Vista - Want To Make/Create Clean Wista 64-bit Install Including Drivers, Basic Programs, With ALL Your Configuring and Data Restoration Done

Does MS or any 3rd party developer make a truly easy clean install of
Vista 64-bit (Windows in general) that one creates which would include
the installation of all drivers you include, all applications you
include, and everything configured the way you like it after 3 days of
configuring?? Instructions on how to create this install would
suffice.

The idea or dream is... A year later after your or my machine slows
down for unknown reasons (the untouchable registry has hundreds of
orphaned lines that cannot be removed) you do a last backup of all
data including certain programs and system data, with driver, program,
and data updates to your customized Install Vista-64 bit CD/DVD,
format C:\ and continue running this Install that lays everything back
the way it was but with a cleaned up Registry and files in
half-an-hour.

What this would mean to me... I would not be so concerned about some
program I just add messing up the whole works including permanent
remnants in the Registry or the need to install the OS being put off
indefinitely until something bad finally happens that forces you to
drop whatever and start going through this long boring process.

Thanks

~<Susan>~

On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 18:25:22 -0500, "Rick Rogers" <rick@xxxxxx>
wrote:
Yes, for better or worse I'm using Vista Ultimate's own Backup to both
backup the entire PC periodically--only what has changed; and backup
data Files automatically--only what has changed. The problem I can
figure out how to get around is how to restore or create a clean
Registry easily.

I guess what I really wish is if Vista/Windows 7 had a way to create a
new clean Registry bounded by only what it sees installed at the time,
i.e., if nothing Symantec or Webroot, for instance, were installed
then it would not add any old remnants of that software in the new
Registry files.

~<Susan>~

> Yes, for better or worse I'm using Vista Ultimate's own Backup to both

You can do a registry backup at any time and keep a copy for for restoration
to that state if you wish. (An absolute must if you are editing the
registry)
Fraught with problems though, ... for example ..... if you made a registry
backup then installed Norton and decided three months later that you wanted
to get rid of it, you would be able to restore the registry to the state it
was prior to the install , ..... however ..... all other registry changes
made during that period would also be lost. That would create its own set of
problems.

On Mon, 26 Jan 2009 12:57:03 +0900, "diggerop" <toobusy@xxxxxx>
wrote:
Exactly...well, thanks.

~<Susan>~

On Mon, 26 Jan 2009 12:57:03 +0900, "diggerop" <toobusy@xxxxxx>
wrote:
Are Restore Points backup copies of the Registry only? Anything else?
Thanks.

Restore points save all updates to programs and registry files.

I found out the hard way that, although the restore operation claims not to
change personal files, it happily deleted my self-created .reg and .cmd
files, and downloaded programs I had stashed, even though they were stored
in my personal folder.

It's a typical-for-MS, brutally dumb process that simply 'rolls back' any
changes to 'system files', whatever their location.


"Susan" <UCE@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:gg5rq457ko3jn8bvkrirga0005sbk9a3di@xxxxxx

Try vlite. I've not used it myself yet because I just upgraded to Vista with the new computer but I have used nlite (for windows xp) and it worked great. The developer is constantly working on the program and you can ask him questions at msfn.org at their forums (user nuhi).

The program will allow you to slipstream service packs, recent security updates, your favorite programs and different configurations as well as remove things you don't like/use. Very good program nlite was and I'd highly imagine vlite is just as good.

Anyway, vlite seems to be what you're looking for. vLite - Windows Vista configuration tool

On Tue, 3 Mar 2009 18:24:35 -0600, "DaveD" <dd@xxxxxx> wrote:
Are you saying that although restoring to a Restore Point can do a
whole lot more it does include the Registry too? If I'm about to mess
around with the Registry is making a Restore Point the easiest way to
recover the Registry if something goes wrong?

On Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:36:31 -0800, Susan <UCE@xxxxxx> wrote:
Okay, in Vista Ultimate 64-bit, when describing the importance of
backing up the Registry before tinkering with anything in it, there is
more then one way to do this. You can make copies of the two registry
files and locate them elsewhere or create a Restore Point? The later
is easiest to do, not currently remembering the two reg file names,
but is that what one is describing when saying to make a backup of the
Registry? Although I haven't tried it and suspect it might take a
while, I think one could close the whole Registry tree and export it?

Thanks.

"Susan" <UCE@xxxxxx> wrote in message news:d872r41b9s16emjk580qrbr375eegr1ct9@xxxxxxI think the last time the registry consisted of two files was Win 98.
The registry now has several 'hives' , most living in c:\windows\system32\config.
The registry hives are files called Security, Sam, Default, Software, System etc.
They have no extension.
To backup the registry I use Erunt:
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/
This program needs to be run as Admin to backup the registry.
It also has a daily backup routine on a 30 day cycle but this will only work with UAC disabled.
To instigate a daily backup with UAC enabled you can use Task Scheduler.

To create the task:
Control Panel > System & Maintenance > Admin Tools > Schedule task.
Actions > Create basic task.
Name > Whatever you want.
Description > Whatever you want.
Next.
Trigger > When computer starts.
Next.
Action > Start a program.
Next.
Program/Script > Browse to c:\Program Files\Erunt\Autoback.exe.
Open.
Add arguments(optional) > %systemroot%\erdnt\autobackup\#date# /noconfirmdelete /noprogresswindow /days:5

(Note the spaces before the ' / ' - the ' /days:' switch is optional, no switch = 30 days ).

Select ' Open the properties dialog box when finished...' .
Security Options - the account must be changed from user to System.
Click on ' Change user or group' and enter ' System '.
Select ' Run with highest privileges '
OK.
To check that all is well reboot and navigate to :
c:\windows\erdnt\autobackup\
and there should be a folder with today's date.
To restore the registry from a previous date open the folder of choice and run erdnt.exe.