infuriating installation error

"an error occurred while preparing windows setup to boot into the next stage of setup"
After working through many many errors in a valiant struggle against the various evils of Windows Vista installation, I have stumbled on a foe that seems to be completely impossible to conquer; I've decided to reach out for help! Every single time I try to install Vista by booting off of my DVD, (I've burned two different copies at 2x, both of which give me the same error) I get the same annoyingly general error message. After I enter the key code and picked the drive, I'm politely informed that SOMETHING went wrong, and then sends me back to the "Install now" page. Armed with the knowledge that SOMETHING has gone wrong, I have been systematically poking and prodding my way through the internet looking for a solution. Has anyone at all seen this message and found a way to make it work? I have several computers, a handheld, and a baseball bat ready, as I am willing to do anything to solve it.