Reinstall Vista Viable W/O Updates?

VFN

Member
Is a factory or clean install viable now with updates no longer supported by Microsoft?

Thanks
 

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Vista Home Premium x64
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 546
    CPU
    Sempron LE-1300
    Memory
    2GB DDR SDRAM 800MHZ-2X1GB DIM M
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated ATI Radeon HD3200
    Sound Card
    VIA High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 32" HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768
    Hard Drives
    320GB NCQ Serial ATA (7200 RPM) w/ 16MB DataBurst Cache
Your factory image might be corrupt after all these years, but you could always try it. Wither 3 performed a clean install from an ISO this month. I'm not sure what you mean by "updates no longer supported by Microsoft?"
 

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Vista Home Premium x86 SP2
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion Elite m9150f
    CPU
    Intel Q6600
    Memory
    3 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT
the updates (some of which are security) I've received over the years - does that explain it? I could be stating things wrong. You know the Windows Vista updates we used top get every Tuesday i think it was?
 

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Vista Home Premium x64
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 546
    CPU
    Sempron LE-1300
    Memory
    2GB DDR SDRAM 800MHZ-2X1GB DIM M
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated ATI Radeon HD3200
    Sound Card
    VIA High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 32" HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768
    Hard Drives
    320GB NCQ Serial ATA (7200 RPM) w/ 16MB DataBurst Cache
After reinstalling Vista, getting Windows Update to deliver the official Windows Vista updates (all of which are now 2 to 10 years old) is a little tricky but still possible. (You must first manually install at least four "speed up" patches to prime the pump, so to speak.) If this question is motivated by your connection issue that you have posted about elsewhere, then I suggest that you don't do anything this drastic just yet. Instead, run sfc /scannow from an elevated command prompt (i.e run CMD as administrator, type "sfc /scannow" and press "Enter").
 

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Vista Home Premium x86 SP2
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion Elite m9150f
    CPU
    Intel Q6600
    Memory
    3 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT
Yeah, I wanted to know in the event I feel I have to go down that road, but I'm not near that yet. Will try scannow and some other things I read about tomorrow some time looks like.

Thanks
 

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Vista Home Premium x64
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 546
    CPU
    Sempron LE-1300
    Memory
    2GB DDR SDRAM 800MHZ-2X1GB DIM M
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated ATI Radeon HD3200
    Sound Card
    VIA High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 32" HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768
    Hard Drives
    320GB NCQ Serial ATA (7200 RPM) w/ 16MB DataBurst Cache
Just wanted to say thanks for your responsiveness.

Been several days and I've not encountered the intermittent connection issue again. If it wasn't on their side (which seemed to be the case) then I can only think there was some corruption at start-up that was corrected after a shut down and re-boot or two. I've encountered a lack of sound on start-up a few times that's been corrected with a restart or two.

Thanks again. Really appreciate your aid.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Vista Home Premium x64
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 546
    CPU
    Sempron LE-1300
    Memory
    2GB DDR SDRAM 800MHZ-2X1GB DIM M
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated ATI Radeon HD3200
    Sound Card
    VIA High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 32" HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768
    Hard Drives
    320GB NCQ Serial ATA (7200 RPM) w/ 16MB DataBurst Cache
Is a factory or clean install viable now with updates no longer supported by Microsoft?
VFN, your post may have been rather prophetic in light of 2019 SHA-2 Code Signing Support requirement for Windows and WSUS. I cannot claim to know exactly what Microsoft has in mind for an OS as old as Vista, but it might become impossible to update Vista using the semi-automatic method alluded to in post #4 as soon as July 16. In other words. if you are ever going to reinstall Vista, time might be running out.

Did you ever run sfc /scannow as I suggested in post #4? Here is a tutorial: System Files - SFC Command.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Vista Home Premium x86 SP2
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion Elite m9150f
    CPU
    Intel Q6600
    Memory
    3 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT
Maybe download the updates now and keep them safe. WPL can download them in cab form, or WSUS is another option.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Vista
    CPU
    Intel E8400
    Motherboard
    ASRock1333-GLAN R2.0
    Memory
    4gb DDR2 800
    Graphics Card(s)
    nvidia 9500GT 1gb
  • Operating System
    win7/vista
    CPU
    intel i5-8400
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    ballistix 2x8gb 3200
Did you ever run sfc /scannow as I suggested in post #4?

Since coming back to this computer on 4/24, two days after it experienced the connection issue, I've had no problems so I never ran it. No idea what happened but it seems to have been an anomaly.

Not sure if SHA-2 would apply to updates for unsupported systems like XP or Vista but I'm also unsure how Windows Updates updates would work for a reinstalled Vista system.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Vista Home Premium x64
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 546
    CPU
    Sempron LE-1300
    Memory
    2GB DDR SDRAM 800MHZ-2X1GB DIM M
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated ATI Radeon HD3200
    Sound Card
    VIA High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 32" HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768
    Hard Drives
    320GB NCQ Serial ATA (7200 RPM) w/ 16MB DataBurst Cache
I never thought your Intermittent Connection issue was a system problem, but running sfc /scannow from an elevated command prompt is never a bad idea. If it finds corrupt or missing system files that cannot be repaired, that would be an argument in favor of at least attempting a repair install. If this sounds entirely too complicated, then you probably don't have an image for backup either, so good luck going forward.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Vista Home Premium x86 SP2
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion Elite m9150f
    CPU
    Intel Q6600
    Memory
    3 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT
I ran it and it couldn't repair a couple of files related to printing which I've seen before when I've run it. I attached the txt file if you want to take a look.
 

