Repair/rebuild installation of Vista

[Guest]

In Windows XP and Windows 2000, it was possible to do a repair installation.
That is to say, when boot from the CD, you basically rebuild XP or 2000. In
Windows 2000, all you had to do was press "R" at the first prompt and choose
fast repair. In Windows XP, you have to choose install and then "R" to
repair.

That feature was very helpful in repairing some serious problems. I've been
looking for that feature in Vista. Does it still exists? If so, how do you
do it?

Thanks,
Wade

 

[Richard G. Harper]

It's an option when you boot from the CD now, same as then; just in a
different location.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
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[Adam Albright]

In Windows XP and Windows 2000, it was possible to do a repair installation.
That is to say, when boot from the CD, you basically rebuild XP or 2000. In
Windows 2000, all you had to do was press "R" at the first prompt and choose
fast repair. In Windows XP, you have to choose install and then "R" to
repair.

That feature was very helpful in repairing some serious problems. I've been
looking for that feature in Vista. Does it still exists? If so, how do you
do it?

Thanks,
Wade

Hi you are wade, I was wondering about that too and had better luck
then you and found this when typing in 'repair vista' in Vista's help
system.

Windows does not start at all
In extreme cases where a serious error is preventing Windows from
starting at all, try these options:

Startup Repair. Startup Repair is a Windows recovery tool that can fix
certain problems, such as missing or damaged system files, that might
prevent Windows from starting. It is located on the Windows
installation disc and, depending on your computer, might also be
stored on your computer's hard disk. For more information, see Startup
Repair: frequently asked questions.

Reinstall Windows. If your system has been severely damaged, you might
need to reinstall Windows. A custom (clean) installation of Windows
will permanently delete all of the files on your computer and
reinstall Windows, so only use this option if all other recovery
options have been unsuccessful. After the installation, you will need
to reinstall your programs and restore your files from backup copies.
For more information, see Installing and reinstalling Windows .

 

[Chad Harris]

Wade--

If you have a Vista DVD, you can try the Recovery link that allows you to
use Win RE's Startup Repair or if no joy, System Restore from there which
sometimes works when F8's Safe Mode>System Restore options (all 4 should be
tried) won't.

You can run Startup Repair by putting your Vista DVD in after the
language screen in setup. You can also run System Restore from the same
location.

You run the startup repair tool this way (and system restore from here is
also sometimes effective):

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925810/en-us

How To Run Startup Repair In Vista Ultimate (Multiple Screenshots)
http://www.windowsvista.windowsreinstall.com/vistaultimate/repairstartup/index.htm

Note The computer must be configured to start from a CD or from a DVD. For
information about how to configure the computer to start from a CD or from a
DVD, see the information that came with the computer.
2. Restart the computer. To do this, click Start, click the arrow next to
the Lock button, and then click Restart.

This usually means that you enter bios setup by whatever key or keys
(sometimes there is more than one key that will do it for your model--go to
pc manufacturer site) and configure CD to be first in the boot order.

See for ref:
Access/Enter Motherboard BIOS
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

Note If you cannot restart the computer by using this method, use the power
button to turn off the computer. Then, turn the computer back on.

3. Set your language preference, and then click Next.

Note In most cases, the startup repair process starts automatically, and you
do not have the option to select it in the System Recovery Options menu.

4. Click Repair your computer.

5. In the System Recovery Options dialog box, click the operating system
that you want to repair, and then click Next.

6. In the System Recovery Options menu, click Startup Repair to start the
repair process.

7. When the repair process is complete, click Finish.

Additional References for Startup Repair With Screenshots:

How to Use Startup Repair:

***Accessing Windows RE (Repair Environment):***

1) Insert Media into PC (the DVD you burned)

2) ***You will see on the Vista logo setup screen after lang. options in the
lower left corner, a link called "System Recovery Options."***

Screenshot: System Recovery Options (Lower Left Link)
http://blogs.itecn.net/photos/liuhui/images/2014/500x375.aspx

Screenshot: (Click first option "Startup Repair"
http://www.leedesmond.com/images/img_vista02ctp-installSysRecOpt2.bmp

How To Run Startup Repair In Vista Ultimate (Multiple Screenshots)
http://www.windowsvista.windowsreinstall.com/vistaultimate/repairstartup/index.htm

3) Select your OS for repair.

4) Its been my experience that you can see some causes of the crash from
theWin RE feature:

You'll have a choice there of using:

1) Startup Repair
2) System Restore
3) Complete PC Restore
___________________

You could also:

Try to F8 to the Windows Adv Options Menu>try 3 safe modes there (I don't
use WGA) and Last Known Good>then I go to Win RE in Vista. That gives you a
choice of Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking,and Safe Mode with Command
Prompt.

These methods are outlined in

A description of the Safe Mode Boot options in Windows XP/and Vista
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315222/

You will need this reference:

How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304449/en-us

The command to use for system restore at the safe mode cmd prompt is:

%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

The reason for doing this is one of these choices may work, when the other
doesn't. My experience is that people do not fully try F8 when they think
or have said they have. It is that they can almost always reach Windows
Advanced Options though.


Good luck,

CH

 

[johnm]

Wade--

If you have a Vista DVD, you can try the Recovery link that allows you to
use Win RE's Startup Repair or if no joy, System Restore from there which
sometimes works when F8's Safe Mode>System Restore options (all 4 should
be
tried) won't.

ok - what about this?
in XP you could run a sort of an in-place repair or what I called a
"maintenance" install
by using the /unattend switch.

Go to the I386 folder, open a command prompt, type
winnt32.exe /unattend

you didn't have to babysit the install, none of your settings got changed,
you didn't even have to enter your key again.
it was just a quick-n-dirty was to fix and/or replaced any missing settings
or files.

just for future refefrence - does Vista have anything like that?

 

[Chad Harris]

Johnm--

XP has a repair install.Vista does not. But Vista does have the tools in
the Win RE environment, and have you tried them? Startup Repair, etc. Safe
Mode for a repair install is available from there as is a command promptto
do a

I use it in XP when I've exhausted all the Safe Mode modalities I showed you
in my previous post and they don't fly. Further, they should all be tried,
and one might work when another doesn't, and Last Known Good Configuration
should be tried although it is what they call in American NFL football a
"hail Mary pass" statistically.

It also has the down side that it restores to the nextt stable boot when it
works, and that boot could have been days ago so changes are not perserved.
With a system restore little is lost, with the exceptions of hotfixes and
programs installed since the restore point, and shortcuts since the restore
point. Sometimes those are preserved.

When those don't work, I do an inplace upgrade/repair install booting from
the XP CD (Method 2) in the XP below.

How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341

My approach in Windows XP to no boot XP in other words parallels Chapter 28
of the Windows XP Resource Kit which is summarized in this MSKB:

Windows XP Resource Kit "Chapter 28
Troubleshooting Startup"

http://tinyurl.com/cb2nx

Resources for troubleshooting startup problems in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308041

n my experience it never fails, and rarely has to be tried 2-3 times to
work. Although Mr. Brannigan characterizes this as a "risky" modality, in
my experience having done it several hundred times it has always worked, and
I don't understand any risk being connoted since I've not seen any in a
pretty statistical sample.

I also haven't seen any MSFT MVP or any book aouthor characterize a repair
install of Windows XP as a risky few steps. Doug Knox who is endorsed and
profiled on MSFT's website has advocated it for years:

Perform a Repair Installation (Doug Knox)
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.mspx

You may well be able to run the repair install using an unattend switch, but
I don't have the documentation for that. I'd really like to see that.

CH