Vista files

**noflynn** · 03 Sep 2010

Where can i find vista files on my computer please?

Nof

**Brink** · 03 Sep 2010

Hello Nof, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Any specific Vista files or programs that you are looking for?

Most are located in the C:\Windows folder.

**Lorien** · 04 Sep 2010

I'm not sure if I'm on track here, so if I'm off base just ignore this.

You indicate your OS is W7 in your System Specs but you are interested in Vista files. If you recently upgraded or converted to W7 from Vista (and Vista is not your current OS), some of your old Vista information may still be available depending on how you did the change. If that is the case, the files in C:\Windows will be W7 files - not Vista files. Check to see if you have a file called Windows.old in the C:\ root drive. If so, information and many of your Vista files may be located there (and pretty much only there). While this can help retrieve data, it can't recover programs or settings or anything like that. This may help if data recovery is your objective: How to restore your personal files after you perform a custom installation of Windows Vista or of Windows 7. If you decide you want to remove the Windows.old folder (if you have one), to conserve space and know you'll never need it again, then there's a special way to do it as follows: How do I remove the Windows.old folder?.

Please do not move system files from Windows.old into your other W7 OS folders as there's no telling what that might do to your system - if there's a feature you want from Vista that's not present in W7 or W7 is giving you an error that it is missing a file, please do not try to use the Vista versions or programs to "fix" W7 as it most likely will not work and may cause you some problems (small ones or perhaps even major ones depending on what you do). Post your real problem here and we'll try to help you fix it the right way.

If you set-up a dual-boot system with both Windows 7 and Vista, then I'm not quite sure where your Vista files might be. Probably on C:\ drive if Vista was installed first - but that doesn't absolutely need to be the case. We'd need more information about what you did before being able to correctly answer your question if this is the case. Post back and tell us what you did if you have a dual-boot system.

I hope this helps.

Good luck!

**niemiro** · 04 Sep 2010

Some good points, but, just for your information in future:

Check to see if you have a file called Windows.old in the C:\Windows folder

Windows.old is located straight on the C:\ drive.

If you set-up a dual-boot system with both Windows 7 and Vista, then I'm not quite sure where your Vista files might be. Probably on C:\ drive if Vista was installed first - but that doesn't absolutely need to be the case. We'd need more information about what you did before being able to correctly answer your question if this is the case. Post back and tell us what you did if you have a dual-boot system.

Someone correct me if I am wrong with any of this

The system files are always on the C:\ drive. In a duel boot system, if you boot into Windows 7, then Windows 7 puts the partition with its system files onto the C:\ drive. If you boot into Vista, the same thing will happen. Now the Vista files are on the C:\ drive. So, the currently running Operating System (Windows only) will always have its file on the C:\ drive. Always. Arguably more accurate, the active partition on the currently used hard disk is marked as C:\. There is a slight difference between partitions marked to be made Active on boot, and partitions currently active.

Drive letters are relative to the Operating System running. Displays in Disk Management are not. This relates to the port the hard disk data cable is plugged into. This is not relative to the Operating System running.

Assuming that all hard disk re-connect properly, and don't need fiddling with (ie they appear in Computer, and not just Disk Management):

Partition on a disk are listed in order of which one has been marked as the Active Partition, the Active partition being assigned a letter first. The Disk Management view is to do with where on the hard disk drive the file are actually stored, in a round about way.

Let us assume that we have Vista installed from the factory, on HDD 1, in slot one, with the Recovery Partition on it. Let us assume that another hard disk has been added, Windows 7 installed, and then partitioned for Windows Data (ie not Ubuntu or anything like that)

We would normally see (not always)

C:\ Windows 7 partition
D:\ Windows Data Partition. It is on the same physical disk, but not the active partition
E:\ Vista partition. Is the Partition set to be the Active Partition
F:\ RECOVERY partition. Second hard disk (relative to Windows 7) and is the partition not marked as Active.

Anyway, I think some of that at least is correct. Feel free to correct, this is not my strongest area of computer. Good help Lorien!

Richard

**noflynn** · 06 Sep 2010

Thsnk you all. I find a wealth of information freely given to be beyond the call of duty as said!
I have eMachine G250 sold with Vista, windows basic, celeron, 4gb hertz
I downloaded W 7 maybe 8-9 months ago. Recently I discovered that W7 is not compatible with my model. I need to use Vista however I cannot find it using your hints. No Windows old file. Nothing on the disk has any files of Vista. Perhaps I deleted thos files.

I think I need to download Vista and reinstall it. If it comes down like an other prg then it will come with an install prg and away I go. Sound easy! Anything I have left out?

Please excuse my on again off again replies. My concentration is getting shorter ev day, woe is me.

Thanks again,

nof

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Need a Vista Approved in Encodder that encodes all video files and media files	Samiann79	Vista General	5	16 Nov 2008
Are picture files on USB automatically stored in Vista temp files?	october	Vista music pictures video	1	26 Jun 2008
Vista Offline Files - over 1 minute to delay to access files	Greg Jimson	Vista file management	2	06 Dec 2007
Can't share files except Public files on Vista Systems	Andy Vabulas	Vista networking & sharing	3	11 Sep 2007
Access Vista Install DVD Files-Replace Corrupt Files	uvbogden	Vista General	0	22 Aug 2007

Vista files

Re: Vista files

Re: Vista files

Re: Vista files

Re: Vista files

Posting Permissions