Solved Installing on new hard drive

[richc46]

What I do is make an initial copy, with every thing perfect. Then at the next interval make another image and keep the first. When you make the third image disreagrd the second. In this way for problems you always have a current image. If you do not want the current image, due to virus or other problem, you have the initial which you know is Ok.
In addition, thanks for the rep, very generous of you.

 

[latecomer]

My comment is that you should not download from sites that you do not recognize. Second comment is that I can almost bet that most of those sites lead to to dead links. Vista is old, and not many ways to obtain it. I'd be very cautious.
You may want to try to call your computer manufacturer or the location where you bought it, and see if you can get a CD for cost (usually about $25.00, when they were available.

you can obtain factory disc from your computer manufacture. depending on company, how many disc for your system depends on cost, but they're usually really cheap.
do you remember if you had a DRIVE C and DRIVE D. if so then you'll need to make sure that in the bios, that there is a D2D disk to disk, and its enabled, so that the factory disc's will boot back to factory.

 

[richc46]

Hard to get Vista, Disc. In addition, why do you want to reinstall all the software?

 

[latecomer]

the manufacture still carries their disc's even going back to windows 95, i have an old toshiba tecra 8200 with windows 2000 pro, purchased the disc from toshiba for 15 bucks.

 

[richc46]

I would still rather use an image than start from square one.

 

[latecomer]

Have an OEM Vista machine here that the HDD has died and I am wondering if I can download the OS to a stick and then install to a new drive and use the activation code from the original sticker.

Hav not got any disks or back ups as the friends son was a little wanton with the use of this machine has bought himself a new 7 machine and my friend his Mum wants the machine herself but cannot afford to go 7.

here if you want it back to the original state (Factory), look on manufactures website to purchase factory disc's.
or you can buy win7 without buying both DVD's. you can buy whats called a OEM System Builder Pack. thats what i installed on my acer aspire 5515, i purchased it for 99 bucks plus tax = 104.

 

[SIW2]

If you hang on till Oct26th, you can get windows 8 for $39.99

They are worried about selling it - so there is a very low introductory offer.

You would quite likely prefer windows 7, tho.

 

[latecomer]

win8 is more for those who like touch screen feature. just imagine person with bucket of KFC eating and touching screen, lots of greasy finger prints.
win7 is just a revamp vista to me.

 

[SIW2]

Yes, I think many people would prefer win7.

 

[richc46]

I know that Seven is staying on my computer.

 

[ICit2lol]

Hiyya Richard having a bit of a problem getting that ISO to work in the downloads for it it had
X14-63452.exe
boot.wim
install.wim
now I really haven't much idea what these are all about I did try just the top .exe but nothing happened so am downloading the other two onto a stick and then try to boot from it.
If this doesn't work and before I go even more potty I'll tell her it's 7 or nothing.

Oh by the by I finally managed to get a Seatools HDD test on the old drive and it failed miserably on the surface and the long generic tests.

 

[richc46]

Try the ISO link that I gave. Im not sure if it works, but the try is free.
Found this in my favorites, too
[Direct Download Links] Download Official Windows Vista RTM with SP1 Setup Files (32-bit and 64-bit) - Tweaking with Vishal
Try this ISO and the one that I gave in my above post.

Is this the one that you used?

 

[latecomer]

i never got the full experience of vista, my system came with home basic, and 3 of acer software didnt install correctly, and windows seen them as malware, so once a month windows was trying to remove them and couldnt. system started acting like it had a virus. files would become corrupt. plus i purchased the upgrade DVD;s to home premium and files were missing for the upgrade. acer wanted 200 buck to use my disc to do upgrade. full version of vista was done taken off shelf and replaced with win7. so i did clean install through the custom option on install screen of win7. deleted all partitions disabled the D2D boot. DRIVE C: 149gb, 100mb system reserve, 16.5 system boot, 133gb free.

 

[latecomer]

Hiyya Richard having a bit of a problem getting that ISO to work in the downloads for it it had
X14-63452.exe
boot.wim
install.wim
now I really haven't much idea what these are all about I did try just the top .exe but nothing happened so am downloading the other two onto a stick and then try to boot from it.
If this doesn't work and before I go even more potty I'll tell her it's 7 or nothing.

Oh by the by I finally managed to get a Seatools HDD test on the old drive and it failed miserably on the surface and the long generic tests.

save file download, then burn a DVD . i done that and ejected CD/DVD rom, closed up, it wanted to know if i wanted to install or view files, i viewed the files through free file viewer, and all files burned.

 

[ICit2lol]

Try the ISO link that I gave. Im not sure if it works, but the try is free.
Found this in my favorites, too
[Direct Download Links] Download Official Windows Vista RTM with SP1 Setup Files (32-bit and 64-bit) - Tweaking with Vishal
Try this ISO and the one that I gave in my above post.

Is this the one that you used?

Yep thats the one Rich but it just keeps booting to the old Vista on it and anot just clearing it.
The boot.wim downloads and I am trying to download the install.wim for the second time as after an hour and a half it flipped up a message to say it might have been removed. For a 2.5GB download it takes an awfully long time. Anyway if it doesn't load this time I'm pulling the pin on this one as I have already spent four days trying different things - she'll have to go 7 that is that.

 

[latecomer]

ICit2 save file download. then burn it to a DVD, so that a image will be burn too. also set in bios, CD/DVD rom as boot.

 

[ICit2lol]

ICit2 save file download. then burn it to a DVD, so that a image will be burn too. also set in bios, CD/DVD rom as boot.

Yeah mate I would if the last wim would download I have another 25 mins to wait for that to happen but if it ends up like the last flop then bye bye Vista.

Anyway thanks for helping out I just find all this do this do that load up this and that and whatever just so confusing why on earth it just couldn't be a straight forward download as an all included ISO is a bit of a mystery to me.

The other small thing is to that the machine was originally loaded with Home version and I notice this is the Ultimate so even if the wim does download I am wondering if the sticker activation code will work?

 

[latecomer]

i dont remember what link i used but it took less than 10 minutes to save, less than 5 minutes to burn. and all files burned to DVD. they say it will. wont know till you try it. on win7 forum they say the same thing.

 

[SIW2]

the installetion media contains all editions.

When you enter the key, the matching edition will be installed.

 

[ICit2lol]

i dont remember what link i used but it took less than 10 minutes to save, less than 5 minutes to burn. and all files burned to DVD. they say it will. wont know till you try it. on win7 forum they say the same thing.

Hum downloaded this time just wondering what order to burn them to a DVD though - in the order that I posted?