Custom Install Windows 7

Brink · 26 Jun 2012

mysorian said:

I have gotten into a situation where,

The computer can only run in Safe Mode

The winBio.dll is corrupted

Is it possible to do a fdisk (recalling from my memory) and run the files from a command prompt?

Little history of the computer:

Windows 7 Ultimate (x32)
The computer[Aspire 4810TZ-4011] got corrupted and one of the user profile files was over 12.5GB. Started normally it will just hang for days. It can only start in the safe mode. It does start in safe mode with network support. I obtained a copy of the Windows 7 software from Microsoft store which came in the form of a download of some three files listed here:

Windows7_Ultimate_2011_sp1x86exe_v2setup2.box
Windows7_Ultimate_2011_sp1x86exe_v2setup1.box
Windows7_Ultimate_2011_sp1x86exe_v2

I copied them to a DVD and tried to run from my laptop but the bios is corrupted (I did try to set to boot from DVD). The exe cannot install from safe mode.

What other options are there? I just want to flatten this laptop.

Windows 7 presented various problems during the time it was used:
Cursor jumping
erratic search behavior
absense of language configuration in control panel, etc.

Hello Mysorian, and welcome to Seven Forums.

This tutorial is only to be used with a retail copy of Windows 7.

Since you have a Acer computer. You would need to do a factory recovery instead since you have a OEM (Acer) factory copy.

Acer Support: Frequently Asked Questions list for Recovery media and Restoring a system to factory load

Hope this helps,
Shawn

mysorian · 26 Jun 2012

Thanks for the kind reply and the ACER links.

The Windows 7 Ultimate did not come with the laptop. It came with Windows 7 Home Premium. I purchased Windows 7 Ultimate from Microsoft and installed it. It was also a download from Microsoft and it installed without a problem.

During usage it got corrupted and I got a replacement from Microsoft and I am trying to install.
Per my previous post there is a problem with the BIO's (winbio.dll is corrupted). I cannot install from DVD.

However when I install it from the DVD while in the safe mode, I get two options.
If I choose the Custom Option I see three partitions:
Name Total Size Free Space Type
Disk 0 postion 1: PQSERVICE 9.8GB 2.0GB OEM(Reserved)
Disk 0 Position 2:Acer C: 288.3GB 195.9GB Primary
Disk o position 3: (F:) 1.0MB 0.0 MB System

However I get an error message that it cannot install on the selected location(primary) and I get an error code: 0x8007045d

All I need is to install the OS. I am not interested in saving the other programs/data on the laptop.

Is there a solution?

Brink · 26 Jun 2012

In that case, you could download an official Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit with SP1 ISO file at the link below to create a bootable DVD/USB with the ISO file, and do a clean install of Windows 7. You would activated it with your product key number.

Windows 7 SP1 ISO from Digital River « My Digital Life

mysorian · 28 Jun 2012

Thank you, Brink for the reply.
I have not tried your fix as yet, but I will.
In the mean time I want to continue with my Windows 7 Ultimate reinstall experience (so that it may be useful to others):

Finally I managed to bring the computer back to load windows normally (as against the safe mode). I tried with F8 and a old repair disc I had.

Now that I have it working I tried to use the files sent by Microsoft support (the three files I mentioned in my previous post) by clicking on the executable on the DVD.

The process started and there were two options:
Upgrade and Custom Install.

Upgrade did not work and I got a message that the present OS cannot be upgraded. Then I tried the Custom Install.
It seemed to work:
First I was asked to remove Windows Mobile 6.1 before it can proceed.
I removed the Windows Mobile Device Center from my add/remove programs window.
The copying of the files from the two box files took a long time and some where in the middle I got a error message that
Winpeshl.exe application error.(The applicaiton Errror 0xc0000142)
I proceeded further disregarding the message.
Then finally after deactivating the Norton porgram, it started installing. Since the program appeared to stall, I hard booted the computer and started the computer with F8.

Then I got two optiosn to boot, windows setup or windows 7(existing OS).
The Windows setup lead me to a very strange situation. The login screen came up with the login picture empty. I tried all three users (I am a developer and I usually create three users) to login. I got the login error that there is no such domain.

Finally I got the message that the software did not install and the system returned to initial state.

Right now I am ready to test your suggestion and hope it works. I have spent considerable time fixing this laptop. If this is so difficult to a microsoft developer I do not know how much more it would be for a normal user. I concede that my cerification is not current(has been retired), but it was really difficult.

mysorian · 29 Jun 2012

I was faced with a new problem, totally unanticipated. I decided to go the way you suggested in your email. I downloaded a copy of Windows 7 Ultimate(x32) from the site you suggested and also the Microsoft helper file to create a bootable DVD. When I ran the Microsoft Helper file somehow the virus Live Security Platinum 3.5.4 program also got into the Program Data folder as well as the Notification area. It did not allow me to create a bootable DVD. I tried to clean it with ARO2012 utility that I downloaded and install. The Live Security Platinum program did not allow any of the executables to run. It is interesting that Norton did not find the virus.

Finally I created the bootable DVD per your suggestion on another laptop and then booted the infected computer. Now a brand new copy of Windows 7 Ultimate is installed and working.

Thanks

Brink · 30 Jun 2012

Mysorian,

That's great news. Just to be on the safe side to help make sure your system is clean, you might also do a full scan of your system with MalwareBytes free .

Monumental · 05 Sep 2014

I have a setup with an SSD (C: )that acts as my system drive and an HDD (D: ) that acts as my data drive. I used one of kari's tutorials and used sysprep to move the Users and ProgramData folders to D: and everything worked fine for years. I recently ran into some issues and as part of troubleshooting have used sysprep to move the Users and ProgramData folders back to C: but I copied everything out of the Users folder before doing so, so that it's all still safe on D:. sfc /scannow is still finding corrupt files and Repair Install fails to complete.

I'm trying to determine what benefit is gained by doing a custom install at this point vs a clean install. Either way I have to reinstall all programs and drivers. My data files are on a separate drive. I don't see any files on C: that I would need to transfer out of windows.old. Would I be able to transfer my steamapps folder? What else (other than personal data files) would normally be transferred out of windows.old?

Brink · 05 Sep 2014

Monumental,

The only problem with moving your user folders and such to another drive like that is that it's hard to move them back to C: without breaking things.

At this point, you may be better off doing a clean install to start fresh.

Monumental · 05 Sep 2014

Brink said:

Monumental,

The only problem with moving your user folders and such to another drive like that is that it's hard to move them back to C: without breaking things.

At this point, you may be better off doing a clean install to start fresh.

To be clear, the issues began before I moved them back. I moved them back to C: as part of the troubleshooting process. It appears to be running fine other than the /scannow results.

But just consider it a general question then- other than personal files, what files would someone move out of Windows.old?

Custom Install Windows 7

This is a little tough, your options 1 and 2 does not work(continued)