Repair Install For Vista

SUCCESS!!!!

I had been suffering from an inability to run Backup (with error 0x80070002) and had tried everything that had been suggested in several forums for about a month - to no avail, other than to discover that SFC /SCANNOW told me I had corrupt files that couldn't be fixed, although the CBS/log did not show anything suspicious (CHKDSK also revealed some unnamed files that could not be fixed).
Having wanted to avoid a clean install, I was very attracted by the Repair Install option you have described here so clearly and I'm very pleased to report that the second attempt to Repair Install Vista Home Premium (32 bit) from the Medion Recovery Disc (it offered the Upgrade option, despite your pessimism!) worked fine (critically, I had NOT installed SP1) AND I have now successfully run a backup!
For information, the second time, having finally managed to delete (from the FileRepository in C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore) the newer (but rejected) nVidia graphics drivers that always crash my PC, I ran it with UAC active, Windows Features turned off along with Virus & Spyware protection. It took about 2 hours (without Windows Updates - I have that pleasure to come!), and so far, everything except the Media Centre (and its remote control) seems to be working as expected.
Many, many thanks for such really useful information - so well presented for the amateur. I've been digging around other parts of your site and am equally impressed with other tutorials too. Keep up the good work.
John

Your welcome John, and welcome to Vista Forums.
I'm glad to hear that this was able to help you sort your problem.

Shawn

Is their anyway to do a repair install of Windows Vista Ultimate x64 if my installation DVD is an OEM version and I need to keep all my data?
Clean install may be a possibility if that's an option...
But I've also heard about a Dirty install but I believe that's more risky for possibility of data loss is that correct?
My purpose is that I think my Vista has some botched updates (or partials)(failed) which are corrupted and I want to get rid of them my only thought was do a repair install but for some reason I can't pull it off with my OEM DVD installation disk.
This issue is also preventing me from updating to VistaSP1 which my computer so desperately needs. When I was running Vista SP1 Beta (The Final Refresh Client Before The Final Release) my computer was running amazingly ever since Microsoft Call Support told me to uninstall the beta and try to do a clean install of SP1 my computer has been running like crap. Its true when they tell you that you'll be running a crippled system after the beta is gone. Please Help Me!!! Thank You.

Hi Folks

Personally, I think MS took a few steps Backwards with the Repair Installation routine in Vista.
Doing a repair install with XP was quick, efficient, and very Rarely did it cause any problems that I found. Doing a repair install in Vista is another story COMPLETELY!!! I have tried to do a repair install within Vista a number of times (due to some conflicts found later) and every one of them failed at around 98 to 99%...

Now that was frustrating to say the least, to get all that way and then have it fail at the finish line, and from what I've seen on the WWW, I'm not the only one who's had this issue.
Something in the way they've changed things with Vista, like being an "Image" now, has made repair installs very unstable and prone to failure nowadays it seems. Too bad because a Repair install was the best way to fix an OS that was just starting to get Funky.

EDIT: Thank you,I just downloaded the 64bit recovery disc. :P

Your welcome Sawyer, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Shawn

Thank you..

Will this ever be able to work with SP1?

Hi Celestial,

It will if you are able to create a Vista installation DVD with the SP1 slipstreamed into it. Afterwards, you will be able to use that DVD to run a repair install.

I'm in the process of testing vLite's process to see if they got it working yet to create one. If it works, I'm going to make a tutorial on it. I'll put you on my list and send you a PM when it is working. Plus, I'll put a link to it in this tutorial.

I hope it works,
Shawn

Ok Celestial,

The Vista Sp1 Slipstream Installation DVD tutorial is done.


Vista SP1 Slipstream Installation DVD


Shawn