Vista ISO - Download and Create Installation DVD or USB

Brink · Dec 26, 2013

Great job Rich.

richc46 · Dec 26, 2013

I will second that. Information that is asked for constantly at the Forum.

ilikefree · Dec 27, 2013

I have a 32bit Vista .iso made by SIW2 that has both service packs and all Windows updates up to 11-10-13
I will give the link to interested parties who contact me and not post it publicly

Pawlwawl06 · Dec 30, 2013

Hello, I had a HP a6700f desktop with an OEM version of Vista, and the motherboard failed. So I ordered a different motherboard (ASRock), new memory, a new case, and a better CPU. I retained the original HDD with the OEM copy of Vista. With everything installed, I tried booting up on the new motherboard, but it would blue-screen. I then changed the HDD from default ACHI to IDE mode, and it booted up. All I had to do was re-enter the product key, and it activated perfectly. Now, my problem is that I can't access HP's recovery options to restore the PC to the original condition. If I create a Vista image using the method above, can I use the Vista x64 OEM product key from my HP a6700f, or am I better off purchasing a new copy of Windows?

Ztruker · Dec 30, 2013

I've done this several time using the OEM Vista key and it's worked fine.

richc46 · Dec 30, 2013

A new motherboard usually means a new computer by way of reinstallation standards. The key may appear to work for a short time, but then you might begin to receive notices that the key is not valid. Does not hurt to try, however.

Pawlwawl06 · Dec 31, 2013

Thanks everyone, this worked perfectly, and the activation was successful. No phone calls needed. Hopefully it will last! I'd rather have Vista than Windows 7 or 8.

spacecon · Jan 5, 2014

I admit I am not totally versed in installing and re-installing OS's as I don't do it that often. But I have been totally confused as to why you need to create an ISO and then burn the ISO to a DVD. Seems like you are just putting the files into one format, and then undoing it. As it turns out, you don't have to do that. If you go to IMGBRN website, and look under help, they have the topic of exactly how to create a Vista bootable install disk. You don't have to create an iso. You just download the exe and two .wim files from digital river (the files given in the beginning of this thread) and then run the exe file to create the vista directory. Then you use IMGBRN exactly as they say in the help topic to create the bootable dvd from the vista directory. I did this today and it works great. This saves you some steps as it is not necessary to create the .iso.

Ztruker · Jan 5, 2014

Thanks Spacecon, I'll check that out. Would simplify things for sure.

Ztruker · Jan 5, 2014

Ah, that is more work than creating the .iso. Also, you need the .iso to create a bootable flash drive which is my preferred install method.

I'll add a pointer to the forum guide for anyone who wants to burn a DVD.

Thanks again.

spacecon · Jan 6, 2014

Ztruker: I was trying to create a bootable vista64 install disk in a similar fashion to what you are describing (this was before I found your link and the help file on IMGBRN help website). I downloaded the exe and two wim files, and successfully created an .iso and then used the Microsoft Windows 7 USB DVD download tool to create a bootable install DVD. But when I tried to perform the install, the installer only gave me the option for installation in French. This surprised me since the files appeared to be the English version. It was after this happened that I went to the help-IMGBRN guides (from within IMGBRN) and found the guide on "How to create a Windows Vista bootable installation disk". I used that method and the resulting DVD came out fine in English. Any idea what went wrong? Have you run into this problem before when trying to use the resulting DVD? One thing I should mention is that I created the dvd on a W7 64 bit and then ran the install on the WVista machine. I now have a working install DVD that I created using the IMGBRN method, but I would like to understand if possible why burning the .iso to dvd did not work for me. I totally do not understand how the install came out in French, as I don't even see anything French on the install disk. Thanks.

