Repair tools

[Brian]

Hi - For Windows XP, 2000, there are tools such as BartsPE, UBCD and Hirens.
Does anyone know if there are there any such tools available yet for Vista
or will the aforementioned tools work for Vista machines?

Thanks in advance for any advice,
Brian.

 

[Thai Berry \(U.S.\)]

Hirens is not an official tool or very legal for that matter either... lol

but I can imagine that the guy who is putting it together will
update it...

I think I have see a BartsPE for vista somewhere floating in cyberspace..

you can also use a linux distro to do many things...

There is one called GPART that you can make partitions and stuff...

but I have not tested it on vista disks yet...

 

[Andrew McLaren]

Hi - For Windows XP, 2000, there are tools such as BartsPE, UBCD and
Hirens. Does anyone know if there are there any such tools available yet
for Vista or will the aforementioned tools work for Vista machines?

The Vista DVD has this function built-in.

As long as you have Vista media (ie, your Vista was not a pre-installed OEM
version) you just boot up from the Vista DVD and choose Repair Options, from
the menu.

You can use any Vista DVD for this - it doesn't need to be the same DVD you
used to install Vista, with a matching product key, etc.

If you don't have original Vista DVD media, you can create a bootable
"Windows PE" DVD:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsvista/aa905120.aspx

This uses official components supplied by Microsoft; so it's likely to be
more reliable (and certainly, better supported) than unofficial 3rd party
hacks.

Download WinPE as part of the WAIK (Windows Automated Installation Kit),
here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...6d-15f3-4284-9123-679830d629f2&displaylang=en

Hope it helps,

 

[Brian]

Thanks for the info, Thai. I have searched for the BartPe for Vista but as
yet have not found one. I think I'll look into the linux distros as you
suggest - see what I can find!
Many thanks again for your help,
Brian.

 

[Brian]

Thanks for the info, Andrew. The machine in question belongs to a friend and
came with a preinstalled version. In view of what you say, I'll ask around
to see if someone has a vista disk and ask if I can borrow it. Failing that,
your other suggestion regarding creating a Windows PE looks very promising -
I'll give that a go also!
Again, many thanks for the advice,
Brian.

 

[Andrew McLaren]

came with a preinstalled version. In view of what you say, I'll ask around
to see if someone has a vista disk and ask if I can borrow it. Failing
that,

Yep, any borrowed Vista DVD would be suitable for booting up and going to a
repair console.

Good luck with it!

 

[Chad Harris]

Hi Brian--

I'm just adding a little to what Andrew has given you. I didn't see the
original post with your problem necessitating repair tools. Some of the
links might help, and also remember that you can use F8 options even without
the DVD--although I hope you get hold of the DVD to try Startup Repair.

When you can boot, SFC fixes a number of things:

***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.

If you cannot boot are have significant components of the OS not working,
can boot and SFC doesn't do the trick:

***Startup Repair from the Vista DVD***

How to Use The Vista DVD to Repair Vista (Startup Repair is misnamed by the
Win RE team and it can be used to fix many Vista components even when you
***can boot to Vista):

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

If you elect to run Startup repair from the Vista DVD (it can fix major
components in Vista--I've verified this many many times; it's good for more
than startup problems, and the Win RE team simply screwed up when they named
it not understanding its full functionality):

Startup Repair will look like this when you put in the Vista DVD:

http://www.vistaclues.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/click-repair-your-computer.png

You run the startup repair tool this way (and system restore from here is
also sometimes effective):

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925810/en-us

How To Run Startup Repair In Vista Ultimate (Multiple Screenshots)
http://www.windowsvista.windowsreinstall.com/vistaultimate/repairstartup/index.htm

It will automatically take you to this on your screen:

http://www.vistaclues.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/click-repair-your-computer.png

That will allow you to go to the Vista setup that has a Repair link on
thelower left corner>click it and then you'll see a gray backgrounded list
and I want you to click Startup Repair from it and follow the directions.

The gray screen after you click the first link in the above pic will look
like this:

http://www.windowsreinstall.com/winvista/images/repair/staruprepair/Image17.gif

Click Startup Repair, the link at the top and after it scans>click OK and
let it try to repair Vista. It will tell you if it does, and if it
doesn't, try System Restore from the Recovery Link on the DVD. If these
don't work booting into Safe Mode by tapping the F8 key and using System
Restore from one of the safe modes besides VGA may work. That means you
have the option to try 4 different safe modes to get to system restore, (one
from the Recovery link on the DVD) and sometimes one will work when the
others won't.


You could also try a Repair Install with Vista which is done exactly the
same way as in XP:

***Repair Install Steps*** (can be used for Vista) MVP Doug Knox
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.mspx


***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

Thanks for the info, Andrew. The machine in question belongs to a friend
and came with a preinstalled version. In view of what you say, I'll ask
around to see if someone has a vista disk and ask if I can borrow it.
Failing that, your other suggestion regarding creating a Windows PE looks
very promising - I'll give that a go also!
Again, many thanks for the advice,
Brian.

 

[Brian]

Hi Chad -
Thank you very much for the mine of information you have given. It's so very
much appreciated.
It's going to keep me busy for a few hours!

Many thanks again,
Brian.

Hi Brian--

I'm just adding a little to what Andrew has given you. I didn't see the
original post with your problem necessitating repair tools. Some of the
links might help, and also remember that you can use F8 options even
without the DVD--although I hope you get hold of the DVD to try Startup
Repair.

When you can boot, SFC fixes a number of things:

***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.

If you cannot boot are have significant components of the OS not working,
can boot and SFC doesn't do the trick:

***Startup Repair from the Vista DVD***

How to Use The Vista DVD to Repair Vista (Startup Repair is misnamed by
the
Win RE team and it can be used to fix many Vista components even when you
***can boot to Vista):

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

If you elect to run Startup repair from the Vista DVD (it can fix major
components in Vista--I've verified this many many times; it's good for
more
than startup problems, and the Win RE team simply screwed up when they
named
it not understanding its full functionality):

Startup Repair will look like this when you put in the Vista DVD:

http://www.vistaclues.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/click-repair-your-computer.png

You run the startup repair tool this way (and system restore from here is
also sometimes effective):

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925810/en-us

How To Run Startup Repair In Vista Ultimate (Multiple Screenshots)
http://www.windowsvista.windowsreinstall.com/vistaultimate/repairstartup/index.htm

It will automatically take you to this on your screen:

http://www.vistaclues.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/click-repair-your-computer.png

That will allow you to go to the Vista setup that has a Repair link on
thelower left corner>click it and then you'll see a gray backgrounded list
and I want you to click Startup Repair from it and follow the directions.

The gray screen after you click the first link in the above pic will look
like this:

http://www.windowsreinstall.com/winvista/images/repair/staruprepair/Image17.gif

Click Startup Repair, the link at the top and after it scans>click OK and
let it try to repair Vista. It will tell you if it does, and if it
doesn't, try System Restore from the Recovery Link on the DVD. If these
don't work booting into Safe Mode by tapping the F8 key and using System
Restore from one of the safe modes besides VGA may work. That means you
have the option to try 4 different safe modes to get to system restore,
(one
from the Recovery link on the DVD) and sometimes one will work when the
others won't.


You could also try a Repair Install with Vista which is done exactly the
same way as in XP:

***Repair Install Steps*** (can be used for Vista) MVP Doug Knox
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.mspx


***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