Vista - Repair/upgrade using Retail Vista to fix bad OEM

My daughter's ASUS Vista Home Premium (64 bit) laptop
has the dreaded empty list in "Turn Windows options on
or off". I have tried everything to fix it including:

-running SFC /scannow

-setting an earlier restore point (unfortunatley the
oldest is 5 days, as Windows Update keeps creating
restore points when before it fails to install updates)

-running KB931712 standalone

-remove the reg key HKLM\COMPONENTS /v StoreDirty (not
present)

I suspect the problem was caused by a faulty download of
..netframework 3.5 sp1. The system problem is also
preventing the computer from upgrading to Vista SP2. The
word is that if nothing works to fix this problem an
Upgrade/Repair is necessary.

ASUS unfortunately only supplies a Recovery Disk which
overwrites everything (not the ideal option for her)

Is it possible to do a repair/upgrade with a retail copy
of Vista Premium? If so when I enter the Product Key
number I would like to use the product key for the ASUS
laptop, not my Vista Premium Retail. Is this possible?

The Vista Premium is without SP1 or SP2 is it possible
to slipstream up to SP2?

Thanks

"JerryF" <youare@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:MPG.24e8ade9e6abfd1198976b@xxxxxxYes, you can do an upgrade installation (Vista's equivalent to XP's repair
install) with a retail dvd and yes you can use the product key on the
sticker (side or bottom of the computer) rather than the one in the retail
box. The service pack level of the Windows installed on her computer cannot
be lower than the sp level of the dvd, however.

I take it that your daughter's system shiped at SP1 so you need the retail
dvd to be at sp 1 as well. A Vista gold dvd would not work.

Also, you can upgrade to SP2 by starting the computer in safe mode and then
installing the standalone sp so you might want to try that as a last resort
before doing a restore to factory condition.

I have not kept up with the state of the art regarding "slipstreaming", but
another poster will undoubtedly clear that one up.

In article <623EF5A2-E8B4-4749-8B00-3B00BBA24414
@microsoft.com>, c.barnhorst@xxxxxx says...For some reason even though my Vista DVD is Ultimate
with SP2, the upgrade/repair option is not available as
the computer has only SP1. I cannot install SP2 because
I get a "system incompatablity" even in Safe Mode. I am
then referred to running the sytem compatability
software KB947821 which runs with no trouble. Do I need
a retail Vista with SP1?

Actually running the KB came up with the following,
but note this is an Intel system not an AMD and the
specific KB referred to will not install on 64 bit Vista


=================================
Checking System Update Readiness.
Binary Version 6.0.6001.22375
Package Version 5.0
2009-08-07 20:34

Checking Deployment Packages

Checking Package Manifests and catalogs.

Checking package watchlist.

Checking component watchlist.

Checking packages.
(f) CBS MUM Missing 0x00000002 servicing
\packages\Package_45_for_KB955839~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64
~~6.0.1.0.mum
(f) CBS MUM Missing 0x00000002 servicing
\packages\Package_for_KB955839_client_1~31bf3856ad364e35
~amd64~~6.0.1.0.mum
(f) CBS MUM Missing 0x00000002 servicing
\packages\Package_for_KB955839_client~31bf3856ad364e35
~amd64~~6.0.1.0.mum
(f) CBS MUM Missing 0x00000002 servicing
\packages\Package_for_KB955839~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~
6.0.1.0.mum

Checking component store
Summary:
Seconds executed: 3416
Found 4 errors
CBS MUM Missing Total Count: 4

"JerryF" <youare@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:MPG.24e919022edabe098976d@xxxxxxAs I said in my first reply the dvd must be at the same sp level as the
computer, which as you have now said it is not. You cannot do an upgrade
install with any SP2 level dvd. Find an SP1 level dvd someplace or try
intalling SP2 on the computer with Safe mode.

In the End I needed to do a complete reinstall of the
OS.

As a compulsive Acronis image backup guru, I made a
backup of the computer right after purchase. Frustrated
after inumerable attempts to "upgrade install" I decided
to restore that original OS from my Acronis backup.

The dreaded empty list in "Turn Windows options on or
off". was there already, and in addition, SP2 would not
install. In essence this means the factory install of
Vista SP1 on the laptop was defective from ASUS.

As a result, I installed a fresh Vista with SP2 already
incorporated. Hours of reinstalling applications, but at
least now all is copesthetic. I can even access the
"upgrade option" from the install disk, just in case
another crisis develops.