Complete PC Restore in OEM Vista

[Gregory Sebastian]

Does anyone know how do do a Complete PC Restore in an OEM version of Vista
Ultimate ? OEM licenses does not come with the Vista installations disk which
I understand is needed to Boot the PC and get to the Windows Recovery
Enviroment. The standard Recovery disk that is created with and OEM version
only allows booting up and restoring to a factory set. Is there any way that
I can create a bootable DVD that brings me to the Windows Recovery Enviroment
so I can do a Complete PC Restore.

Thanks

 

[Chad Harris]

Hi Gregory--

I translate/extrapolate your phrase "complete PC restore" to mean you want
to fix a broken and possibly non-bootable Vista on a machine. You have less
tools to work with without a Vista DVD, because you don't have access to
MSFT's Win RE including tools like Startup Repair or Bootrec.exe command
switches.

I just commented about a situation like yours that we've seen thousands of
times since XP and Vista preload OEM sales have denied MSFT customers media
with their expensive PC purchases.

However, you do have access to tools at the F8 or Windows Advanced Options
menu.

You could purchase expensive fixing methods that cost nearly as much as
Vista but I wouldn't. I'd buy a Vista DVD instead if I were going this
route.

Perhaps if you tell us what the situation is that you need to fix we could
add more information. Are you getting a blue screen or blue screens? Can
you boot to Windows? What's going on that prompted you to ask? Meanwhile:

***SFC as a Remedy***:

SFC or System File Checker is a bit like the spare tire in your car or a
backup battery I suppose. In Vista of course, they have changed it somewhat
and come up with a new name--Redmond stands for name it something different
twice a year and now it's part of WRP or Windows Resource Protection. It
scans protected resources including thousands of files, libraries, critical
folders, and essential registry keys, and it replaces those that are
corrupted with intact ones. It fixes a lot of problems in Windows XP, OE,
Windows Vista, Win Mail, IE6, and on Vista or if it is installed on XP, IE7.
It protects these things from changes by any source including
administrators, by keeping a spare of most of them.


How to Run SFC:

Type "cmd" into the Search box above the Start Button>and when cmd comes up
at the top of the Start menu>right click cmd and click "run as Admin" and
when the cmd prompt comes up at the cmd prompt type "sfc /scannow" no quotes
and let it run. This may fix things quite a bit. It replaces corrupt files
with intact ones, if you're not familiar with it.

***Using the F8 Environment***

***Taking Full Advantage of the F8 Options (Windows Advanced Options Menu)
by starting the PC and tapping F8 once per second when the firmware screen
with the pc manufacturer's name shows a few seconds after restarting***:

The F8 options in Vista are the same as XP, and the link for Safe Mode Boot
options is labled XP by MSFT but they are the same for Vista (they haven't
updated to add Vista to the title as they have with several MSKBs that apply
to both).

Again, pressing F8 repeatedly when you seem the firmware screen may be is a
generic way to launch Windows RE on some OEM Vista computers.

You could also:

Think: I have 4 different ways to get back my XP at F8 and try 'em in order.
1) Safe Mode 2) Safe Mode with Cmd to Sys Restore which is simply a cmd
prompt in safe mode 3) Safe Mode with Neworking 4) LKG or Last Known Good
Configuration


Try to F8 to the Windows Adv Options Menu>try 3 safe modes there (I don't
use WGA) and Last Known Good>then I go to Win RE in Vista. That gives you a
choice of Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking,and Safe Mode with Command
Prompt.

These methods are outlined in

A description of the Safe Mode Boot options in Windows XP/and Vista
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315222/

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding System Restore from MSFT:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/plan/faqsrwxp.mspx

System Restore can be run from the Win RE recovery environment from the same
link as Startup Repair, and sometimes it will work from one F8 safe mode
location or from the Win Recovery Environment when it won't work from other
locations.

