I messed this up....

[Ferrari308guy]

OK, I recently changed my motherboard to a Nvidia 780i...and had to reinstall Windows (I'm running Vista), so I did this no problem. During the reinstall, the program told me that it detected an old version of windows on my computer, and that it would save the files in a Windows.old folder on my drive. I went through some long process from Microsoft on how to go back to an earlier version of windows that was stored in the Windows.old folder. I thought this would be great becuase I wouldn't have to reinstall all my old programs and such...

The installation messed my computer up as far as I can tell. When I restarted my computer hoping I would have my old files on my system, I could not log in. I would click on my user to log in, the screen would go black for 2 seconds or so, and then I would get a logging off screen.

I then restarted my computer again with the Vista Installation disk in, and it attempted to 'repair' my system (what it really did I have no idea). I then restarted after the 'repair' was done, and I got some corruption message when I logged in.

So...I tried to reinstall Vista again. The installation went fine until I was in the completion step, where my computer unexpectedly shut down. I turned my computer back on, and I attempted to log in, but I got an error message saying that the computer shut down unexpectedly, and that the installation process would have to start over.

So....I tried to install again, however, I got the exact same scenerio as above, where the computer shut down.

I now have like 5 different versions of Vista on my computer, and none of them work. I can't log on to any desktop, I just get to a point where I can select which Windows Vista I want to run (of the 5 I have installed)...

Does anybody know what to do? I don't know how to get rid of these 5 non-functioning Vistas that I have installed. I'm thinking maybe I should completely wipe my hard drive and do another attempt at reinstalling Vista, but I'm not even sure if I can clean my hard drive without a working version of Windows. I also would still like to access those files in the windows.old folder if I can, but if I can't..then I won't be too sad to loose them.

Ferrari

[NickN]

you need to completely wipe the hard drive clean and install Vista

your old install is trashed... when it tells you it found aanother version of Windows look for the option that says to WIPE IT CLEAN and destroy the old versions, then install


I hate Vista

I just got finished testing pre-beta Windows7 and the idiot MS Geniuses started using the Vista boot loader with this W7 test release.. I wish to god they would can everything about that OS

[Ferrari308guy]

Thanks Nick, I will try to wipe my hard drive.

Can you tell me a little more about how to do this? As I said earlier, I really don't know how to wipe my hard drive. I have Googled it, but I get a bunch of programs that would only work if I had a working version of Windows.

When it tells me about the old version of Vista, there is no 'wipe' option. There is only the dialog box that says it will create a windows.old folder, which I am forced to click 'ok' to, there is no 'delete option'. It then continues to install Vista.

Thanks, Ferrari.

[waspiflab]

Thanks Nick, I will try to wipe my hard drive.

Can you tell me a little more about how to do this? As I said earlier, I really don't know how to wipe my hard drive. I have Googled it, but I get a bunch of programs that would only work if I had a working version of Windows.

When it tells me about the old version of Vista, there is no 'wipe' option. There is only the dialog box that says it will create a windows.old folder, which I am forced to click 'ok' to, there is no 'delete option'. It then continues to install Vista.

Thanks, Ferrari.

it will save old windows to a folder in your local disc eg. (C) Drive, just delete all your old files from there once vista installed.

[jime59]

If there is nothing on the HD you want to save, then Format it. If there are certain things you'd like to save,then a suggestion would be to buy another HD like a WD Raptor 80GB and use it for your sytem and maybe some other programs, FSX excluded. Leave that on the other drive.
( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6822136033 )

Just food for thought.

jim

[T1MT1M]

If there is nothing on the HD you want to save, then Format it. If there are certain things you'd like to save,then a suggestion would be to buy another HD like a WD Raptor 80GB and use it for your sytem and maybe some other programs, FSX excluded. Leave that on the other drive.
( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6822136033 )

Just food for thought.

jim

If your going to take that route should just get a large HDD for a smaller price .

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152052

My opinion is that buying a raptor for non fsx drive is a bit of a waste.


just my 2 cents

[jime59]

If there is nothing on the HD you want to save, then Format it. If there are certain things you'd like to save,then a suggestion would be to buy another HD like a WD Raptor 80GB and use it for your sytem and maybe some other programs, FSX excluded. Leave that on the other drive.
( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6822136033 )

Just food for thought.

jim

If your going to take that route should just get a large HDD for a smaller price .

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152052

My opinion is that buying a raptor for non fsx drive is a bit of a waste.


just my 2 cents

Excellent point.

[Ferrari308guy]

Thanks, I'll look into the Hard Drive. In the meantime, I'm still looking for a way to install windows my current hard drive without getting the random shut down. I'll do some searches for formatting a hard drive.

Ferrari

[T1MT1M]

well if you don't need to backup anything you have on your system or already have then all you need to do is put your vista disc in, when it gets to the install screen click install now and go custom [might say (advanced) next to it] and when you are in that just delete your C partition. create a new one in its spot and put your new vista on that.

NB: This will delete EVERYTHING off your C: drive. Make sure everything is backed up accordingly.

NB`: Didnt read your first post all the way through . If you have backed up everything (and make sure you have cos your not going to get it back) delete ALL partitions which will delete all of your vista installs. create ONE new partition with all of the unallocated space which should be the total amount of GB in your PC then use that to install windows on.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE EVERYTHING BACKED UP. i sometimes miss some things .

Your problem could possibly be that you installed two vistas on the one partition which i have never seen before so i don't know symptoms but this would be the way to fix it.

[Ferrari308guy]

I'll see what happens. I can't really back anything up at this point because I believe it's already gone. However, I did have the one folder that I wanted to save. I can afford to loose everything else, becuaes it's just a bunch of programs that I can reinstall.

[T1MT1M]

there are ways to back it up if you know the file path. But im not sure how thats a little above me, maybe a little google search can help you there.

[NickN]

That would be the process I was suggesting.. Wipe the partition clean, however I was not sure where it was located in the Vista install options...

As for backing up from a 'multiple' folder Vista mess I do not know how that can be done from DOS.


Not only do you have to access a Vista locked partition you have to find the right install folder where the data is located

I dont use Vista guys and try to stay as far from it as I can so my suggestions are limited around the OS

[T1MT1M]

As for backing up from a 'multiple' folder Vista mess I do not know how that can be done from DOS.

yeah didn't think about that.

[NickN]

As for backing up from a 'multiple' folder Vista mess I do not know how that can be done from DOS.

yeah didn't think about that.

Vista locks everything up which is one of the reasons I cant stand the OS... anything goes wrong and getting data back requires hoops and ladders

stupid design


anyway, even if he manages to get the drive wiped and the install going clean, we still dont know if the original problem is multiple Vista installs causing boot loader issues or hardware failure somewhere

If the same thing happens after wiping the partition clean and you cant boot into a new install then I would suspect either a memory stick failure or some other device glitch

[T1MT1M]

As for backing up from a 'multiple' folder Vista mess I do not know how that can be done from DOS.

yeah didn't think about that.

Vista locks everything up which is one of the reasons I cant stand the OS... anything goes wrong and getting data back requires hoops and ladders

stupid design


anyway, even if he manages to get the drive wiped and the install going clean, we still dont know if the original problem is multiple Vista installs causing boot loader issues or hardware failure somewhere

If the same thing happens after wiping the partition clean and you cant boot into a new install then I would suspect either a memory stick failure or some other device glitch

reseating everything is always a good idea. (pc off of course )