Your post doesn't really provide the information needed to help, but I'm
assuming you have a system that came with Vista Home Premium pre-installed
(OEM.) Your post states your screen is blank, yet you are able to navigate
to folders and attempt to run programs.
If you are running this computer and able to navigate, you may simply need
to update your drivers to fix the screen.
Office may not run because with the upgrade, all the internal links in the
registry were corrupted. Re-install Office.
If the problem is far worse than above, then as best I can tell, you have
probably lost all your prior work, but see if you can do the following:
(The purpose of this is to restore your previous system and recover your
data. Do not procede if you are able to use the computer and simply need to
do the above steps. If the application software [e.g. Office] was
pre-installed, you will have to contact the manufacturer of you computer to
re-install/activate the software.)
1. If you can, (based on your post,) go to the Windows.Old directory and
find folders that contain the information you need to keep.
Copy those folders to a USB or CD/DVD if possible.
If you cannot do this, and you don't have a backup of the data, then the
data is probably lost unless you take the drive to a professional to have it
removed, installed into another system where a backup can be made.
2. Your previous system was OEM. Therefore, to "upgrade" you needed to
purchase a "full" version license, not an upgrade.
Attempt to return the product key to Microsoft in exchange for a "full"
license. It will cost a little more.
(I doubt they will do this, but it's worth a try for the $160 you've
dished out.)
3. Re-install your original version using the Recovery partition or Recovery
disks (you made them, right?)
4. Restore the backup of your personal data (you've made these too, right?)
5. Assuming you re-installed your original version, but you didn't have a
backup of personal data, you now look at the Window.Old data you saved in
step 1 and recover what you can.
6. Your recovery partition/disks don't work?
Okay... insert the install DVD you got for $160, answer the initial
prompts. When asked to enter a product key, do not enter anything and
uncheck the Activate online box. Install the Home Premium version as a
Custom Install. Once the machine has Vista re-installed, go to the computer
manufacturer's website(s) and install any specific drivers needed for your
specific computer.
NOTE: This process will only give you 30-60 days of use before it dies.
You must do the following within that time frame:
Go to the System Properties and select the option to Change Product
Key. Enter the Product Key on the tag typically located on the bottom of
your computer. Attempt to activate on-line... it will fail. Keep this screen
up and call the phone number presented. Wait for a representitive. Tell them
you had a hard drive failure and have re-installed your OEM product, but it
won't activate online. They will ask for the manufacturer of your computer,
then supply you with the code needed to activate. (IF they don't want to
deal with you because you have OEM, which they have the right to do, then
you MUST call the manufacturer to get it resolved.)
Once activated, you can install your applications and attempt to
recover your data from the backup made in step 1.
7. If you've made it to here and you basically have Vista installed without
a product key and the system is still not activated, your computer will only
function for 30-60 days before reduced functionality kicks in. It's not
pretty, but you will be able to attempt to recover your personal data from
the Windows.Old file you saved in step 1 and put it separately in a safe
place until you have the computer fixed.
Beyond that, you would have to violate the EULA to install the "upgrade"
license. While this can be done, it is not legal based on the licenses you
have purchased.
In the future if I