Reinstalling Windows 7 is not an option for me.
As far as image process is concerned, it's something I use on a regular basis and this is not related with my problem.I already used an old image to test if this problem could be resolved that way and nothing changed.
When I look back at the top of the thread where you stated the first upgrade to repair install worked the first time but not later with the same disk it reminded me of something else. During the beta and RC testing when regularly booting from the dvds and trying out different setups suddenly the installation would stall or you couldn't boot from the disk at the time.
What was the problem? The optical drive was toast! Sometimes you could boot right up and everything went 100% and the next time something would go wrong. Yet the drive "seemed to be" working fine at any other time.
Solution? The drive was replaced! After that the next build was to see two optical drives. Lens cleaners had been used as well but still saw the fail to fully read disk problem. Likewise you might be running into the same thing as far as an upgrade to repair install there.
As far as restoring an image and still not getting anywhere it depends when the image was made. If you made the image right after a good clean install of Windows and all programs it should restore the system without problems. If you made the image while Windows was buggy? ut ohhh.... not so good!
I think you are going to end up performing a clean install of everything from scratch then. Once you are up and running again then you simply rename each good image's folder to something like "WindowsIamgeBackupJan2012", "WidnowsImageBackupFeb2012", etc. and call it a day!
What that will do is insure the next image doesn't overwrite the previous provided you have a large drive with plenty of free space to hold more then one image. The first would be a fresh clean install of everything with the following being later after files, programs are added on allowing you to keep the first you know will still work.
With all the problems you seem to be running into with a repair cd that will only work once or twice having a good image onhand for the initial install with SP 1 and all present updates on as well as all programs plus subsequent images would seem to be the solution.
No, I will not end up with a fresh install.It's not the solution I'm looking for.
I was just trying to find a way to repair Windows with its dedicated tools.Nothing else.
Thank you anyhow for your help.
Work through these troubleshooting steps
which utilize the system resources, logs and other tests to resolve problems.
Troubleshooting steps work only upto a certain point. Then the end result may still end up being a clean install if the registry is too polluted or drive is saturated with too many temp folders and disk errors to boot.
Once one thing is fixed a new problem appears and so forth until the only solution turns out be the last resort.This is why the option for full system images can bail you out of the worst cases by seeing one created while you know everything is 100%!
Here I was testing with both the built-in backup option as well as with different programs to see which would be the best in the long run. I narrowed things down to both the free version as well as full retail for the Acronis T.I. Disk Director suite and the backup option in Windows.
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