Cannot achieve WIndows 7 upgrade.

Baback · 30 Dec 2011

Hi everyone,
I've been trying to repair my Windows 7 Pro SP1 installation through the upgrade feature contained in the Windows DVD installation disc.

A few months ago ,I completely succeeded with such an operation with the same disc.
Now, I want to do another repair and it fails everytime with this message:

Windows installation program was unable to set up Windows to run on this computer material.

It's then followed by another message:

Windows was unable to achieve the installation.To install Windows on this computer ,please run the installation program again.

Please note these quotes are my translation from French.

Thanks.

Night Hawk · 30 Dec 2011

Can I assume your 7 dvd lacks SP 1 being released prior to the service pack? That would explain the problems you are having trying to perform an upgrade to repair over an updated installation of Windows!

There's one guide here you will want to pay close attention to for solving this. Slipstream Windows 7 SP1 into a Installation DVD or ISO File

With a slipstreamed dvd included with SP 1 being integrated and even tossing some Windows updates in this might just save the present installation. Otherwise you will be faced with a clean install from scracth if the present installation is not able to be saved.

Your other option would be trying to identify and find solutions for the problems with Windows you are having unless too far gone. The other thing to know is once you used a slipstreamed dvd you will also need that as the repair disk as well in order to perform any future repairs.

gregrocker · 30 Dec 2011

You'll need the official Win7 ISO with SP1 as a slipstreamed ISO will not work for a Repair Install

Are you using 32- or 64-bit Pro?

If you want to let us in on what's needing repair we may have other ideas for you to try as well short of a Repair Install or Clean Reinstall.

Baback · 30 Dec 2011

Hi,
I'm on Windows Pro 7,64 bit.
I had to create a Windows 7 dvd including SPI as my original purchase did not include SPI.I created it from an official download site,where I downloaded Windows 7 SP1, using no streaming.

May I insist on the fact that my new dvd worked once when I launched a repair a few months ago and that the same disc does not work anymore.

I'm not interested in a new clean install , nor in a workaround to fix my problem.I just want this dvd to work for eventual use.
Thanks

gregrocker · 30 Dec 2011

Try this: http://msft.digitalrivercontent.net/win/X17-59186.iso Windows 7 Professional x64 English

Windows 7 USB-DVD Download Tool

If Repair Install still fails, achieve a clean boot by unchecking everything in msconfig>Startup and >Services after Hiding All MS Services. Reboot to make sure nothing adds back in. Then try Repair Install. Startup Programs - Change

The modern way to manage Installs is to get a Perfect Reinstall then after setup capture a backup image externallly to use in place of reinstalls or when Win7 becomes irreparable.

Night Hawk · 30 Dec 2011

Don't forget to reduce things in the Startup Group as well as the services section if you go to disable things in the msconfig.

Once you do get Windows running where you want it the idea of seeing a full system image rather then performing repair installs every so many months will make a lot more sense and save a lot of time. The guide for how to go about that is seen at Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

I've put that through the test here several times already and find average time for seeing an created is about 35 minutes using the option in Windows as compared to time taken by a 3rd party program. Restoration will vary between starting the restoration while booted in Windows and going into the Control Panel or booting live off the 7 dvd you have.

Now compare that to a repair install which will start off usually around 80 minutes or longer depending on how much you installed. The only worry of course when going to restore an image is losing anything you added on after it was originally created. Periiodic images can help.

Baback · 31 Dec 2011

Thanks to you all,
I know the difference between Windows Restore and Image Backup but this is not an answer to my problem.
I want an installation dvd that works.
I'm going to try your suggestions and come back later to post the results.

gregrocker · 31 Dec 2011

I provided you with the ISO for a Win7 installation DVD to burn to DVD or write to flash stick using the tool also linked.

Baback · 31 Dec 2011

gregrocker said:

Try this: http://msft.digitalrivercontent.net/win/X17-59186.iso Windows 7 Professional x64 English

Windows 7 USB-DVD Download Tool

If Repair Install still fails, achieve a clean boot by unchecking everything in msconfig>Startup and >Services after Hiding All MS Services. Reboot to make sure nothing adds back in. Then try Repair Install. Startup Programs - Change

The modern way to manage Installs is to get a Perfect Reinstall then after setup capture a backup image externallly to use in place of reinstalls or when Win7 becomes irreparable.

The URL above for downloading W 7 pro is the same I used to redo my dvd, but the French version as my actual Windows is in French.
However, I will use your tool to redo it. I don't have great hopes, but we never know...

gregrocker · 31 Dec 2011

The Universal USB Installer has never failed before in hundreds of times we've linked it here. It would be the way it is being booted or a bad ISO instead.