Repair/Install as in XP

[jsquareg]

One thing that gave me the warm fuzzies under XP was the ability to do a Repair/install or Inplace Upgrade whenever required such as when I replaced a mother board. It was simply a matter of boring down to the proper place on the XP CD.

I have not been able to find that capability on the CD I made from either the 32 bit or 64 bit Release Candidate downloads. Surely it must exist.

Would someone mind pointing me to it if it does exist?

Thank you very much.

 

[SIW2]

Afraid not. There is an upgrade/repair install feature - but you need to be booted into the o/s to use it.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

 

[Orbital Shark]

Afraid not. There is an upgrade/repair install feature - but you need to be booted into the o/s to use it.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

you're just too quick for me

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Here's an option if you have access to a machine with 7 on it.


http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create.html

 

[jsquareg]

Afraid not. There is an upgrade/repair install feature - but you need to be booted into the o/s to use it.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

Thank you.

I think the link you provided will do the job

 

[jsquareg]

Here's an option if you have access to a machine with 7 on it.


http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create.html

Thanks for the suggestion.

I created the repair disk just as soon as I installed the release candidate a few weeks ago.

I've often wondered how that disk differs from booting the installation disk and choosing 'repair.' The interface appears to be the same.

Would choosing the 'repair' option and then choosing the option that gives you the ability to fix the things that prevent Windows from starting? That is, in the case of a new motherboard not booting as I am sure I will be changing out the MB one of these days is history is an indication.

Thanks again.



Thanks

 

[wallyinnc]

Would choosing the 'repair' option and then choosing the option that gives you the ability to fix the things that prevent Windows from starting? That is, in the case of a new motherboard not booting as I am sure I will be changing out the MB one of these days is history is an indication.

jsquareg, I have done it (replaced motherboard and run repair install) and it worked with Win7, I could then boot it normally. I then had driver problems etc, meaning the best is to do a clean install. If you can, that should be the safe option.

 

[SIW2]

You might find running startup repair would allow you to boot into the o/s - then you could try the repair install.

I am not convinced it would work - depending how dissimilar the new hardware is.

There is a program called Adaptive restore - available on the boot discs of Pargon Hard Disk Manager Pro and Drive Backup Pro - that will restore the o/s to different harware.


It is based on the fact that these operating systems do not delete their distributive driver repositories after the setup, but simply make them inactive in the Windows Registry. These driver repositories can be made available during the restore procedure to let Windows automatically find and install any lacking driver.

Of course, it is possible the o/s did not include all the drivers needed for your new hardware in the first place - if so , they will need to be installed.

It is the same as if you clean installed the o/s on your new hardware - except, of course, you are transferring the existing o/s and don't need to reinstall apps., update, setup, etc.

Works on Server 2008 - so should work on 7.

 

[jsquareg]

Would choosing the 'repair' option and then choosing the option that gives you the ability to fix the things that prevent Windows from starting? That is, in the case of a new motherboard not booting as I am sure I will be changing out the MB one of these days is history is an indication.

jsquareg, I have done it (replaced motherboard and run repair install) and it worked with Win7, I could then boot it normally. I then had driver problems etc, meaning the best is to do a clean install. If you can, that should be the safe option.

Thank you.

My problem is that I couldn't find the 'repair/install' type option. Is it the same as the repair option that is supposed to 'fix the things that prevent Windows from starting'?

I am aware of the potential problems associated with not doing a clean install but think it worthwhile to try before doing a clean install. The repair/install worked perfectly on 3 mb change outs under XP.

Anyway, I am just trying to anticipate what might be the case.

Thanks again.

 

[jsquareg]

You might find running startup repair would allow you to boot into the o/s - then you could try the repair install.

I am not convinced it would work - depending how dissimilar the new hardware is.

There is a program called Adaptive restore - available on the boot discs of Pargon Hard Disk Manager Pro and Drive Backup Pro - that will restore the o/s to different harware.


It is based on the fact that these operating systems do not delete their distributive driver repositories after the setup, but simply make them inactive in the Windows Registry. These driver repositories can be made available during the restore procedure to let Windows automatically find and install any lacking driver.

Of course, it is possible the o/s did not include all the drivers needed for your new hardware in the first place - if so , they will need to be installed.

It is the same as if you clean installed the o/s on your new hardware - except, of course, you are transferring the existing o/s and don't need to reinstall apps., update, setup, etc.

Works on Server 2008 - so should work on 7.

Thank you.

As I explained to wallyinnc, I am having trouble finding how to do the repair install. It was the second appearance of repair on the XP disk.

Oh well, no big problem. Hope I never have to do it .

 

[Snufffed]

There is a program called Adaptive restore - available on the boot discs of Pargon Hard Disk Manager Pro and Drive Backup Pro - that will restore the o/s to different harware.

I know of several that have had major problems with Paragon. Plz do test this prior to betting your buttons on it to work. (Better safe than sorry)
I use Acronis True Image (not FREE) but for me it has never failed.

 

[sup3rsprt]

Isn't the system repair disc just the same thing as the repair tools on the Windows 7 DVD? It seems like I wasted a disc making one.

It's too bad there is no real repair option in 7 that XP used to have. In Windows XP, the repair option often worked wonders. It could fix an installation that didn't even boot anymore. With Win 7 it seems you're SOL short of a clean install.

 

[Snufffed]

Isn't the system repair disc just the same thing as the repair tools on the Windows 7 DVD? It seems like I wasted a disc making one.

It's too bad there is no real repair option in 7 that XP used to have. In Windows XP, the repair option often worked wonders. It could fix an installation that didn't even boot anymore. With Win 7 it seems you're SOL short of a clean install.

I have tested the REPAIR Disk, and ea time (it failed to repair).
I also liked very much the "upgrade" which was the same as "REPAIR INSTALL" in XP. I have not tested that portion, but it might be the same.
Interested you might let us know.

All I know is I have used Acronis True Image. of which I still have a FULL XP SP3.tib, I also have a FULL Vista SP2.tib and a couple of Win7.tibs.
I can move and do a full reinstall of XP-Vista-Win7. and all the images are small. usually in the 6 to 9 GB. and that includes Office-full install.

 

[sup3rsprt]

Snuffy are you saying that with Acronis you can make an image of Windows 7 on one computer and then restore it on another computer (or when you exchange the CPU and motherboard for example)? It would be my guess that it wouldn't work because of driver issues. But since I have never tried it, it is only a guess. I am basing my assumptions on the fact that you couldn't just change the motherboard on a WinXP system and expect the computer to boot up anymore. Too many driver issues (depending on how different the new motherboard and CPU is of course). This is where the repair install of Windows XP came in very handy.

 

[SIW2]

Unfortunately the repair/upgrade install in Vista/7 can only be done from within windows.

I believe Acronis have an additional program - that I think you pay for separately , which is similar to Paragon Adaptive Restore.

Snuffy : You can google any piece of software ( not least Acronis) and find numerous complaints.

I have used several Paragon products regularly over the last year, without the slightest difficulty - even on all the beta 7 builds I have tried. I find them utterly reliable. The imaging and restore is not fast, though.