Repair Install

This is an excellent tutorial.

I've spent a total of 7 1/2 hours on the phone with Microsoft tech support this week because my computer deletes all system restore points on every reboot. During tonight's session, I was directed to do a repair install of Windows 7 as the last attempt to fix this problem before a clean install.

I put in my DVD and ran the in-place upgrade. When it got to Expanding Windows Files... 18% it froze, saying 'Windows needs to restart your computer.' I let it stay there for about an hour, nothing ever happened.

My Microsoft tech called me back then and told me to reboot, leaving the DVD in. That didn't work - when we got back into the DVD's menu it told us we couldn't do an upgrade from boot, it had to be done from inside Windows 7.

Not sure why the tech guy didn't know that. But anyway, he told me to try it again and will 'call me back Monday' to see how it went. So I'm on my own.

Before I tried again I disabled the firewall on a whim. This time, the computer DID restart when it hit 18% on Expanding Windows Files. But when it rebooted it gave me the 'Select CD-ROM Boot Type' and I didn't know what to select. I picked 1.

Again, when it finally got back into the DVD menu (after getting back into Windows 7) it wanted to start over. This is when I found your article - I disabled both the firewall and antivirus and am now running the repair install again.

My question is - what happens if the computer restarts but doesn't reboot all the way on its own? How do I resume running the repair install without starting it over, again and again?

That's what I did - I let it boot, never touched it, left the disk in. It always went to the 'select boot type' menu. I tried doing the repair install three times, same results each time. And when I gave up and got back into Win7, it told me it couldn't complete the repair install because my computer wasn't compatible.

However...

This morning I turned on my computer and immediately I see an 'Upgrading Windows' screen, then it picks up at 'Expanding Folders 18%' right where it left off last night. I don't understand this at all (there was no DVD in) but I won't argue with it.

My external HD, which it hasn't recognized for a week, is now up and running again so I'm doing a full image before I do step 18 and cleanup my disk. I'm hopeful I'll then be able to complete your wonderful tutorial - and THEN I will peek to see if System Restore is now working properly or not. Fingers crossed.

I created a test SRP yesterday - and this morning it and three others are showing up. So this procedure worked when nothing else helped. Thanks again.