I have a 'lent' Vista CD. Pop it in my desktop, boot from it, 'Windows is loading files', --> Vista setup screen.
Now into the HP Laptop.
1) Boot from CD/DVD takes a while to appear
2) Windows is loading files'
3) Now, 50% of the time a power reset, 50% a blank screen??
OK you ****, in goes my own XP CD and/or my UBCD Cd
Straight into setup??
This happens battery in or out. What is the difference in a Vista 'boot from DVD' and an XP 'boot from CD'?
Drivers and hardware, pure and simple.
Vista is loading drivers for the hardware it detects (and XP likewise), and Vista is encountering an issue with one piece of hardware which then causes the power reset or blank screen.
Do you have any specific driver disks for Vista for the laptop? indeed, has the laptop been Vista certified?