Intallation error 0x80070003, cannot install Vista

When i am trying to make a clean installation of windows vista install Home Premium on my system then i get an error saying "Windows cannot install required files. The file does not exist. Make sure all files required for installation are available, and restart the installation. Error code: 0x80070003. " and the installation process stops. I dont know which file it is looking for, its not giving me any information regrading that file. I have tried running installation process several times but no luck it, i am getting same error message every time. Can anyone help me out with this?

Can you just let me know if you are having an upgrade disk or full retail version one ? i mean if it is an upgrade disk then you will have to run the installation within windows, You wont be able to do a clean install using it. Just let me know what Ive asked so that i can understand your problem better and will suggest you possible fix for it.

Scott2580 i am already aware of that, i am not having upgrade disk but it is a full retail version disk. I have clearly mentioned in my very first post that i am trying to do a clean install of windows vista. Anyways Ive checked regarding same error in other forum where people have mentioned to unplug drives and devices which are no required for the installation. I am not having extra drive connected to my system and as far as usb devices connected to my system is concerned i am having keyboard, mouse and Ethernet connected to it. I dont think there should be any issue because of them.

I am facing exactly the same error, it seems as if there is something wrong with id but i am not sure about it. The installation process starts up fine but it gets hangs at 15% expanding files saying ""Windows cannot install required files. The file does not exist. Make sure all files required for installation are available, and restart the installation". By now i have tried restarting installation several times, disconnecting all devices which are not required for the installation like printer,scanner, extra drive but no luck. I have tried using other vista installation dvd as well and i am getting same response form it. My friend have made a clean install using same dvd a week ago and he did not had any issue as such, I am not able to make out whats wrong in my case. Since i am getting an error message saying files cannot be found i think there is something wrong going on with my hard disk. I have been looking after a fix for this issue in several other forums and have come across some facing same error as well but i haven't found a single solution to be mentioned as working. I really dont know what to do know, i just want to install Vista anyhow as soon as possible, so any help regrading this will be highly appreciated.

Since you both have mentioned that you are trying to do a clean install of windows vista install Home Premium, i wanted to know if you have formatted your system drive on which you are trying to install it?? if not then format it first and then try out the installation and check out if you are getting same error message or installation runs fine after that. It is recommended to format the drive when doing a clean installation of any operating system.

Guys if you are not able to install windows vista directly using vista installation dvd then you can try out installing xp first. Once you install xp successfully you can download vista setup package, unpacking the iso files and run the installation from within windows. If at all that doesn't help then you can try installing vista over xp using vista installation dvd. I think one of these solution should probably help you out. Just give it a try and post back the result you get, best of luck.

Yes guy's Gonzo is quite right, you both should try out what he has suggested. If you still dont get any luck with his solution then you can take out the drive from your system, install it in other system having similar board and try out the installation there. If it gets installed properly then you can connect back it to your system. There are possibilities that there might be something wrong with bios setting of your board which might not be allowing it vista to get installed.