submix8c

FWIW, I use two variations of WinBuilder "LiveXP". One from CD (uses RAM to load into) and a simple variation copied to HDD Partition (using RAM normally). Not really sure if this is what you want, though, since... If you wouldn't mind sharing your current procedure (with further "why" explanation) that would be nifty. HTH (Hope This Helps) Side note - Good luck finding the XP OPK. Gone with the wind. But WinBuilder will never (hopefully) disappear.

FYI... http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/174957-new-unofficial-version-200/ Another fork being developed. Gora (and others) is participating

ACS Relay For Life is a good thing. Guess who this is and what he's doing for which benefit? Pretty sure something like $30k was raised at this one.

I'm creating instrustions for "Clean Install And Retain Dell-Specific Partitions". The instructions could also apply to any other OEM brand. Sadly, your Dell-Specific MBR has been destroyed (AFAICT) as it doesn't represent the code to allow for what I found in the Service Manual. There used to be a trick to restore it. BUT! I could be wrong and that's built into your BIOS and the "Utility" Partition has been added to the Boot Device Menu? It seems that "F12" brings up the BIOS Boot Menu, used for one-time booting (e.g. for USB Device). How the "Dell Diagnostics (utility) got in there has to be a Dell-specific BIOS modification to cause the MBR's "Boot Bit" to be changed from "OS" to "UTILITY", similar to my older D2D MBR (mine is an odd bird, I guess ). I'm ignoring that particular tidbit ATM and will start a new topic just for the scenario in question, since this appears to not be on the WWW (Clean and Upgrade only, that disregarding retaining and reinstating OEM partitions and Factory Restore). Side note - Tested the scenario and inputing the Product Key and deselecting "Activate Online" allows for 30-day activation (and probably the Extension via a REARM), thus allowing any necessary Drivers to be installed (e.g. Network) first. EDIT! Well, well! Both the Dell Dimension PC's (Win XP MCE) I killed (by accident) and recycled had the "F12" (D2D activated?) in addition to my (functioning) Dell Inspiron. It appears that if you need that special MBR, I probably have it tucked away! Looks like this reference was a good one for GHOST restore of an XP (not Vista/Win7)! http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/fixes.shtml This means that Recovery is done via Newer Method (yours) as well as Diagnostics via BIOS. But the info IS very good! And this link (already given) is very useful as well as the links inside it. http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/vista/ In any case, we're looking at your Install ATM (At The Moment). Come back, Sophy and let's get this over with. We'll just have to trust you have a Full Backup Image of those two paritions (VERY important). I said IMAGE beacuse it will include even the Hidden and System Files and Folders (a COPY will not work, although an "XCOPY" or "XXCOPY might) within a single file(?). EDIT!!! HAH! This works for Factory Restore (I just tried it)! http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/vista/vistarecovery.shtml We're good to go (provided Images done), including a method of going back! (Note that even Dan Goodell suggested DriveImageXML.)

That MSI will install to Win98SE. Why unpack/extract/rename? There are Registry Entries that get set via the MSI. Open it with "InstEd It!" and take a look.

SATA Optical drives are problematic. They require special drivers. You can, however, try SHSUCDX. http://www.mdgx.com/drv.htm Your SATA Control for the Drive will probably need to be in PATA Mode for that controller/device. I have, of course, not tried this yet. I have the Dell "EXTCD.SYS" that works on Dell Dimension 531 but don't really know how "generic" it is. edit - DOH (See next post by jaclaz)! Correct! the "other" Driver (not this one).

Your choice, I guess. 720p/1080p TV's are the #of pixels (AFAIK) and a bit furthe away would be just fine (AFAICT). BTW, siad thsi before and say it again. The WWW is rif with misinfomation. Only suckers believe everything that's out there. The smart consumer (whoever) tries to get facts, not opinion. Now what's that old canard about opinions? Hmmm...

Calling CoffeFiend! Someone I follow - note the AVI... https://twitter.com/exjon It's called ExJon'ing.

