Repairing Vista without a Vista DVD

Discussion in 'Acronis True Image Product Line' started by K0LO, Dec 12, 2007.

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  1. K0LO

    K0LO Registered Member

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    If you have a PC that came with Vista pre-installed and without a Vista DVD, it is difficult to do repairs without an official Microsoft Vista DVD. This topic has been discussed here before with various recommendations:

    1. Get a Microsoft Vista Anytime Upgrade DVD
    2. Build a VistaPE environment using the free WAIK download from Microsoft

    I just ran across this article tonight and it contains a third alternative, a link to a download of an ISO image that contains the repair components that are on Vista DVDs. Using this image you can do repairs.

    Here is the link.
     
  2. DwnNdrty

    DwnNdrty Registered Member

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    Nice find! :thumb: :thumb:
     
  3. Menorcaman

    Menorcaman Retired Moderator

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    Hmm, I wonder whether uploading that ISO is strickly legal? The NeoSmart Technologies link is functional but it seems that the Techmodo link has either been pulled or has timed out.

    Regards

    Menorcaman
     
  4. K0LO

    K0LO Registered Member

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    I'm not a lawyer by any stretch but I would tend to think that it would be legal for the following reasons:

    1. Microsoft was giving away free "Vista Anytime Upgrade" DVDs that contain the repair components on the DVD.
    2. You can download the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) directly from Microsoft that contains the capability to create a VistaPE disk with the repair components.
    3. There are sites that have built VistaPE installations based on the WAIK, including the one referenced in this forum for creating an alternative to BartPE.

    But again, I'm not a lawyer...
     
  5. mustang

    mustang Developer

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    I found another easy way to the startup repair. I have a Compaq system with a recovery partition. During boot I press the F11 key to enter System Recovery mode. WinPE 2.0 boots to a screen where I select language and keyboard layout. I hit next and I get the screen with the Startup Repair option.

    This will probably work on HP and other computers that use a recovery partition instead of providing a Windows DVD. This is a good reason to keep the recovery partition.
     
  6. Menorcaman

    Menorcaman Retired Moderator

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    Hi Mark,

    Neither am I!! Hence the reason I didn't remove your link. ;) :D

    As an aside, I note that the NeoSmart Technologies site no longer contains the (broken) link to the Techmodo ISO download.

    Regards

    Menorcaman
     
  7. shieber

    shieber Registered Member

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    Looks the cheapest thing you can do going through that link is a $159 upgrade + $7 for shipping the disk.

     
  8. K0LO

    K0LO Registered Member

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    You're so right -- they used to let you purchase the Upgrade DVD for $0 + $7 shipping, but I don't see a way to do that now. I will delete the post before yours since it is obviously wrong.
     
  9. shieber

    shieber Registered Member

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    Darn shame they dropped the offer. I was hoping maybe the location for the offer just changed, but it appears not :(
     
  10. Somp

    Somp Registered Member

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    you can get them for $7 shipping at
     
  11. Bruce Mahnke

    Bruce Mahnke Registered Member

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    Last edited: Feb 7, 2008
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