Mark Phelps
Member
Been using Vista since it was released, so not really new to it, and have seen lots of problems -- all of which I could fix until now.
Brief summary: Decided last week to take the plunge and install SP2 -- failed. Ran sfc -- said it couldn't repair some files. Contacted MS support, spent HOURS online with them while they attempted the same (and failed). They tried to remove SP1 - failed. They ran sfc -- also had same errors. Ordered a new Vista Ultimate 32-bit DVD with SP1, did a nondestructive reinstall -- worked. Tried installing SP2 again. Got all the way through to stage 3 of applying the updates when it failed (no error message) and said it was reverting.
Now, MS is telling me I have to wipe Vista and reinstall from scratch!!
OK, so I have biweekly image backups going back to day one. Have been restoring from backup, and each time, running sfc /scannow -- and each time, having it tell me that some files are corrupt and it can't repair them.
Now back to early June (three months back). Still getting sfc failures. Since I'm not about to reinstall all my apps all over again, I'll keep going through backups until I get one that doesn't fail sfc anymore.
But ... what I don't understand is how could my system files have been corrupt for months and NOT exibited any problems at all? No windows update failures. No BSODs. No application failures. NOTHING -- until I tried to install SP2.
Oh. BTW, I booted from the Ultimate DVD and ran Startup Repair -- and it told me nothing to repair! I clicked on the item to see the logs, and sure enough, everything in the logs passed. So, if there's nothing to repair, how can sfc still be failing?
Sorry if this sounds like a rant ... but I used sfc on XP and it always worked. This is the only time I've tried to use it on Vista, and it fails!
Brief summary: Decided last week to take the plunge and install SP2 -- failed. Ran sfc -- said it couldn't repair some files. Contacted MS support, spent HOURS online with them while they attempted the same (and failed). They tried to remove SP1 - failed. They ran sfc -- also had same errors. Ordered a new Vista Ultimate 32-bit DVD with SP1, did a nondestructive reinstall -- worked. Tried installing SP2 again. Got all the way through to stage 3 of applying the updates when it failed (no error message) and said it was reverting.
Now, MS is telling me I have to wipe Vista and reinstall from scratch!!
OK, so I have biweekly image backups going back to day one. Have been restoring from backup, and each time, running sfc /scannow -- and each time, having it tell me that some files are corrupt and it can't repair them.
Now back to early June (three months back). Still getting sfc failures. Since I'm not about to reinstall all my apps all over again, I'll keep going through backups until I get one that doesn't fail sfc anymore.
But ... what I don't understand is how could my system files have been corrupt for months and NOT exibited any problems at all? No windows update failures. No BSODs. No application failures. NOTHING -- until I tried to install SP2.
Oh. BTW, I booted from the Ultimate DVD and ran Startup Repair -- and it told me nothing to repair! I clicked on the item to see the logs, and sure enough, everything in the logs passed. So, if there's nothing to repair, how can sfc still be failing?
Sorry if this sounds like a rant ... but I used sfc on XP and it always worked. This is the only time I've tried to use it on Vista, and it fails!
My Computer
System One
-
- Manufacturer/Model
- Home built
- CPU
- Athlon x64 4400
- Motherboard
- ASUS A8n32-deluxe
- Memory
- OCZ 2GB low-latency 3200
- Graphics card(s)
- ATI X1600
- Sound Card
- B-enspirer CMI8788
- Monitor(s) Displays
- Samsung 24-inch flat panel
- Screen Resolution
- 19290x1280
- Hard Drives
- WD 320GB SATA II
- PSU
- 350 watt enermax
- Case
- Antec PS180
- Mouse
- Logitech wireless
- Keyboard
- Logitech G15 gaming
- Internet Speed
- Broadband -- 15MB