Huh??? His website is a SINGLE PAGE! There's only ONE "zip" file that matters! I have (nearly) all of them since "UDC-04.12.11.zip" The SINGLE PAGE has the MS web Page download links starting from "July 2009". Start there and work your way up. I see what you're trying to do - get his site via WebArchive. Nope! Ain't gonna happen! BTW, he NEVER store in "downloads" any ZIP file OTHER than the latest. NO ARCHIVES (I just tride it)! So you can forget that. What I *meant* was to get the LAST one for the Original MS Links for the purpose of using on WebArchive in case they go AWOL from the MS Servers. The best I can do is supply what I have, but why? Just to have Obsolete/Superseded files? BTW, his NEVER had anyything less than SP3 as it was built around it (See WUD). And FWIW, I have several XP WUD ULZ files (including Post-SP2?). I'm not prepared to open my Server (on triple-boot to XP right now) but I could provide what I have and you could collect them. PM me and then wait until I'm ready (so I can give address/access). HTH

YAY! You used quotes! Now I can read it! Well, I am suggesting directing you on getting something questionable and I prefer to not get banned, thank you very much (you did notice the "MSFN Patron" designation, I assume). You said this (Post#102)- So, yes, you did refuse, having all along complained "too complicated" (see that post). Q#1: "Made an image backup" of WHAT? You need BOTH partitions "D" and "Hidden". Q#2: "With another program" - WHAT program? Are they, indeed Images usable at a later date? There you go, floating off doing something NOT suggested here. Q#3: Guess you don't want that "questionable single-program, no need to install solution" via PM? THIS is why we keep going around-and-around-and... BTW, this wasn't even directed at you. It was direct @TheOtherPerson. See the Q's above? Can you JUST ONE SINGLE TIME give simple Answers? JUST ONCE??? Instead of whining how mean I am? Are you still married? Or have you ever been? God help him! (back at ya, snarky a$$). So you don't want to finish this little project? You're shooing me away from the final stretch? You won't answer the Q's above? This topic has turned into WAR instead of YOU doing WHAT YOU WERE INSTRUCTED! Say the word! I'll be gone and you may as well begone as well. Shoo! Be on your own and/or go elsewhere! My wife is EXTREMELY angry that I've spent SO DARN MUCH TIME on your little project. You have two choices. Choose wisely, Grasshopper.

Chalk it up to a Boo-boo found in the MSI (dated 2005, AFAICT). MS is far from perfect.

Your post above is #106. "Back to the Future" is #109. This one will be #107. That link is the Upgrade Install. Scenarios - 1- Upgrade Vista Partition (that's out, since trojan) 2- Clean Wipe Of Whole HDD (all partitions) and Install From Scratch (that's out since loss of Vista Recovery) 3- Completely Replace ONLY Vista Partition (leaving Vista Recovery intact) <-You Chose This Also Uhhhh... ORLY? Post #102 - What you said you did - You're so good at specifying exactly what you did.So "Test" ("that scenario" not Administrator) didn;t work either? I don't have time to locate the correct link (and it doesn't matter). I can, instead, supply a simple action allowing you to boot to the Win7, wipe the Vista and install in its place (option #3). BE AWARE that there are NO LINKS on the WWW describing what we're going to do. PERIOD! Here, or forget it. Later! Back-biting? You refused to back up and then get all "You're so mean!" and provide VERY bad responses. (Why do you fear Imaging those two partitions?) Read this thread and see what the consequences are of not having an Offline Backup Image. http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/175200-recovering-deleted-files/ You're risking total loss of your Option#3, since you DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING! One wrong move/mistake and BAM! It's OVER FOREVER! Sorry ("I'm so mean!") but that's the TRUTH! Deal with it! BTW, since PM's are VERY private, I can help simplify that Imaging with a single program that you need not even install. Ask (via PM) and ye shall receive.

DUDE! There's the link in my last post! Can you rephrase that statement? Or are you referring to an entirely differ KB#? Indeed, that link Nomen gave says the exact same thing! Give us the link that YOU found said "Windows 98" info at or else you HAVE to be soooo wrong! After all, you DID NOT give a link AT ALL! Just "I said so"...

