How To Repair Install Windows Vista - All Possible Scenarios Do Not Work!

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montecarlo1987 - 28 May 2008 21:23 GMT

::Hello. I have an serious issue with trying to do an installation

repair with my Windows Vista Home Basic using my Windows Home Basic
Upgrade DVD-ROM (not SP1). I am aware that a Vista installation repair
is the same as a Vista upgrade, but it no avail can I get the Upgrade
option to work. Let me explain. I have read on different reliable
websites the different means to do a Vista upgrade as a repair
installation – none are consistent. Some suggest that Vista upgrade
installations run from within Windows and others you are to reboot and
set your BIOS to boot from the Vista DVD-ROM. Also, these same reliable
websites indicate not to input the CD key during the installation
process and not to check the box for online activation and others say to
do it during the installation process. What gives? Therefore, to see
what would work for me and taking into account all the differences I
have found, I performed the following scenarios figuring one of them
should work:::

::1.:: ::Run Vista installation from Windows Vista desktop with CD key

and checked box with online activation.::

::2.:: ::Run Vista installation from Windows Vista desktop without CD

key and not checked the box with online activation.::

::3.:: ::Run Visa installation from Vista system reboot/restart

(changing BIOS first boot device as DVD drive) with CD key and checked
the box with online activation.::

::4.:: ::Run Vista installation from Vista system reboot/restart

(changing BIOS first boot device as DVD drive) without CD key and not
checked the box with online activation.::

::In all case scenarios I have attempted, I cannot perform a Vista

installation repair. What is happening is this for each case scenario:::

::1.:: ::Run Vista installation from Windows Vista desktop with CD key

and checked box with online activation.::

::Result: ::
::During the Vista installation process when get to the screen “What

type of installation do you want?”, The “Upgrade” choice is grayed-out
and “Custom (Advanced)” is only active choice. Underneath it states,
“Upgrade has been disabled. – The upgrade cannot be started. To upgrade,
cancel the installation and then choose to upgrade to a version of
Windows that is more recent that than the version you are currently
running.” ::

::I need to do an “Upgrade” and not “Custom (Advanced)” as a repair

installation and the option for “Upgrade” is not available.::

::Makes sense in what is says -- I am trying to upgrade from Windows

Vista Home Basic Edition to Windows Vista Home Basic Edition. The point
is that you cannot upgrade to the same Windows version or Windows
edition. It is the same thing! It appears early in the setup and
installation process that this setup program knows what Windows
operating system is already installed (Windows Vista Home Basic) on the
drive and partition. I also think by having inputted the CD key it knows
I have an upgrade version of Windows Vista Home Basic Edition. I see by
inputting the CD key, I am telling the setup installation program what I
have and it is prohibiting me from continuing on with the installation
process. Okay, that is not it. So onto scenario number 2. ::

::2.:: ::Run Vista installation from Windows Vista desktop without CD

key and not checked the box with online activation.::

::Result:::
::The same result as scenario number 2 above. This didn’t work either.

By not entering the CD key, the setup program must know what version and
edition of Windows I have already installed. So onto scenario number
3.::

::3.:: ::Run Visa installation from Vista system reboot/restart with CD

key and checked the box with online activation.::

::Result:::
::During the Vista installation process when inputting the CD key,

immediately after get a message on the same screen stating, “To use the
product key you entered, start the installation from your existing
version of Windows.”::

::Well, that did not work. Now the setup program knows that the CD key

(since it is an upgrade key) is not to be used during a system
reboot/restart; only within Windows operating system. States that I need
to run from within Windows. …and you know how that goes… …both scenario
1 and 2 above and that did not work. Onto scenario number 4. ::

::4.:: ::Run Vista installation from Vista system reboot/restart

without CD key and not checked the box with online activation.::

::Result:::
::The result is similar to scenarios 1 & 2 above. “Upgrade” is

grayed-out and “Custom (Advanced)” is the only active choice on the
“What type of installation do you want?” screen. It states, “Upgrade has
been disabled. – To upgrade, start the installation from Windows.” ::

