Repair Install For Vista

How To Perform a Repair Installation For Vista​

   Information

This will allow you to repair your Vista installation and keep all of your personal user account files, settings, and programs. You will be performing a Upgrade Install from within your currently running Vista.

You will have to use the exact same Vista installation media type that you currently have installed.

   Note

• You will not be able to do a upgrade install in Safe Mode.
• You must have Retail Full or Upgrade Vista installation DVD to do this. Some people have had problems with a Full version letting them do a upgrade install though.
• A OEM (retail version) Vista installation DVD that you buy at a store and does not come with the computer are usually the same as a regular retail (full or upgrade) Vista installation DVD, but have a OEM license (product key number) instead of a retail license (product key number).
• If you have a OEM Recovery Vista installation DVD that came preinstalled with your OEM brand computer instead, then it will most likely only be a clone of the hard drive with Vista allowing you to only do a clean install with it instead. These OEM computers often have a Recovery D:\ partition that does the same thing as the OEM Recovery Vista installation DVD.
• If you have a Anytime Upgrade Vista installation DVD, then you will not be able to do this.
• The Vista installation DVD that you use to do the repair (upgrade) install must be the same or newer version of Vista with the Windows Updates and SP level than what you currently have installed. If the DVD is a older version, then you cannot do a repair (upgrade) install with it.
• IF YOU HAVE THE VISTA SP1 INSTALLED:
  • This will not work if you have SP1 installed unless your Vista installation DVD includes the SP1, or you create a Vista SP1 slipstream installation DVD (See below). When the SP1 is installed, it will give Vista a newer version number than what is on the original Vista installation DVD.
  • You can only do a Upgrade install if the currently installed Vista is the same or older version than what is on the Vista installation DVD.
  • To create a Vista SP1 slipstream installation DVD to use to do a Repair (upgrade) install, see: How to Create a Vista SP1 Slipstream Installation DVD. Note that this does not always work to use for a Repair install.
  • Another option is to uninstall the Vista SP1, then run the Repair install and install the SP1 again afterwards. To uninstall the SP1, see: Microsoft Help and Support: How to uninstall Windows Vista SP1 as a troubleshooting step
• IF YOU HAVE THE VISTA SP2 INSTALLED:
  • This will not work if you have SP1 and SP2 installed unless your Vista installation DVD includes SP2.
  • To create a Vista SP2 slipstream installation DVD to use to do a Repair (upgrade) install, see: How to Slipstream Vista SP2. Note that this does not always work to use for a Repair install.
• Be sure to backup any important data you have, just in case something goes wrong during installation. You may need to reinstall some of your drivers. You do not want to do this if you are dual booting with XP and Vista was not installed as the primary boot drive. It can cause XP to not startup anymore.

   Tip

If you are have installation error problems, then see:

• Windows Help and Support: KB935806 Troubleshooting Stop error messages that may occur when you try to install Windows Vista
• Windows Help and Support: KB929777 Error message when you try to install Windows Vista on a computer that uses more than 3 GB of RAM: "STOP 0x0000000A"

   Warning

If you changed the default location of the Program Files or Programs Files (x86) folder, then you will need to change it back to the C: drive, and change any shortcuts that pointed to the other location to also point to the C: drive before doing a repair install.

ITEMS THAT WILL BE RESET TO DEFAULT:

• Computer Sound Event Scheme
• Vista Services
• Visual Effects Options
• Windows Mail - To Save and Restore your messages and settings, see the section: How to Backup and Reset Windows Mail
• Device Drivers - Be sure to have these handy to reinstall. They do not always remain after the repair (upgrade) install.

Here's How:

   Note

• If Vista is still not working properly afterwards, then a Clean Install would be recommended.
• You may need to reinstall some of your drivers after the Repair (upgrade) install.
• You will not be able to do a upgrade install in Safe Mode.

1. While logged in Vista as an administrator, insert the Vista installation DVD into the DVD drive, or connect a Vista installation USB thumb/key drive.

WARNING: Do not boot the computer and run the Vista installation DVD from boot. A upgrade install will not work this way.

   Note

If you do not have a Vista with SP1 installation DVD/USB, then you can download an official Vista with SP1 ISO file here: Microsoft: Vista Direct Download Links, and use Windows 7 USB-DVD Download Tool to create a bootable DVD or USB flash drive with the ISO to do the repair install.

2. Click on Install Now to start the upgrade. (See screenshot below)

NOTE: If AutoPlay does not load the Vista setup screen, then open your DVD drive in Computer and click on the Setup file.

