Solved Repair Install Problem Due To SP1

[royw]

I want to do a repair install of my Win 7 Pro 32 bit system, but when I tried to do so I was told the upgrade could not continue because my system is newer than the one on the Windows DVD. (Or words to that effect). I expected this because I installed SP1, and my DVD does not include it. The problem is that Installed Updates does not list SP1,neither does programs and features. The only reference I could find to it was in my SIW (System Information For Windows) program, which showed an ID for it which looks like a registry entry to me.
I haven't been able to get hold of a Win 7 disk with SP1,so does that mean my only option is to do a clean reinstall, or is there some other way to uninstall SP1?
Advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks and regards,Roy

 

[Brink]

Hello Roy,

Yes, that would be normal for a repair install with SP1 installed.

If you used the Windows 7 SP1 Disk Cleanup Tool, then you will not be able to uninstall the SP1, and would have to do a clean or custom install instead. If so, that would explain why SP1 is no longer listed in Programs and Features.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Ztruker]

You can slipstream SP1 with your existing Win 7 DVD using RT 7 Lite, sort of like nLite/vLite did for XP and Vista.

 

[gregrocker]

I would defnitely slipstream SP1 into the DVD ISO to do a clean reinstall, but it will not work for a Repair Install.
Slipstream Windows 7 SP1 into a Installation DVD or ISO File

 

[mjf]

Out of curiosity. Are you saying once SP1 is slipsteamed into the installation, Repair install will or will not then work?
If it doesn't work how doe one perform a repair install?

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Out of curiosity. Are you saying once SP1 is slipsteamed into the installation, Repair install will or will not then work?
If it doesn't work how doe one perform a repair install?

That is correct, if the SP 1 is slip'd into a Windows 7 installation or the installation media the repair Install option will no longer work, the SP 1 must be uninstalled first.

 

[Brink]

Hello mjf,

Unfortunately, you cannot use a slipstreamed Windows 7 SP1 installation Disc to do a repair install with.

If you have Windows 7 SP1 installed, then you either must use a "retail" Windows 7 SP1 installation disc to be able to do a repair install, or uninstall SP1 to be able to use a retail Windows 7 installation disc to do a repair install with.

• You can use a Windows 7 SP1 installation disc (ex: Technet (available), MSDN (available), or retail (when available)) to do a repair install with on a currently installed Windows 7 SP1.
• You cannot use a slipstream Windows 7 installation disc to do a repair install with on a currently installed Windows 7 SP1.
• You cannot use a slipstream Windows 7 installation disc to do a repair install with on a currently installed slipstream Windows 7 SP1.
• You can use a Windows 7 SP1 installation disc (ex: Technet (available), MSDN (available), or retail (when available)) to do a repair install with on a currently installed slipstream Windows 7 SP1.

 

[Ztruker]

Any idea why a slipstreamed SP1 version of Win 7 can't be used for a Repair install? What prevents it from being used? Is it something RT7 Lite does that causes this problem?

 

[mjf]

Great answer Brink - I definitely get it now.
Curiosity for me at the moment - a real pain in the neck for some.

 

[Brink]

Any idea why a slipstreamed SP1 version of Win 7 can't be used for a Repair install? What prevents it from being used? Is it something RT7 Lite does that causes this problem?

Hello Rich,

I'm not sure of the exact reason why, but it's something to do with the slipstreaming process used by all slipstream programs that still has the current installation show as newer than the slipstreamed installation disc for some reason. Even if it's the same one that was used to install Windows 7 with.

 

[gregrocker]

It's likely something in one of these registry listings which tells Win7 it is a newer version (with SP1) than the DVD which when slipstreamed isn't showing SP1 in its coding.

Just as changing the Edition ID and Product Name can trick the installer into doing a Repair/Upgrade Install to another Win7 version, finding and changing the coding here which indicates it is SP1 would likely do the same.

 

[Ztruker]

Sure would be nice if someone figured it out. Got any contacts at Microsoft

Thanks Shawn and Greg

 

[Ztruker]

If I do a reg query of that key, I get a slightly different result:

CurrentBuildNumber REG_SZ 7601
BuildLab REG_SZ 7601.win7sp1_gdr.110408-1631
BuildLabEx REG_SZ 7601.17592.amd64fre.win7sp1_gdr.110408-1631
BuildGUID REG_SZ 120eeac6-d1df-4811-80a7-a443334c6c2f
CSDBuildNumber REG_SZ 1130
PathName REG_SZ C:\Windows
CSDVersion REG_SZ Service Pack 1

along with a lot of other stuff. I wonder where the equivalent is on the DVD?

Yours shows CSDVersion REG_SZ 6.1

 

[gregrocker]

Someone with a slipstreamed SP1 DVD might try setting a Restore Point then changing that key to 6.1, to see if it agrees with the DVD and allows a Repair Install.

The screenshot was from this tutorial: Upgrade the Windows 7 RC to any retail version « Icrontic Tech

 

[theog]

This is a very old problem, goes back to Win Xp sp1.

 

[royw]

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread.

The reason I needed I to reinstall is that out of the blue I got an "installing device driver" message, and installation failed. Device Manager showed that no driver was installed for my HP printer, which worked well up to that point.The reason for failure was shown as "the core driver package needed to install the printer driver is missing", or words to that effect.I have no idea how the core driver package got deleted.

I realised from Brink's earlier message the reason for my attempted repair install failure, namely I used the Windows 7 SP1 Disk Cleanup Tool, and I won't make that mistake again.

I did a successful clean install, and was able to recover my program files, documents, pictures etc.etc. from a Macrium Reflect Disk image I made immediately prior to the reinstallation.I dragged and dropped selected files and folders from the image, because if I simply restored the image I assume the printer driver problem would have resurfaced.

Best regards,Roy

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello again Roy, good to see you got it sorted.



Have a look at this tutorial at the link below so you will always have system restore points if ever needed, that may have 'removed' the problematic driver for you; be sure to have a look at Method Two, the one I prefer.


System Restore Point : Create at System Startup

 

[Brink]

That's great news Roy. I'm happy to hear that to see you got it sorted, but sorry it took a clean install.