::Therefore, it appears that I cannot perform a repair installation of

my Windows Vista Home Basic. :mad: From what I hear, anyone can who has
a Windows Vista DVD-ROM! Is there something that I am missing??? :sarc:
There must be a way to do a repair installation with my Windows Vista
Home Basic from my Upgrade DVD-ROM! ::

::Let me add, when I originally installed Windows Vista Home Basic on

my computer; installed using that trick that everyone talks about. That
is, I performed a clean install of Windows Vista Home Basic using the
Upgrade DVD-ROM without CD key. Then performed an upgrade install with
the same DVD-ROM of Windows Vista Home Basic and inputted the CD key.
Things went well. …and online activation worked. From my take, this
should not present any problems to performing a repair installation. ::

::Please elaborate on how I can do a repair installation with my

Windows Vista Home Basic from my Upgrade DVD-ROM. Thanks a lot! ::

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montecarlo1987

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James Kosin - 28 May 2008 21:53 GMT

> ::Hello. I have an serious issue with trying to do an installation
> repair with my Windows Vista Home Basic using my Windows Home Basic
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> have found, I performed the following scenarios figuring one of them
> should work:::

They wont work; since you have already installed and input the CD key on
the installation you have installed...

You will probably have to use the advanced options and install in a
separate directory to get close to what you want to do.

http://vistasupport.mvps.org/repair_a_vista_installation_using_the_upgrade_optio
n_of_the_vista_dvd.htm

James

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Mark - 28 May 2008 23:13 GMT

If you have SP1 installed you may be trying to upgrade when it would in
theory, be a downgrade. SP1 would make your installed Vista a more recent
version and not upgradeable unless you have SP1 on your Vista disk. If this
is the case, SP1 would need to be uninstalled prior to performing the
upgrade.

I have done upgrade installations in this exact manner, and have always done
so from within the Windows environment, not booting from the disk. The only
difference was that I used a full version Vista disk to perform the upgrade.

Mark

> ::Hello. I have an serious issue with trying to do an installation
> repair with my Windows Vista Home Basic using my Windows Home Basic
[quoted text clipped - 86 lines]
> ::Please elaborate on how I can do a repair installation with my
> Windows Vista Home Basic from my Upgrade DVD-ROM. Thanks a lot! ::

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Brink - 29 May 2008 04:11 GMT

montecarlo1987;729039 Wrote:

Hi MonteCarlo,

You can create a Vista SP1 slipstream installation dvd, then use it to
run the repair (Upgrade) install. This way the slipstream DVD will be
the same version that you currently have installed allowing the upgrade
now.

For Vista SP1 Slipstream Installation DVD:
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/151606-vista-sp1-slipstream-installation-dvd.html

For Repair Install:
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88236-repair-install-vista.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Signature

Brink

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montecarlo1987 - 30 May 2008 05:01 GMT

::Hello again. Boy, I have been busy and have learned a lot about

Windows Vista Repair Installations with many tests for the last 1 ½
days! I think I have become an expert on this area! ::

::Bottom line, my issue was that I it was the Windows Vista Service

Pack 1 that is giving me issues on why I cannot do a repair (upgrade)
installation. Many of you have addressed this as the cause. It was!
Also, bottom line, repairs (upgrade) installations do not work with
Windows Vista regardless what is stated out there from the experts.
There is a logical reason for it. I will explain. However, in my case
based on the issue of having SP1 installed separately (via a Windows
Update) on my current Windows Vista (originally installed Windows Vista
without the SP1) operating system …and also creating a Windows Vista
Home Basic slipstream DVD with SP1 integrated into it installation disc,
I just realized I had one try and only one lucky token shot to do a
repair (upgrade) installation to my currently operating system. Now,
after performing my repair (upgrade) installation I am finished and
never capable again to do any further repair (upgrade) installations of
my Windows Vista Home Basic SP1 operating system. FACT for me and I am
sure for everyone out there. If any more corruption ever exists on my
computer, I am now forced to do a clean install and no more repair
(upgrade) installations. Geese, Windows XP had that recovery console
that was more flexible than that! ::