How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304449

Good luck,

CH

 

[Gregory Sebastian]

Hi Chad,
My laptop (HP with OEM Vista Ultimate) hard disk failed last week. The HD
was replace and a factory installation of Vista Ulimate was restored. Its is
working fine now but in Oct., I did a complete PC Backup to an external Hard
disk. I now want to do a "Complete PC Restore" from my ext. HD. Vista help
documentation says that I should tap F8 at boot up which brings be to the
Windows Recovery Enviroment. Tried this and it works fine to a particular
point. My Backup set was detected in an "F" drive. But I can't proceed with
the Retore. Vista message is that I booted from a hard disk but that hard
disk needs to be reformatted. Vista then ask me to boot from a CD/ DVD and
try again. In and OEM installation, I have no means to boot up with a DVD and
get to the Windows Recovery Enviroment since I do not have the Windows
Installation disk.

Thanks

 

[Chad Harris]

Hi Gregory--

What you need to do is to borrow a Vista DVD (Ultimate, Enterprise, or
Business) from someone in order to do the Complete PC Restore from the Win
RE environment, i.e. from the Recovery Options Menu from the Recovery link
of the Vista DVD:

http://www.windowsvista.windowsreinstall.com/vistaultimate/repairstartup/part1.htm

A Guide to Vista Backup Technologies/Complete PC Restore

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/technetmag/issues/2007/09/Backup/


That's the only way you're going to do a Complete PC Restore. You won't
need to use a Product Key to do this.

CH

..

 

[Gregory Sebastian]

Thanks Chad,
I paid quite a bit to get this laptop with Vista Ultimate preinstalled. I
would have thought that I should get all the tools necessary to recover in
the event of a disaster. This was the reason I purchased Ultimate in the
first place.

I couldn't get my hands on a Vista Ultimate disk so I had to order a disk
replacement set from Microsoft. I already lost 1 week when my HD crashed .
Now I need to wait another 5 days to have the disk shipped over. Huge
dissapointment .

Sorry for the rant. Thanks again to the tips and resources.

Regards




--
Gregory Sebastian

Hi Gregory--

What you need to do is to borrow a Vista DVD (Ultimate, Enterprise, or
Business) from someone in order to do the Complete PC Restore from the Win
RE environment, i.e. from the Recovery Options Menu from the Recovery link
of the Vista DVD:

http://www.windowsvista.windowsreinstall.com/vistaultimate/repairstartup/part1.htm

A Guide to Vista Backup Technologies/Complete PC Restore

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/technetmag/issues/2007/09/Backup/


That's the only way you're going to do a Complete PC Restore. You won't
need to use a Product Key to do this.

CH

..

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Unfortunately that is typical for OEM and one of the many reasons you
paid less for OEM.
The recovery tools will not necessarily be different for the more
expensive versions of Windows.

Generally the best options are included with the retail versions.

 

[Gregory Sebastian]

Hi Jupiter,

The recovery tools will not necessarily be different for the more
expensive versions of Windows.

According the to the Vista product literature "Complete PC Backup and
Recovery" is only available in Business, Ultimate and Enterprices. It is not
available in Home Premium or Home Basic, here its just file backup only.
Thats why I chose Ultimate.

I am just finding out (at the time I need it most) that when you have an OEM
version of Ultimate, I only have the tools to do the Complete PC Backup. I do
not have the tools to do the Complete PC Restore. For that I need to borrow a
retail DVD set from a friend or to order a replacement disk. This is the part
I cannot understand. Other 3rd party disk image backup and restore utilities
normally allow us to create our own bootable repair cd/dvd.

Generally the best options are included with the retail versions

Agreed. I don't find this a problem in desktops PC. But when you buy a
laptop, most of them come with with a preinstalled (OEM) license of Windows.
Maybe I didn't specfically look but I didn't find any coming with retail
copies of Vista.

Regards

 

[Andre Da Costa[ActiveWin]]

Could you try contacting the OEM to see if they will ship you an OEM disk at
a minimal cost of shipping and handling? Dell did it for my friend.

 

[Harry Krause]

Hi Gregory--

What you need to do is to borrow a Vista DVD (Ultimate, Enterprise, or
Business) from someone in order to do the Complete PC Restore from the
Win RE environment, i.e. from the Recovery Options Menu from the
Recovery link of the Vista DVD:

http://www.windowsvista.windowsreinstall.com/vistaultimate/repairstartup/part1.htm


A Guide to Vista Backup Technologies/Complete PC Restore

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/technetmag/issues/2007/09/Backup/


That's the only way you're going to do a Complete PC Restore. You won't
need to use a Product Key to do this.

