably is your best bet. But you need to be willing to let go everything that's on the disk drive (backup your data, etc..) There are different ways. 1) If you have a second computer (desktop or laptop will be fine). You can mount your Dell's hard drive through a IDE, or SATA, or use one of those USB-IDE, USB-SATA adapters as an external drive. Then you can format it at will. 2) If that Dell is your only computer, then as killthesunshine suggested change the CMOS boot sequence to boot from your installation CD/DVD and set your partition then install as new. 3) Partition Magic (a software app) may work but it requires disk space to install. You may be up against you predicament.
I always zero a drive with a disc zero utility before installing an OS. Absent that utility, you can use a long format. It's just my opinion it makes for the cleanest install you can get.
I also do the same as you and write all zeros to the HD disk using the HD manufactures disk utility that came with the HD or download the utility from the HD manufacture. This restores the HD to the condition as when received from the HD manufacture.
there is no way to do a clean removal after all this what makes a computer running in the first place, clean installing is wtg.
A few months ago I reinstalled an OS and a friend of mine who works in computers told me any disc zero utility will work with any manufacturers drives regardless of who makes the utility. I have not tested that theory but this guy is very qualified. It does make sense especially since it's a DOS program.
You're having problems because you carried over old corrupted settings from your 1st install. You didn't pick the clean-install option, but did an upgrade-install. There's no need to zero the HD, that takes a tonne of time and is completely unnecessary. Here's what you do: 1. boot up drive with Vista DVD in drive (make sure BIOS is set to boot from CD/DVD) 2. press a key to boot from DVD instead of HD when message appears 3. you'll get a prompt saying: Windows Setup [ems enabled], hit <enter> 4. pick Language, Time and Currency format, Keyboard=US, click NEXT 5. click INSTALL NOW 6. check ON "I accept license terms" --> NEXT 7. pick CUSTOM (Advanced) installation option 8. in "Where do you want to install Windows?" window, click on DRIVE OPTIONS (advanced) 9. highlight Disk0 Partition1 and click on DELETE, then OK 10. highlight Disk0 UnallocatedSpace and pick NEXT 11. then it'll say Copying files (0%), wait about 15-20 minutes for it to install and that's it!