Vista "Repair Install" Are Installed Programs Preserved?

[PvdG42]

I've read in various articles that the Vista equivalent of an XP Repair
Install is to boot from DVD, then select "upgrade" to install Vista over
itself. I'm having what appear to be unsolvable problems with USB mass
storage devices on one Vista install (tried the delete INFCACHE.1 trick),
and I've read elsewhere that reinstalling the OS may be the only solution.
If I do the upgrade, will all the software I've installed remain viable?

 

[mikeyhsd]

no guarantees as usual, remember it's windows. but most likely.



(e-mail address removed)



I've read in various articles that the Vista equivalent of an XP Repair
Install is to boot from DVD, then select "upgrade" to install Vista over
itself. I'm having what appear to be unsolvable problems with USB mass
storage devices on one Vista install (tried the delete INFCACHE.1 trick),
and I've read elsewhere that reinstalling the OS may be the only solution.
If I do the upgrade, will all the software I've installed remain viable?

 

[Mike Brannigan]

I've read in various articles that the Vista equivalent of an XP Repair
Install is to boot from DVD, then select "upgrade" to install Vista over
itself.

No - you boot from the DVD and run the WinRE - Windows Recovery Environment
and use the tools there first to recover your system.

I'm having what appear to be unsolvable problems with USB mass storage
devices on one Vista install (tried the delete INFCACHE.1 trick), and I've
read elsewhere that reinstalling the OS may be the only solution.
If I do the upgrade, will all the software I've installed remain viable?

If you need to reinstall your OS to fix a problem (very unlikely) you do a
clean reinstall NOT an upgrade as this may not rectify your issue.

 

[Rock]

I've read in various articles that the Vista equivalent of an XP Repair
Install is to boot from DVD, then select "upgrade" to install Vista over
itself. I'm having what appear to be unsolvable problems with USB mass
storage devices on one Vista install (tried the delete INFCACHE.1 trick),
and I've read elsewhere that reinstalling the OS may be the only solution.
If I do the upgrade, will all the software I've installed remain viable?

The counterpart of a repair install in Vista is to do an upgrade of the
existing installation. To do this you run the Vista DVD from the desktop of
the installed Vista OS, not by booting the DVD. Booting only gives you the
option for a custom (clean) install.

Yes it should preserve installed programs and data, however stuff happens so
make sure there is a backup of important data, and you have the original
installation media for all installed apps. I strongly recommend you use
something like Acronis True Image version 10 to image the system before
trying any repairs.

Also try system restore and startup repair, which is accessible by booting
the Vista DVD, before the last resort of an upgrade.

The upgrade process lays down a fresh image of Vista, then brings in
drivers, installed apps and data from the old installation. Yes it can fix
some problems as attested to by several folks who have posted they had
success with it. I don't know if it will fix your issues.

I know of at least one post, from some time ago, where it made matters
worse.

 

[PvdG42]

The counterpart of a repair install in Vista is to do an upgrade of the
existing installation. To do this you run the Vista DVD from the desktop
of the installed Vista OS, not by booting the DVD. Booting only gives you
the option for a custom (clean) install.

Thanks very much, Rock!
I had the first step wrong.

 

[Rock]

Thanks very much, Rock!
I had the first step wrong.

You're welcome.