Ztruker · Jan 6, 2014

Yup, you downloaded the French version.

spacecon · Jan 6, 2014

Ztruker, There is no way I downloaded the wrong version, I made very sure of that. It is X14-63453, I still have it. And when I unpack it (run the exe file) it even shows English and nothing I can see is French. Plus, I unpacked it on a W7 64 bit machine and after unpacking, it started to install (as is usual prior to stopping the installation) and it was installing properly in English. But when I made an iso out of it, and then used the Microsoft Windows 7 USB DVD download tool to create a bootable install DVD, and then took that DVD to the Vista machine that I wanted to install on: First, it started booting from the DVD in English, but when it got to the Vista installation, there was only French. I have no idea why and that is what I am trying to figure out. When I used the method they gave on the IMGBRN help guide, the install came up in English. I even looked at the files on the dvd that came up in French, and they look the same as the ones (same names, size, etc.) that came up on the other dvd in English as far as I can tell. I am thinking that either the Microsoft Windows 7 USB DVD download tool didn't do exactly what I wanted (actually, it is supposed to work only for Windows 7 but I have been told it will work for a Vista install, but maybe it really doesn't). I mean maybe it was doing an English install but the instructions were in French? I don't know French, so it is hard for me to tell exactly what it was saying to me. Or perhaps the archive needs to be told to be in English and if not it defaults to French? I don't really understand all the setup info they give in the IMGBRN guide, but it did work. Oh well, another unsolved mystery...but all is well that ends well I guess. I would just really like to understand this. These are the kind of things that keep me up at night! It is amazing what you run into.

To be clear about your method....after you created the dvd or usb per your instructions, you did actually try the resulting bootable DVD or USB and it did install in English? Or have you not yet used it to try an install? I am just asking to make sure yours won't come up in French as mine did. The only obvious thing I did different from your method was to use a different program to burn the iso to dvd or usb (I used the Microsoft Windows 7 DVD/USB tool). Thanks for the help.

Ztruker · Jan 6, 2014

I didn't create a DVD, I created a USB flash drive, and yes, I've installed at least 5 times using it.

My tutorial does not mention the Microsoft Windows 7 USB DVD download tool. It says to use ImgBurn.

I'll create a DVD using ImgBurn then instal it under Oracle Virtual Box to see how it goes. I'll post results later.

Ztruker · Jan 6, 2014

What about install.wim and boot.wim. Any chance you got the wrong one of those?

Mine are:

Ztruker · Jan 6, 2014

Just went through the install from a DVD I just burned using ImgBurn. It was all in English.

spacecon · Jan 6, 2014

Ztruker: You are correct, thank you! It was my fault! Thank you, thank you, and I apologize. I went back and did a double check on all my files. I had two sets of files. The first one was the one that came out in French, so I downloaded the second set from link of another source before making the second DVD. Everything looked the same to me after running the .exe file for both sets of files. But I did a file compare using a compare utility and found that the two install.wim files were different. Turns out the second set (from which I eventually got a good DVD from) was correct. The first set, I had the correct .exe file and boot.wim file, but the install.wim file (which is the biggie) was not the correct version. I AM VERY SORRY for taking up your time, although for me personally it was not wasted. As you can tell, I am no expert at this, and as careful as I try to be, there are just so many things that can go wrong, it is almost impossible to tell exactly which thing was the problem. It was important to me to find out what exactly did go wrong so that I could learn from it. I had thought it might be something with the burning process. It would be nice if the files names gave a hint of the language and version (32 bit or 64 bit) rather than all having the same name, but I am not making excuses, it was my fault. I went back to the download source, and it was definitely my fault, I just clicked on the wrong thing, even though I was trying very hard to be careful. Well, now at least I understand what went wrong, and I feel better that the "process" works as explained by you. Thank you for being patient with me and helping to understand what went wrong. You definitely went beyond what many others would do, and without that, I might not have ever found out what went wrong. So now I am gaining more confidence using the available tools. Thanks again!

Ztruker · Jan 6, 2014

No problem, it was fun to install Vista Ultimate X64 under Oracle Virtual Box. This is the first time I've had a computer good enough to install a 64bit client.

I'm just glad you figured it out.

Take care.

MrChicken · Jan 15, 2014

Hello...I have a system...a HP Pavilion that I am waiting to see if the owner has a DVD that I can use to repair the OS. If he does not have said disk could I use the above mentioned files to create a DVD that I could do an in place system repair with? The system apparently has had many issues with Windows Update and any attempts I have made to fix it have failed.

Vista ISO - Download and Create Installation DVD or USB

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