Google "pkmres.dll"And that KB# - That's an XP update. And you're applying it to What OS? https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/892211

You can't mix anything non-XP (Vista and above) with XP. Won't work as that OS doesn't have those facilities. All you get to do is Image.WIM it and Deploy it. There's an entirely different method/PE for XP. XP OPK never used WIM's. Subsequent OS' used WAIK/MDT/etc. Everything has to be Prepared in advance (using XP OPK). After that you can chose to create/deploy a WIM. HTH Here's a list AFAIK. My own personal one with minor notes and reminder to "get the rest of them". (note - only goes through Win7) EDIT - YANKED my list as the WWW is (again) rife with misinformation. I've corrected my list but think leaving this attachment would do a great injustice to anyone believing the information is accurate. OPK's for XP/2003 were deemed v1.x. OPK's and WAIK's for Vista+ are extremely confusing as far as WWW (even Wikipedia ). Seems everyone confuses the two. WAIK v2.x = OPK v1.x (believe it or not) but only pertaining to Vista+. The difference is WAIK lacks certain modules used to create a valid WinRE (available to OEM's only to build a WinRE partition). IOW, they are NOT necessarily interchangable. I have no clue about OPK's for NTx.x/Win2K or if they even exist. (Yep, Win2K existed - http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/70054-adding-password-to-my-unattended-windows/) In several cases only a DOC/CHM Update was provided for a given OPK (e.g. 2K3SP1->2K3R2. You'll note those changes in (e.g.) DEPLOY.CAB as well (for XP/2K3). Why such a numbering scheme is so misunderstood and confusing is beyond me. (I blame MS... and the WWW, of course.) -attachment=bla-bla-WinPE-OPK Archive VersionsDOTdeleted-

Oy! Slick! Now how about the XP Post-SP3 EOL list from -X-'s script? Getting into Archive for all of them would be time-consuming.

My bad. Yes, because we wouldn't have wasted so much time on running things once we were aware.========= Still waiting.... Worth a shot. Howevere, since you Administrator account is also hosed, I don't see how it will help . I WILL suggest one last thing - 1-Using the Administrator Account, CREATE a NEW UserID (call it "Test") as an Administrator (remember the "Groups" lesson?) and DO give it a Password (use "Test") and if need be a Hint (use "test"). 2-Log Off and go into "Test" account and try ye-olde Right-click. Report back what it does. ========== Sophy (or whatever your name is) will you do this or not? (waiting... waiting... waiting...). I requested this info (don't answer, you can't be helped) - 1-Did you create a New Folder ("Images") on External F-Drive and Image the D-Drive ("RECOVERY") to it? 1a-If so, then I can give instructions on how to access the "Hidden" one. (simple task) 1b-If not, then we'll just skip Backing Up and go-for-broke. (screw Vista Recover Backups) After that, it's simply a matter of Following One Of The Links I Gave And Skipping A Step And/Or Slight Modification. Browser? You mean Windows Explorer? On your External or on you C-Drive (that we're going to wipe and reinstall)? THINK ABOUT IT! Printing them is a DARN good idea because once you wipe that C-Drive you NO LONGER HAVE COMPUTER ACCESS TO THEM! Again, use your noodle. If you won't cooperate, how can anyone assist? And PLEASE learn how to use QUOTE! You're KILLING me interpeting your posts! There's a BIG BUTTON right below each post you want to quote! At least what I provide is clearly marked and semi-organized. ================ I'm going to go ahead and give this To Allow Access ("see") Hidden Partition. Run CMD.EXE (you already know how) Step#1 diskpartselect disk 0select partition 1set id=06 overrideexitexitLogoff/Reboot Step#2 - Go to - Control Panel->Administrative Tools->Computer Management Select "Disk Management". Click on the line that lists your Three Partitions (lower right). Right-Click the First On. "Change Drive Letters And Paths" "Add Drive Letter" (any available). To Remove Access (re-hide it) - -Perform Step#2 above but THIS time (in last step) REMOVE drive letter (whatever one was assigned). -Perform Step#1 above but THIS time use "DE" instead of "06". Easy-peasy. === NOW are you going to IMAGE those two OR NOT??? (DriveImageXML) === If you won't answer, then the Windows7 install instructions can't be given! (Triple-wow!!!!) Reminder - DO NOT have "Genie Timeline" mess with EITHER of them in ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM! EVER!