​

​

​

3. If you want Vista to check for updates during the installation, then click on that to select it. (See screenshot below)

NOTE: It will install faster if you select Do not get the latest updates for installation. You can install them later through Windows Update.

​

​

​

4. Do not type in a product key. (See screenshot below)

WARNING: If you do type in the same activated product key that you already have installed, then you can end up in Reduced Functionality Mode.



5. Leave the Automatically activate Windows when I'm online box unchecked.



6. Click on Next.

​

​

​

7. Click on the No button for the Do you want to enter your product key now? prompt. (See screenshot below)

​

​

​

8. Select which edition of Vista you have. (See screenshot below)



9. Check the I have selected the edition of Windows that I purchased box and click on Next. (See screenshot below)

​

​

​

10. Click on the Upgrade option. (See screenshot below)

​

​

​

11. Follow any instructions left until Vista is through installing and has rebooted to the final welcome screen on the Vista desktop.



12. Remove the Vista installation DVD.



13. Check to see if any files are missing. If so look in the bolded files shown in step 14 below to see if they are in there. You can then just copy them back.



14. Run Disk Cleanup.

A) If listed, check Files discarded by Windows upgrade. (See screenshot below)​

​

NOTE: These will be the leftover upgrade files, C:\Windows.old, C:\$INPLACE.~TR and C:\$WINDOWS.~Q, that did not get copied over. If any personal username files are missing, it would be in these folders.​

​

​

​

B) Click on OK to delete it.​

​

​

15. Now all you need to do is to activate Vista.

A) Right click on Computer (Start Menu) and click on Properties, or open the Control Panel (Classic View) and click on the System icon.​

​

​

​

B) Scroll down a bit and click on: Activate Windows Now. (See screenshot below)​

​

​

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Do a Clean Install of Vista with a Upgrade Version
• How to Do a Clean Install with a Full Version of Vista
• How to Repair and Verify the Integrity of Vista System Files with System File Checker
• How to Extract Files from the Vista Installation DVD
• How to Use the Memory Diagnostics Tool in Vista
• How to Do a Startup Repair in Vista
• How to Reset a User Account Password in Vista
• How to Generate a System Health Report in Vista
• How to Troubleshoot the Computer with Reliability Monitor in Vista
• How to Run Check Disk at Startup in Vista
• How to Do a System Restore in Vista
• How to Use the DirectX Diagnostic Tool in Vista
• How to Fix a Crashing Internet Explorer in Vista
• How to Get Out of Reduced Functionality Mode in Vista
• How to Restore Previous Versions of a File and Folder in Vista
• How to Start Vista in Safe Mode
• Cannot Rename or Move a File or Folder in Vista Fix
• How to Create a Vista Recovery Disc
• How to Create a Vista SP1 Slipstream Installation DVD
• How to Slipstream Vista SP2
• How to Restore Missing Default Start Menu Shortcuts in Vista
• How to Restore TrustedInstaller as Owner of a File in Vista
• How to Do a Custom Installation of Vista

 

[Brink]

Daryl,

Well, if you have a retail Windows 7, then you could do a custom install of Vista instead. This will be like a clean install except all of your files in the current installation will be placed in the C:\Windows.old folder in the new installation when finished. This way you could just copy your files back from the C:\Windows.old folder.

 

[rosede]

Brink,

I think that is my only option. I'll give that a try and let you know how it goes.

I do regular backups, but I'm a bit paranoid when I goes to installs such as this. I know my data is good, and I hope the backups are good, but I've been saving off the data to other sources anyway. Hopefully I'll get backup and running in short order with no lose of data.

Thanks.

Daryl

 

[rosede]

Brink,

Just a couple of additional questions.

During the slipstream setup, I did a reinstall on another drive that had a previous install on it. I had forgotten that drive had been used in the past and it still had most of my data on it. When I looked at the drive, I noticed that it did what I was used to in XP, it just reinstalled the OS but left the currently installed apps alone. The one issue was that I lost everything associated with the user. I used the same name as the user that was already on the drive, so I'm guessing that users data was blown away. Is this a good assumption? If I was to try this again with my current drive, but use a slightly different user during install, do you think that I'll have two users the drive, USER-A and USER-B? USER-A being the previous user on the drive with all of the data intact, and USER-B being the new user that I just created? My guess is that USER-A would no longer be functional, but I should be able to easily copy data to USER-B. What are your thoughts on that? I'm thinking that would save me from having to reinstall apps and reconfiguring stuff (what a pain that is going to be) and my data would still be intact.