CH

Chad:

What if you want to repair a Vista install that has some minor problems
and you don't have a backup? Can you automatically reinstall original
VISTA files to replace "damaged" files, using the DVD?

 

[Chad Harris]

Gregory--

I'm sorry for all the production time wasted, and truly sorry for the hassle
you've been through. Many of us who are this into computers can empathize.
I'm replacing a failing hard drive as we speak, hoping to setup a Raid
1+Raid 0 array when I get my 3rd hard drive, but fortunately I was able to
recover using the three bootrec.exe switches (and the magnetism or a long
list of microscopic whatevers returned to my HD long enough for me to
manually drag and drop to my external in addition to backing up with Vista
and Acronis to the external and to DVD.

You might keep in mind that if you have a Vista no boot situation, even
though you have Ultimate, often the files that you are trying to fix and
replace with a Repair Install may be present on another edition of
Vista--you can't predict but odds are strongly that the damaged files might
be files in other editions of Vista as well that you may be able to borrow.

I know that MSFT is working on a number of interesting additional repair
tools for Windows that will be offered by them in the future.

Good luck,

CH

Thanks Chad,
I paid quite a bit to get this laptop with Vista Ultimate preinstalled. I
would have thought that I should get all the tools necessary to recover in
the event of a disaster. This was the reason I purchased Ultimate in the
first place.

I couldn't get my hands on a Vista Ultimate disk so I had to order a disk
replacement set from Microsoft. I already lost 1 week when my HD crashed .
Now I need to wait another 5 days to have the disk shipped over. Huge
dissapointment .

Sorry for the rant. Thanks again to the tips and resources.

Regards

 

[Gregory Sebastian]

Hi Andre

Could you try contacting the OEM to see if they will ship you an OEM disk at
a minimal cost of shipping and handling?

I've been trying that from last Friday when I first got my repaired laptop
back. They (OEM) said that the only disk they have is the OEM Recovery Disk
but thats only usefull to get a factory install.

I have the retail disks for Vista Home Basic from my desktop PC. I tried
that but that doesn't work for an Ultimate laptop.

I ordered the disk set yesterday from Microsoft for nominal fee + shipping.
I paid for express postage so I'm hoping to get it tomorrow. Keeping my
fingers crossed there no furthur delay.

Cheers

 

[Gregory Sebastian]

often the files that you are trying to fix and

replace with a Repair Install may be present on another edition of
Vista

Thanks Chad, will keep that in mind.

I know that MSFT is working on a number of interesting additional repair
tools for Windows that will be offered by them in the future.

Look forward to that. I hope that future HD image backup and restore
utilities allows us to restore the disk image to different hardware
configurations. I've read some articles that the current Complete PC Restore
does not work when there are changes to the hardware components. This poses
a problem when we can't find identical hardware components or just want to
migrate to a new upgraded PC altogether.

Regards

 

[Chad Harris]

Gregory --

I meant to type "startup repair" instead of Repair Install in that last
post. I'm not sure how a hdw change would impact a PC restore--it's a good
question. I would hope it wouldn't. The best article I've been able to
find on PC Restore is the article that appeared in Technet magazine that I
linked.

A Guide to Windows Vista Backup Technologies
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/technetmag/issues/2007/09/Backup/default.aspx

CH

 

[Chad Harris]

Hi Harry--

One thing you can use to repair minor and major problems in XP and Vista is
SFC or System File checker where files are scanned and damaged files
(thousands of them but not every single file in either XP or Vista (and it's
been changed under the hood in Vista). You don't need the DVD for this.
You can also, of course try to use system restore if you have the
appropriate restore point or points to try. You don't need the DVD to do
System Restore although when you can't boot you can try to do system restore
from it as one of the repair modalities--I'd try Startup Repair in this case
first.