Hrmph...(again). And I said http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/175077-in-place-upgrade-to-windows-7-home-premium/#entry1118597 So no, we no longer care. You just said And I said http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/175077-in-place-upgrade-to-windows-7-home-premium/#entry1117244 I suppose my saying so doesn't count? Now if you'll settle down from frantic confusion, read my posts, and pay attention, I've provided every scrap of info usable from Novice (you) to Expert (me). AS SOON AS I get a chance to key up PRECISE instructions I'll attach them soon. It should be a piece of cake. That is, PROVIDING you can run anything (see next sentence). Oh, and thanks for withholding the fact that you had a Trojan/Virus/Malware. It certainly explains why your accounts aren't working properly. ===== @Luxman - did you miss the part about retaining the First Two Dell Partitions? Also (sigh...) And what do you think several of MY links were for? Not videos, but actual written instructions with pretty screen shots. Hey, you don't even have to start/stop/rewind to get the gist! Or do you prefer to take over from here? ===== Back @sophy - how quick did you think I could open up my PC to put in a spare HDD, create the partitions, and load up Vista to test with? Or do you really care about MY time and effort (free, BTW) on your behalf, leaving my OWN project idle? SELFISH SELFISH SELFISH! Call that an insult if you wish, but truth is truth. Oh, and (reminder) that PC is SUPPOSED to be THIS one's Replacement. It makes me that I'm using it for you and not me. ========= Still waiting.... Worth a shot. Howevere, since you Administrator account is also hosed, I don't see how it will help (see previous "Security is hosed"). Also, at this point in time, I am NOT prepared to give a Lesson on anything else. I WILL suggest one last thing - 1-Using the Administrator Account, CREATE a NEW UserID (call it "Test") as an Administrator (remember the "Groups" lesson?) and DO give it a Password (use "Test") and if need be a Hint (use "test"). 2-Log Off and go into "Test" account and try ye-olde Right-click. Report back what it does. ========== Additional... Be aware that you should have ONLY been backing up Pictures, Music, Videos, Installation Programs (like Genie - ugh!), etc. IOW, Data that you want to keep. -but NOT (e.g.)- NTUSER.DAT inside your User Profile Folder, individual Programs/Modules, DESKTOP.INI's, Shortcuts, etc etc. I have no clue how you have Genie set up. It appears you can (foolishly) allow it to "mirror" your whole C-Drive and D-Drive. Even do it incrementally (why?). You don't want that. You should be VERY selective, the same way the Built-In "File And Transfer Wizard" works. THE ABOVE IS CRITICAL! (And I repeat, I have the Genie Manual and comprehend it entirely.) Be prepared to DISABLE "Genie" for the purpose of Imaging (Cloning) D-Drive and :Hidden" Drive (takes a special trick to make it visible). Make a Folder on that External for the Images. ========================================================================= As I have said (before), I'll return when I'm ready to give you full instructions. Be aware that I'll do it when I'm ready, not at your (or anyone else') conveneince. I do believe YOU were rather rude floating off to elsewhere because I didn't repond fast enough to suit you. Or am I wrong? (P.S. - Moderators and Supervsors have access to our PM system and can read our Private Dialog.)

Use "More Reply Options" and after browsing for File, do NOT forget to click "Attach This File". I'm betting you didn't do that final step. HTH

Well, then, let's clarify. Torisan=Sanyo Matsushima=Panasonic If it fits and connects the same way it will probably work. That is, once you install an entirely different Driver. (See? I helped. ) https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/131499 And I never said close it or delete it. Nice of you to be thinking of non-MSFN people Googling for a solution, though.