::Let me explain the logical reason that I just mentioned that I have

learned. When a repair (upgrade) installation is performed it is just
that, an upgrade. I have learned an upgrade can come in three ways where
Windows will provide the user the choice to “Upgrade”. The three ways
are hierarchical in terms of: service pack (SP0, SP1, SP2,…), edition
(Home, Professional, Home Basic, Home Premium, Ultimate…), and version
(i.e.: Windows 2000, XP, Vista,…). They are hierarchical in terms of
themselves and one another. These are the factors that Windows looks at
(specifically Vista) to permit and allow the “Upgrade” option in the
installation process to be available. I have read articles that Windows
(Microsoft) does not pay attention to what you have currently installed
when conducting an upgrade, and that is a bunch of malarkey! They do or
I wouldn’t have all the problems I am having. It is built into their
Windows installation program to check your current Windows installation
(if you are upgrades) and whether to grant the user the option to
upgrade. So, in the Windows version of Vista (what my issue surrounds)
going from Vista Home Basic SP0 (the original release) to Vista Home
Vista Home Basic SP1 will allow for me to upgrade and ultimately perform
a Windows Repair installation. …or another example, from Windows XP Home
SP3 to Windows Vista Home Basic SP0 or SP1 would allow me to upgrade as
well. Yes, I know the few exclusions too like you cannot upgrade from
Windows XP Professional to Windows Vista Home Basic that is not widely
known. Now, here is the real confusion start that everyone believes
…that is wrong! Based on what I have learned, an upgrade is not a
lateral move!!! Meaning, I have a corrupt files and want to do a repair
installation of my Windows Vista Home Basic (What was happening to me.)
and I have SP1 installed from a recent Windows Update and I have a
created slipstreamed Vista Home Basic SP1 DVD to perform a Windows
Repair/Upgrade install, it WILL NOT WORK! They are the same and Windows
will not permit me to choose the “Upgrade” option to fix it. I could go
out and now buy Windows Vista Home Premium Upgrade and do an upgrade
now. I would get the “Upgrade” option this time since I am coming from
the lower edition of Windows Vista Home Basic edition to repair the
corruption. So any website that states that you can do a repair
installation and provides all the instructions and diagrams of the steps
to do a repair installation of your Windows Vista operating system using
your current Windows Vista Installation DVD-ROM is a bunch of bull. You
will not have the “Upgrade” option available to do your repair, only the
“Custom (Advanced)” option to select that is basically a clean install.
Yes, you have to be technically specific about your operating system in
order to determine of you can repair (upgrade). ::

::I outsmarted the system: When I removed/uninstalled SP1 from my

original Windows Vista Home Basic installation (SP1 was recently added
via Windows Update), and used the slipstreamed Windows Vista Home Basic
SP1 DVD-ROM, I was able to get the Repair (Upgrade) to work [STEPS
TRANSPIRED: Windows Vista Home Basic SP0 (purchased and installed
as)àWindows Vista Home Basic SP1 (SP1 installed via Windows Update)à
Windows Vista Home Basic SP0 (SP1 uninstalled via Windows Update)à
Windows Vista Basic SP1 (installed via slipstreamed Windows Vista Home
Basic SP1) ]. Now I cannot do anything more. No, I now cannot remove SP1
since it is not available for me to remove because it is integrated into
Windows Vista Home Basic operating system now using the slipstreamed
technology. I wish I could because I could just remove SP1 each time and
do a repair installation anytime with my slipstreamed Windows Vista Home
Basic SP1 DVD-ROM. I permanently have Windows Vista Home Basic SP1 now.
I guess I have to wait for Windows Vista Service Pack 2 to do the next
repair (upgrade) install (slipstreamed with my original Windows Vista
DVD-ROM). ::

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montecarlo1987

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