Vista Repair

[VUDC]

My laptop, a Dell D830 running Vista Ultimate 32 Bit SP1 recently suffered a hard drive failure. I was able to get a drive image off of the failing hardware and transfered the image to a brand new drive. Unfortunately, it seems that the hardware problem caused quite a bit of havoc for windows, as I am unable to start windows and the computer hangs and then restarts while loading drivers when I try to start in safe mode.

I have a Vista install disc, and I have tried the startup repair without success. The whole startup repair will run and then say that "Windows cannot automatically fix the problems." I have also run a scandisk on the drive using a second vista computer, and it said that it had found and fixed errors, but I still get the exact same issue when I try to start in safe mode. I found the tutorials on these forums to make a SP1 Slipstream disc to attempt a repair installation, but even with the SP1 disc, the upgrade installation option is not available.

At this point is there anything else I can do besides re-installing windows. I have backups of most of my important stuff, but I'm hoping that I can salvage the whole system with all of my installed programs and everything.

Thank you very much for your help!

 

[Joan Archer]

My laptop, a Dell D830 running Vista Ultimate 32 Bit SP1 recently suffered a hard drive failure. I was able to get a drive image off of the failing hardware and transfered the image to a brand new drive. Unfortunately, it seems that the hardware problem caused quite a bit of havoc for windows, as I am unable to start windows and the computer hangs and then restarts while loading drivers when I try to start in safe mode.

I have a Vista install disc, and I have tried the startup repair without success. The whole startup repair will run and then say that "Windows cannot automatically fix the problems." I have also run a scandisk on the drive using a second vista computer, and it said that it had found and fixed errors, but I still get the exact same issue when I try to start in safe mode. I found the tutorials on these forums to make a SP1 Slipstream disc to attempt a repair installation, but even with the SP1 disc, the upgrade installation option is not available.

At this point is there anything else I can do besides re-installing windows. I have backups of most of my important stuff, but I'm hoping that I can salvage the whole system with all of my installed programs and everything.

Thank you very much for your help!

Did you get the replacement drive from Dell and was it the exact same model drive as the failed one, just thinking that could cause problems trying to put the OS back onto different hardware.
Don't know if that is the problem was just giving my thoughts on the situation

 

[pooch]

My laptop, a Dell D830 running Vista Ultimate 32 Bit SP1 recently suffered a hard drive failure. I was able to get a drive image off of the failing hardware and transfered the image to a brand new drive. Unfortunately, it seems that the hardware problem caused quite a bit of havoc for windows, as I am unable to start windows and the computer hangs and then restarts while loading drivers when I try to start in safe mode.

I have a Vista install disc, and I have tried the startup repair without success. The whole startup repair will run and then say that "Windows cannot automatically fix the problems." I have also run a scandisk on the drive using a second vista computer, and it said that it had found and fixed errors, but I still get the exact same issue when I try to start in safe mode. I found the tutorials on these forums to make a SP1 Slipstream disc to attempt a repair installation, but even with the SP1 disc, the upgrade installation option is not available.

At this point is there anything else I can do besides re-installing windows. I have backups of most of my important stuff, but I'm hoping that I can salvage the whole system with all of my installed programs and everything.

Thank you very much for your help!

Hello VUDC,

I think that a new install is probably the best option. With the backups that you have already saved I see this as the way forward, we could otherwise spend a lot of time trying to find a better answer.

Insert the Vista DVD start the lappy up and allow the install to proceed, when it gets to partitioning the HDD just carry on with the install do not format anything!!
Vista will then check the HDD and find your old install, it will then give you the option to carry on with the install and to save your previous install to a folder called windows old.
If there is anything to save on your old HDD this is the way to do it, Windows old will show up in your new start menu as a menu where you will be able to access your old Vista menu (if it is still usable) allowing you to make copies/backups of your old data.
When you are finished with windows old you can just delete all instances of it from from C:\

I hope this helps

Pooch