Don't respond to this post, please. For another $10 you could have had the additional capability of Cloning (Imaging). Here's Genie Timeline (I got the Manual and NOWHERE does it do Cloning/Imaging) http://www.genie9.com/home/genie_timeline_home/buy.aspx Here's Acronis True Image (I got that manual too). http://www.acronis.com/en-us/personal/computer-backup/ Does everything Genie does PLUS Cloning (Imaging). Next time, come HERE for advice and assistance. The WWW lies to the innocent public for profit. We do not and do it for free. EDIT!!!! Oh...My...God!!! Here's where YOU screwed up your Installation! http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/154626-transfering-files-to-new-profile/ Now... WHAT did you do based upon some id*ot's advice from the WWW (other than MSFN)? Never mind. Hi, Nikilet! Genie is junk! https://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?/user/22338-nikilet/?tab=posts http://forums.toshiba.com/t5/General-Troubleshooting/Receiving-RunDLL-window-on-startup/m-p/683021 http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/604904/computer-reaction-time-slow/ http://support.emsisoft.com/topic/19572-error-occurred/ And you HAD Acronis at one time! http://www.wilderssecurity.com/threads/acronis-true-image-10-0-home.223447/ http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/126646-system-restore/ Gobs and gobs of AV's (probably at the same time - BAD idea!) http://forums.majorgeeks.com/index.php?threads/no-desktop-icons-in-safe-mode.202983/ My, my! You're all OVER the place, aren't you? I have a half a mind to NOT assist anymore. But then I would be an A@@hole, now wouldn't I? DO NOT GET ADVICE ON YOUR UPGRADE FROM ANYWHERE ELSE or I'm outta here! Right friggin' here! AFTER opening this topic!!! And dencorso CONFIRMED it! WHY are you DOING this? Do you think everybody lies? http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3514/t/19670322 Or maybe other people don't have lives? http://www.w7forums.com/threads/upgrading-to-windows-7-and-drivers.20302/ Impatient, aren't we? I'll say again. MSFN is THE place to come for help (for ANY software)! I ALSO notice how you have a tendency to argue. Is that wise? https://forums.adobe.com/thread/524369?tstart=0 Side note- You better hope your Trojan never messed up your D-Drive or you can forget going back to Vista EVER! (Kind of missed mentioning that little tidbit, huh?) https://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?/topic/160866-malwarebytes-icon-will-not-stay-open-in-the-taskbar/