When you use the DVD in the Win RE environment and are running Startup
Repair, you're doing an uber SFC or you can think of it as "SFC writ large."

CH

 

[Gregory Sebastian]

Just an update for anyone following this thread.

This morning I got my disk set for Vista Ultimate from MS sent via express
courier at my expense. The whole restore was a breeze and only took about 70
mins. Roughly 40min for complete PC restore and another 30 mins to restore
file backup.

Interesting that my old HD was a Western Digital but when I collected my
laptop from the OEM, it was replaced with Hitachi of the same capacity
(160GB). On booting up after the complete PC restore, Vista detected the HD
change and installed relevant drivers so everyting works fine now.

Downtime and grief wasted because the repair DVD's are not included with
with an OEM installation :
3 days : Struggling to do a complete PC restore not knowing that I needed
the retail disk set for Vista which is not supplied with an OEM install.
3 days : To order and wait for Express shipping of retail Vista disk set

Bottom line : If you have an preinstalled version of Vista and rely on
"Complete PC Backup and Restore", ensure that you obtain a Vista retail disk
set one way or another. Its impossible to restore without it.

Thanks again to Chad and others on this thread for pointing me in the right
direction.

Regards
Gregory Sebastian

 

[Chad Harris]

Harry--

It occurred to me that I had incompletely answered your question. If SFC
doesn't fix your problem, and it will fix many problems in Windows, IE, and
sometimes Win Mail or OE in XP, then I use a Startup Repair. The Win RE
team officially insists that Startup Repair is only for problems with No
Starts, but I strongly disagree and have used it to fix some significant
problems with Vista, and there is no downside to trying this.

CH

 

[Chad Harris]

Gregory--

Thanks much for the followup. I'm glad it worked out. Dell has said they
are sending DVDs with all purchases of a new PC and I have talked with some
people at Round Rock and they say they are continuing to do that. I
certainly would ask the OEM company if there is one in the equation when you
buy a new PC to see if you can get them to include a Vista DVD--some may be
willing to do it a reduced price. They all should be doing it.

Now that you have the DVD on a disk set, you have the recovery tools to use
for the remainder of the time you use Vista Ultimate. That's the best way
to go.

Good luck,

CH

 

[Harry Krause]

Harry--

It occurred to me that I had incompletely answered your question. If
SFC doesn't fix your problem, and it will fix many problems in Windows,
IE, and sometimes Win Mail or OE in XP, then I use a Startup Repair.
The Win RE team officially insists that Startup Repair is only for
problems with No Starts, but I strongly disagree and have used it to fix
some significant problems with Vista, and there is no downside to trying
this.

CH

Okay!

Now, I need a "cheat sheet" for startup repair as we discussed so I can
print it out and tuck it away for that rainy, dismal day when I need it.

Can you please supply?

Many thanks!

 

[The poster formerly known as 'The Poster Formerly]

Gregory--

Thanks much for the followup. I'm glad it worked out. Dell has said
they are sending DVDs with all purchases of a new PC and I have talked
with some people at Round Rock and they say they are continuing to do
that. I certainly would ask the OEM company if there is one in the
equation when you buy a new PC to see if you can get them to include a
Vista DVD--some may be willing to do it a reduced price. They all
should be doing it.

Now that you have the DVD on a disk set, you have the recovery tools to
use for the remainder of the time you use Vista Ultimate. That's the
best way to go.

Good luck,

CH

HP is sending Vista and XP restore disks with all business machines that
come preloaded with Vista.




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[Steve]

Hi Greg,

Man, I wished I had seen your post before experiencing EXACTLY what you did.
Unbelievable to me that my OEM did not include a way to restore the Windows
Complete PC Backup and then insisted that this was not their problem. I paid
approximately $100 to get have Ultimate pre-installed instead of Premium. I
called Microsoft and they seemed oblivious to the issue. I lodged a
complaint to make it official but I have my doubts as to whether I will
receive a response.

I would suggest that everyone call and place a complaint because either they
do not understand that OEMs are not including a way to Restore in Ultimate or
Business or they have not designed it that way. I ordered the replacement
disk as you did. Thanks for noting this issue on this board!

I will try to order