One thing you should check is ensure that you have the very latest Vista
drivers for all devices, even though your PC is Vista ready, the drivers may
not be the latest, the PC may have been build 12mths ago and new drivers are
being released regularly.
Go to the Dell website and see if there are any device upgrades or go
directly to the device manufacturers website & check for new ones
Set your MS update service to advise you that upgrade are available but you
install them. Don't install any MS upgrades for you devices,
Even though the driver for the modem installed, was it a Vista driver? If
not that maybe part of your problem.

--
Regards
Bob J
If advise given from anyone, solves problem or not, or if solved from
another source,post back & let us know.
Then we all benefit.



"Frustrated" wrote:
[color=blue]
> Hi,
>
> I just got a new Dell Inspiron 530 (Intel Core2 Duo processor E8200) on
> Friday, with Windows Vista Home Premium on it. I spent the weekend setting
> up the PC and exploring Vista (it's the first time I've used it). Everything
> was working fine until Tuesday morning, when the automatic updates applied
> SP1.
>
> I left the PC on when I went to work as it was installing update 1 of 3 for
> SP1. When I got home, the PC said that Windows was unable to start as asked
> if I wanted it to try to repair itself. It tried that four times and said it
> could not repair the problem. One of the options it gave me was to restore
> to a previous point (pre SP1). I tried that option but Vista still won't
> start.
>
> I finally resorted to the last option it gave me, which was restoring to the
> factory setup as it was delivered to me (which reformats the hard drive).
> After completing this, Vista did start normally. However it immediately told
> me it had 14 updates to apply, after which I was back to the same problem of
> Vista not being able to start.
>
> I made three hardware changes to the PC. I installed a second SATA hard
> drive, I installed a firewire/USB port card, and I installed an old PCI
> modem. The only reason for the modem is that we have a security system, and
> you have to use the modem to connect to it to make any program changes.
> Vista accepted the second hard drive and firewire card fine. It did need to
> download drivers for the modem, but then said it installed fine.
>
> As a last ditch effort (before being on the phone for hours with Dell), I
> plan to disconnect the second hard drive and remove the firewire and modem
> cards. Basically restoring the hardware to the way it left the factory.
> Then I will try restoring the Dell factory image for Vista and seeing if the
> SP1 update works.
>
> I know I could disable automatic updates so that SP1 does not get applied,
> but I think that will cause all kinds of future headaches. If this last
> effort doesn't work, and Dell can't help me out, I'll probably roll back to
> XP. I really don't want to do that, but I'm not going to put up with an
> unstable OS either.
>
> Has anyone else had this kind of problem, or does anyone have any other
> suggestions that I could try? Thanks for the help!
>[/color]