Vista to XP, now back to Vista

[PowderD]

I started with an OEM version of Vista on my Slimline 7700 HP machine(32 bit Vista Home Premium). I had a bunch of issues with old software, so I reformatted, and placed an older version of XP I had onto the computer(not a dual boot).

I have decided to go back to vista and during reformat and ran into some problems. I tried to put in my Vista disks and got through the initial section of the format and then it says that I can't complete it b/c it isn't set up for vista.

I have no idea what this means. I was under the understanding that providing I format my C: and then place vista on that partition that it should be able to load. Instead it won't allow me to do so. I'm sure this has something to do with the fact that I went from vista, back to XP, and now want to go back to vista.

Any ideas what i'm doing wrong or what I should be doing different?

Thanks

 

[rive0108]

Insert the XP disk , restart, boot into it, as if you were going to reinstall XP. At partition screen DELETE C:. (where Windows is Installed) If you are not preserving data on another partition then I would DELETE ALL partitions so you only have an "unpartitioned" space.

Do not Install XP- cancell install.
Replace Vista disk in drive, and restart, follow prompts, and Install Vista into unpartitioned space.

 

[PowderD]

Insert the XP disk , restart, boot into it, as if you were going to reinstall XP. At partition screen DELETE C:. (where Windows is Installed) If you are not preserving data on another partition then I would DELETE ALL partitions so you only have an "unpartitioned" space.

Do not Install XP- cancell install.
Replace Vista disk in drive, and restart, follow prompts, and Install Vista into unpartitioned space.

Tried that, Here is the message which comes up once the system recovery disks are in:

"This PC is not supported by the System Recovery Discs. You will not be able to continue to recover with these discs."

I had these shipped to me from HP a few months ago b/c the computer never came with any and somehow my computer said I had already burned my one copy of system recovery discs(eventhough i didn't even know about this feature). Talk about a b/s feature. well, moving on. I did leave one partition on there as it has all my music, data, and movie files and would prefer to leave it untouched. it didn't house the OS to begin with. I nuked that partition.

I'm stuck now with a nuked computer at this point. Any bright ideas of what's going on?

thanks

 

[rive0108]

there is a way...try a regular vista disk

 

[SIW2]

Hi,

Is the partition you want to replace the HP image onto exactly the same size and position as it was originally?

 

[PowderD]

First, Yes, if i had a genuine Vista disk, i would try that, it doesn't come with something that nice. they give you these horrible recovery disks that hardily work.

Second, no, the original partition was the entire harddrive. When i moved it to xp, i moved 180 gigs for music and movies and such, and then 80 gigs for the OS. that's it's current set up as I haven't nuked my partiition with all my music and movies.

 

[rive0108]

First, Yes, if i had a genuine Vista disk, i would try that, it doesn't come with something that nice. they give you these horrible recovery disks that hardily work.

Second, no, the original partition was the entire harddrive. When i moved it to xp, i moved 180 gigs for music and movies and such, and then 80 gigs for the OS. that's it's current set up as I haven't nuked my partiition with all my music and movies.

Thats probably why it wont work- the factory image has to have at least the same size it was on originally- if it is smaller it wont work.

 

[PowderD]

First, Yes, if i had a genuine Vista disk, i would try that, it doesn't come with something that nice. they give you these horrible recovery disks that hardily work.

Second, no, the original partition was the entire harddrive. When i moved it to xp, i moved 180 gigs for music and movies and such, and then 80 gigs for the OS. that's it's current set up as I haven't nuked my partiition with all my music and movies.

Thats probably why it wont work- the factory image has to have at least the same size it was on originally- if it is smaller it wont work.

Okay, what is the easiest or any possible way to back up my partition now that I have nuked xp?

 

[PowderD]

You may be able to do it with paragon Partitioner or MEMIS (both require burning the ISO image to disk).

I think i'll just reinstall xp and make sure I can get all the data off. then nuke everything and see if that works. I'll try that and will be back in a bit.

thanks for the ideas

 

[SIW2]

There is free software you can d/l to a working pc and run off it's bootable disk .

Then boot that into your HP machine - it can copy an image to any other drive it can see - may end up having to be dvd's if you have nothing else.

You may like to take a look at these two:

Drive Backup Express - Free Download!


This sector by sector copy freebie says it can copy to external USB drives - if you have an external hd.

EASEUS Disk Copy: Free Disk Copy, Disk Clone, Partition Copy Software. Sector by Sector for hard drive backup freeware.
The Easeus is a sector by sector by sector copy app.

Reinstalling XP may be easier as you are familiar with it.