Vista Forums - View Single Post - Windows Vista Recovery keeping registry files (Repair

**lakmilis** · 02-03-2009

Quote: Originally Posted by Malke

CoSNikO! wrote:

Quote:

> Thanks for reply Malke.
>
> The site that you linked is helpful only if you can log into windows.
>
> I want to ask if there is a way to save my installation from a boot
> environment. Like windows xp repair install.

No, I'm sorry but there is not. Most techs, including me, agree with you
that being able to do a repair install as in XP is A Good Thing but because
of the way Vista (and Windows 7) are installed - laying down an image
instead of copying individual files - a repair install is not possible.

So if you can't boot into Windows, retrieve your data using a rescue system
such as a Bart's PE or Linux Live CD (I prefer Knoppix) and clean-install
Vista. Reinstall your programs from installation media and copy over your
data from the backup you made.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
FAQ - index

What? With Vista I remember ages ago when I was trying manually to get Vista SP1 to work , I screwed up some system programs and ran repair to fix it. The repair utility is meant to be able to fix boot issues etc.. So it's not a lost cause. Also.. as I said.. in a boot environment or linux env. you are able to access many if not all folders to copy data. (This is better than nothing if you can't fix the boot so you would need to reinstall). Hell , you even can reset admin passwords or bypass them altogether from boot with vista (any non server windows) so I disagree with that opinion above! I have saved many installs by manually rebuilding boot environments or what else... but it all depends on what the specific cause/problem is.

regards,
lak

02-03-2009	#6 (permalink)
lakmilis Ultimate x64 69 posts	Re: Windows Vista Recovery keeping registry files (Repair - Reinst Quote: Originally Posted by Malke CoSNikO! wrote: Quote: > Thanks for reply Malke. > > The site that you linked is helpful only if you can log into windows. > > I want to ask if there is a way to save my installation from a boot > environment. Like windows xp repair install. No, I'm sorry but there is not. Most techs, including me, agree with you that being able to do a repair install as in XP is A Good Thing but because of the way Vista (and Windows 7) are installed - laying down an image instead of copying individual files - a repair install is not possible. So if you can't boot into Windows, retrieve your data using a rescue system such as a Bart's PE or Linux Live CD (I prefer Knoppix) and clean-install Vista. Reinstall your programs from installation media and copy over your data from the backup you made. Malke -- MS-MVP Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic! FAQ - index What? With Vista I remember ages ago when I was trying manually to get Vista SP1 to work , I screwed up some system programs and ran repair to fix it. The repair utility is meant to be able to fix boot issues etc.. So it's not a lost cause. Also.. as I said.. in a boot environment or linux env. you are able to access many if not all folders to copy data. (This is better than nothing if you can't fix the boot so you would need to reinstall). Hell , you even can reset admin passwords or bypass them altogether from boot with vista (any non server windows) so I disagree with that opinion above! I have saved many installs by manually rebuilding boot environments or what else... but it all depends on what the specific cause/problem is. regards, lak
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