Attachments

  • sfcdetails.txt
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My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Vista Home Premium x64
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 546
    CPU
    Sempron LE-1300
    Memory
    2GB DDR SDRAM 800MHZ-2X1GB DIM M
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated ATI Radeon HD3200
    Sound Card
    VIA High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 32" HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768
    Hard Drives
    320GB NCQ Serial ATA (7200 RPM) w/ 16MB DataBurst Cache
Do you ever use a printer with this PC? If not, the corrupt tcpmon.ini might not be worth worrying about.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Vista Home Premium x86 SP2
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion Elite m9150f
    CPU
    Intel Q6600
    Memory
    3 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Vista
    CPU
    Intel E8400
    Motherboard
    ASRock1333-GLAN R2.0
    Memory
    4gb DDR2 800
    Graphics Card(s)
    nvidia 9500GT 1gb
  • Operating System
    win7/vista
    CPU
    intel i5-8400
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    ballistix 2x8gb 3200

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Vista Home Premium x64
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 546
    CPU
    Sempron LE-1300
    Memory
    2GB DDR SDRAM 800MHZ-2X1GB DIM M
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated ATI Radeon HD3200
    Sound Card
    VIA High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 32" HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768
    Hard Drives
    320GB NCQ Serial ATA (7200 RPM) w/ 16MB DataBurst Cache
VFN, your post may have been rather prophetic in light of 2019 SHA-2 Code Signing Support requirement for Windows and WSUS. I cannot claim to know exactly what Microsoft has in mind for an OS as old as Vista, but it might become impossible to update Vista using the semi-automatic method alluded to in post #4 as soon as July 16. In other words. if you are ever going to reinstall Vista, time might be running out.

Did you ever run sfc /scannow as I suggested in post #4? Here is a tutorial: System Files - SFC Command.

deadline was changed to July 9 (which is today :) )
 

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Windows 7 SP1 Ultimate x64
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 640m/e1405 laptop
    CPU
    Intel Core 2 Duo T7600 2.33Ghz
    Memory
    4Gb (3.24Gb usable to OS)
    Sound Card
    Sigmatel/IDT STAC9200
    Internet Speed
    Spectrum Cable Internet up to 100Mbps
Thanks
 

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Vista Home Premium x64
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 546
    CPU
    Sempron LE-1300
    Memory
    2GB DDR SDRAM 800MHZ-2X1GB DIM M
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated ATI Radeon HD3200
    Sound Card
    VIA High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 32" HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768
    Hard Drives
    320GB NCQ Serial ATA (7200 RPM) w/ 16MB DataBurst Cache
no problem, VFN.

with Vista you're gonna have to update manually (as in downloading & installing newer updates from the MS Catalog site)
I'd been downloading & installing certain updates for Vista for many years from either MS Catalog or from MS download center instead of just relying on WU to download & install Vista updates

since Server 2008 SP2 updates from April 2019 & beyond have a build number change from 6002 to 6003 (like KB4474419), I install those updates last. I make sure I install all available Vista updates from up to April 2017 before installing the newer updates like KB4474419
 

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Windows 7 SP1 Ultimate x64
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 640m/e1405 laptop
    CPU
    Intel Core 2 Duo T7600 2.33Ghz
    Memory
    4Gb (3.24Gb usable to OS)
    Sound Card
    Sigmatel/IDT STAC9200
    Internet Speed
    Spectrum Cable Internet up to 100Mbps
...with Vista you're gonna have to update manually (as in downloading & installing newer updates from the MS Catalog site)..

Hi erpster4:

The instructions posted on page 1 of m#l's thread Updates not working, it has been searching for updates for hours to install the four or five required "speed up" patches [KB3205638 (rel. 13-Dec-2016); KB4012583 (rel. 14-Mar-2017); KB4015195 (rel. 11-Apr-2017); KB4015380 (rel. 11-Apr-2017) plus KB4014661 (rel. 11-Apr-2017) if IE9 is installed] still appear be working and should allow users to patch their Vista SP2 OS and IE9 browser back to the end of extended support (11-Apr-2017).

See semiartificial's 04-Nov-2019 post in the BleepingComputer thread A Request for Advice Regarding Setting Up a Sensible Basic Build With Vista. This user recently reset their Vista computer back to factory condition. Windows Update stopped working as soon as SP2 was installed, but semiartificial was able to fix the Windows Update "Checking for update..." hangs and automatically install ~ 200 missing security updates by following those instructions.
--------------
32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox ESR v52.9.0 * Norton Security Deluxe v22.15.2.22 * MS Office Professional 2003 * Malwarebytes Free v3.5.1-1.0.365
HP Pavilion dv6835ca, Intel Core2Duo T5550 @ 1.83 GHz, 3 GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS
 
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My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    32-bit Vista SP2 Home Premium
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion dv6835ca
    CPU
    Intel Core2Duo T5550 @ 1.83 GHz
    Motherboard
    Quanta 30D2 (U2E1)
    Memory
    3 GB RAM
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio
    Hard Drives
    250 GB SATA Western Digital Scorpio WD2500BEVS 5400 rpm
    Other Info
    Malwarebytes Premium v3.5.1-1.0.365 * Firefox ESR v52.9.0
  • Operating System
    64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 15 5584
    CPU
    Intel i5-8265U @1.60/1.80 GHz
    Motherboard
    Dell Inc. 07R8NW
    Memory
    8 GB DDR4 SDRAM
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel UHD Graphics 620
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba 256 GB KBG40ZNS256G NVMe SSD
    Other Info
    Microsoft Defender * Malwarebytes Premium * Firefox
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