Problems "upgrading"

[Mr Grumpy]

I am using a proper Windows 7 Ultimate disc to reload windows via the upgrade option. This is something I have done in the past without problems. I have tried for the last 2 days and after 5 hours and at the point of booting up into windows gives me the message that the upgrade has been unsuccessful and is reloading the previous version. Can anyone tell me why. The original version on my laptop is a legit copy as is the disc I have which is also the disc the copy on my laptop was originally installed from. This is driving me nuts as well as wasting an awful lot of time. :shock:

 

[richc46]

Rather than give advice on how to upgrade, let me assure you that a clean install is best. I can say that 95% of our membership agrees. I suggest that you use that approach.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31402-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html?filter[2]=General Tips

 

[Mr Grumpy]

Whilst I would agree normally, I have used this upgrade process in the past a couple of time with complete success. The Windows 7 disc is the full version not an upgrade disc. This time I was not even asked for the product key which I was previously. My laptop is in constant use so a fresh install at the moment is completely out of the question hence the question.

 

[richc46]

Have you seen and tried this:

Download details: Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor

 

[gregrocker]

You are in-place Upgrading Vista to Win7, correc? And are unable to do the superior Clean Install instead settling for the corrupting in-place Upgrade?

Then back up your files and program installers as you are lucky it will roll back correctly, and wtih the hurdles already existing it might not again.

Work through the issues the Upgrade advisor poses, and try a clean boot install: How to Troubleshoot a Problem by Performing a Clean Startup in Windows 7 or Vista

You can also check the logs to see what exactly is failing at the point of last logged item: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927521/en-us

If this fails, contact MS Tech Support as they have the workarounds for failed in-place Upgrades and it is included in the cost of your software.

 

[CassieFWinTeam]

I am wondering why you want to reinstall Windows 7? And, why have you have done it a couple times in the past? Why not try one of your system recovery options, rather than reinstalling? What are the system recovery options in Windows 7?

Cassandra
Microsoft Windows Outreach

 

[Bill2]

This seems a more peculiar way of reinstalling. Perhaps you do a lot of software testing or hardware testing?

IMO, the best way to do what you are trying to is to image your system at regular installs, using a program like Macrium Reflect. Restoring from that image will revert you to exactly the system you imaged plus no reactivation is required. Theres a tutorial on this, check the Tutorials section.

 

[Mr Grumpy]

The system restore doesn't want to restore even though it has restore points showing so I wanted to run a repair of windows which as for as I can see is done by running the upgrade option as it's the only other one to the clean install. I have Windows 7 already installed and have used the upgrade option to repair it in the past. It doesn't seem to want to know this time. Yes I would have used a backup but my NAS drive packed up 3 weeks ago and I haven't got round to replacing it yet.

 

[theog]

Check your HD.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html?ltr=S
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/433-disk-check.html

Check with a hard drive diagnostic tools.
Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities (Storage) - TACKtech Corp.

 

[gregrocker]

Then you should say you are doing a http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html?ltr=R

 

[Mr Grumpy]

Which is exactly what I followed but at the point of the final reboot I got the failed installation and reverting back to the previous version. It didn't get to the stage of asking for the product key. As I said, I have done this in the past and it worked perfectly but not this time hence the question.

 

[gregrocker]

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html