Also, I've been planing on upgrading to Windows 7. Wish I could do it now, but I'll have to wait a little while longer. Anyway, I'm currently on Home Premium and I would like to upgrade to W7 Professional. I think that I read somewhere that I can't upgrade from Vista Home Premium to W7 Pro, is that correct? I've been looking for that information again just to verify, but I can't seem to find it.

Thanks.

Daryl

 

[Brink]

Daryl,

As long as you do the upgrade install just like in the tutorial, you should not lose anything.

 

[Tallinn]

Hi, my computer crashed about a week ago and I can't even get in it in Safe Mode. My brother said that I can use Ubuntu to transfer my files to USB or CD and then he can install Windows 7 in my PC. But now I found my Vista CD (the program came with the computer (Home Premium 32bit) and tried to fix it by repair install. But the installation guide does not appear and I was wondering if I should put CD/DVD to first boot device cause when I tried to start Ubuntu I changed the first booT device to USB? My English is bad and I don't know much about computers but I want to try to fix it myself so I hope you can help me

My brother believes that when I do the repair install it doesn't work correctly and I probably have to clean install it but I just want to get all the files. If I change the first boot device to CD/DVD then nothing happens with the files?

 

[Brink]

Hello Tallinn, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Unfortunately, you will only be able to do a repair install from within Vista while it was running. You cannot do a repair install from boot or in Safe Mode.

It sounds like your brother has a good plan. Plus, he'll install Windows 7 for you.

 

[Tallinn]

Damn, that's bad, cause Ubuntu gives me errors I asked in other forums and they directed me here so I thought it would help but if not, then its bad So this Vista CD is useless? I can only see and copy my files on USB with Ubuntu?

 

[Brink]

If it's a retail Vista installation disc, then you could do a custom install of Vista at boot instead. This will be like a clean install except that it will place a copy of all of your files from the current installation into a C:\Windows.old folder in the new installation when it's complete. You can then just copy the files you want back from the C:\Windows.old folder.

 

[Tallinn]

I seem so stupid at the moment, but what is a retail installation disc? Does it make copy of my favourites too? And I really need to see what I was downloading at Limewire....

 

[Brink]

Well, there's a retail and a OEM copy of Vista. The OEM will be marked as OEM.

After doing a custom install, you will need to reinstall your drivers and programs again. However, you will be able to copy your Favorites from the C:\Windows.old folder back into your C:\Users\(user-name)\Favorites folder.

 

[Tallinn]

But I have to reinstall iTunes and stuff?

 

[Brink]

I'm afraid so with either a custom or clean install. At least with a custom install, you will be able to copy your files back from the C:\Windows.old folder though.

 

[Tallinn]

I'm just asking, is it 100% sure, that it keeps all my files safely in that folder? Why and how does it make 2 folders? So sorry, that I'm asking so many stupid questions but I realy have important stuff in my PC.

 

[Brink]

No problem Tallinn,

It's part of the upgrade process to place everthing in your current installation into the C:\Windows.old folder while it's installing the new upgrade installation.

To be safe, you should still make a backup of anything that you do not want to lose just in case something goes wrong (ex: power outage) while doing the upgrade (repair) install.

 

[rosede]

Brink,

Just want to let you know that I was able to recover my system. I used the custom install as you mentioned. Its a pain to have to reinstall and to reconfigure all of my apps, but at least I have all of my data recovered. Its a slow go getting everything back up-to-date, but it'll be backup soon enough.

Thanks for the help.

Daryl

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Daryl.

That's great news. I hope it will be back to normal soon.

 

[Tallinn]

No problem Tallinn,

It's part of the upgrade process to place everthing in your current installation into the C:\Windows.old folder while it's installing the new upgrade installation.

To be safe, you should still make a backup of anything that you do not want to lose just in case something goes wrong (ex: power outage) while doing the upgrade (repair) install.

AGAIN, stupid question but how I can do the backup, I'm so nervous about this thing :D

 

[Brink]

No probelm Tallinn,

You could just manually copy the files (ex: pictures, music, etc...) that you do not want to lose to another location than your Vista drive/partition.

 

[Tallinn]

But could Startup Repair help? And if I put CD/DVD to first boot device, then I don't loose my files?

OK, I'm gonna do this custom install, but just one question, to activate Vista I only need the product key or do I have to buy something again?

I'll let you know, when I'm finished!

 

[Brink]

Tallinn,

You would activate using the same key.