Using Factory Image .WIM to restore the computer

pixok said:

Hello
I have an HP Notebook laptop with Windows Vista recovery partition, i still have this partition but it can't boot when i press the F11 button, i think because i installed Ubunto .

I have tested lot of things, i tried to imagex the image HPFactory.wim located in a folder in the recovery partition, to avoid any bad surprises i have first tested this in virtualBox where i booted winpe and i followed instructions to apply the image to a partition and then i activated the boot by using bcdboot command like described here by Microsoft.
This solution worked for me but i just can boot my Vista in safe mode or by disabling improper drivers from loading but after this i noticed that windows Vista can't be validated and it ask me to enter a new valid key.

Now you know i did all this by using the WIM image (size=7Go) in VirtualBox and i don't feel that i can proceed to format my computer with few knoledges about installing Factory images.
I can't use my vista key located in the sticker because it's damaged and i can't read it all.
thank you for help !

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The reason why you are having trouble is because the system image is made only for the computer that it came on. It won't work properly in Virtualbox or on any other pc. It will auto-validate if it is installed on your pc, not in Virtualbox.

windude99 said:

The reason why you are having trouble is because the system image is made only for the computer that it came on. It won't work properly in Virtualbox or on any other pc. It will auto-validate if it is installed on your pc, not in Virtualbox.

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Thank you windude !
I think what you said is true but i don't know if i proceed like i described will give me enough chances to auto-validate Vista ? because i just used one file in the recovery partition to restore the image however there is lot of files i didn't use that are stored in recovery partition that i think are importants (boot.sdi ; bootfix.bin ; bcd ; hpfactory.mbr and other files).

Welcome
Windude is correct, but there may be another way to save space and yet have a back up in the event of a problem
Whenever you have too many system restore points utilizing valuable space, delete all but the most current. If you have a problem and that one point is not sufficient. Use the back up that you have made with Macrium Relfect and made on your external hard drive
Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download
An alternative solution is just reduce the amount of HD space used by the System Restore points.
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76227-system-restore-disk-space.html
A current image of your hard drive is always good policy. It saved my neck once, too.

richc46 said:

...Use the back up that you have made with Macrium Relfect and made on your external hard drive
Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download
....
A current image of your hard drive is always good policy. It saved my neck once, too.

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Hi richc
I have not created already any image of my partitions, so i think i can't sort it out doing this, what i need is to deploy the wim image to the c: partition and give it the files needed from recovery partition to auto-validate win vista.