Lesson time (again) === Post#90,Paragraph#1 Lesson#1 - MSFN Notifications provide a "copy" of the initial post and not the edited version. NEVER use the eMail text. Go back to the Edited Post. === Post#90, Paragraph#2 Lesson#2 - AGAIN (I repeat myself) MBR.BIN is Uncompressed and MBR.z7 is Compressed. Go search for that on the WWW if you must. I'm getting tired of telling you the difference. As for MBRWhiskey and MBRWiz... MBRWhiskey is the Main Graphic Interface Program. MBRWiz is a Command Line Program and is CALLED by MBRWiskey. They're a Set. -Does Genie have ONE file or MANY? "What are the other files for?" is DUMB to ask! STOP QUESTIONING THINGS! I wouldn't have given you SUPERFLUOUS components. As for the italized part. See Post#89 Lesson#2. Also GO BACK AND READ THE GOODELLS LINKS (betting you didn't)! (again, I'm repeating myself). === Post#90, Paragraph#3 See "=== Post#90,Paragraph#1" above. === Post#90, Paragraph#4 THANK you and YES, it APPEARS to be correct but CAN NOT BE! As Tripredacus said, YOU MUST HAVE GOTTEN A TROJAN and it screwed your Registry Settings up UNLESS you did that to YOURSELF using SOME OTHER WEBSITE'S INSTRUCTIONS! (more on that further down) === Post#91 DELL'S? Did I NOT give this link? https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/555910 Please stop confusing who's doing what to whom. As you have a REALLY messed up Registry and had to use the PINNED one (you ALREADY determined that, RIGHT?) the net result did... what? === Post#92, Paragraph#1 GOOD! === Post#92, Paragraph#2 and #3 Lesson Time - "Run As" applies to ANY Executable-type file (EXE. CMD, BAT, etc) Activating the Built-In Administrator changed something for the "Cindy" account. (more on that further down) === Post#92, Paragraph#4 Repeat - you have a REALLY messed up Registry! You had to do "silly" stuff (again) to get "Run As" === Post#92, Paragraph#5 Yup! === Post#92, Paragraph#6 NO KIDDING???? See "=== Post#90, Paragraph#4" above. === Post#93, Paragraph#1 and #2 and #3 You repeated yourself from Post#92. === Post#93, Paragraph#4 Your computer expert is an id*ot. You may as well have instlled Norton Goback (google that). Did I not say a looong time agos to use the Built-In to XP/Vista/Windows7 "File And Transfer Wizard? Either way, the POINT was to allow for tranferring ALL BUT THE OS AND INSTALLED SOFTWARE to ANOTHER PLACE OFF OF YOU HDD! === Post#93, Paragraph#5 See "=== Post#90,Paragraph#1" all the way at the top. === Post#93, Paragraph#6, Sentence#1 See "=== Post#90,Paragraph#1" all the way at the top. === Post#93, Paragraph#6, Sentence#2 WRONG! You don't understand what an IMAGE is. You're going out to the WWW which is RIFE with misinformation. MSFN is one of the most TRUSTED FOR ACCURATE INFO on the face of the PLANET! You're creating a COPY, and NOT an IMAGE. An IMAGE is a self-contained FILE, similar to those 7-Zip files you extracted. Lesson time (again)... You can COPY your entire OS to another Partition/Volume by using a WindowsPE Boot CD/DVD. You'll see exactly what you copied. But you will NOT be able to Boot from it! You can IMAGE your entire OS to another Partition/Volume by using a WindowsPE Boot CD/DVD using (for example ImageX or DriveImageXML). You will NOT see anything but a SINGLE FILE (and maybe a Control File, as in DriveImageXML). You CAN restore it and BOOT from it, as the Partition Size, Partitin Type, and Partition Boot Record are stored IN ADDITION TO the Files Themselves! Basically, your RECOVERY Partition is BOOTABLE (normally, just like your OS), whereas a COPY of it IS NOT, but a Restored IMAGE IS!!! Get it? You can RESTORE an IMAGE of your OS and that's EXACTLY what's on your RECOVERY Parition. If you LOOK on your D-Drive you WILL see a FOLDER and inside that you WILL SEE a FILE named "FACTORY.WIM". Guess what form that is? AN IMAGE MADE WITH ImageX!!! === Post#93, Paragraph#6, Sentence#3 Did I REALLY say delete anything? When you Copy a FILE from Folder#1 to Folder#2 IS ANYTHING IN FOLDER#1 DELETED? AGAIN, we will be making an IMAGE IN AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FOLDER ON YOUR EXTERNAL! === Post#93, Paragraph#7, Sentence#1 See "=== Post#90, Paragraph#2" above. === Post#93, Paragraph#7, Sentence#2 NO! Looking into Paragon I changed my mind. YES! Use DriveImageXML See "=== Post#90,Paragraph#1" above. === Post#93, Paragraph#8 See "=== Post#90, Paragraph#4" above. See my Post#95 - http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/175077-in-place-upgrade-to-windows-7-home-premium/#entry1118643 To answer- NO! Your Security Registry stuff is REALLY screwed up. It should NOT have changed it UNLESS "something" altered a "Standard User" to make it APPEAR to be an "Administrator". YOU did something to FIX something using ANOTHER id*ot's recommendations, didn't you? Don't fib! Worth a shot. Howevere, since you Administrator account is also hosed, I don't see how it will help (see previous "Security is hosed"). Also, at this point in time, I am NOT prepared to give a Lesson on anything else. I WILL suggest one last thing - 1-Using the Administrator Account, CREATE a NEW UserID (call it "Test") as an Administrator (remember the "Groups" lesson?) and DO give it a Password (use "Test") and if need be a Hint (use "test"). 2-Log Off and go into "Test" account and try ye-olde Right-click. Report back what it does. ================================== Final - Don't you DARE ramble on about ANYTHING else! Period! ONLY do what I SAID to do. NOTHING ELSE! I do NOT have time to repond to EVERY SINGLE ARGUMENT (which is what you're doing). My daughter's PC is sitting here - for the past week. Imagine that! My own NEW PC (i'm posting on my OLD one) is sitting here IN A TESTING STATE FOR YOU instead MY being able to use it! Are we clear? (He$$ yes, I'm getting snippy!) Oh, and I WILL give you COMPLETE instructions on "How To" and I will EXPECT them to be FOLLOWED. WITHOUT QUESTION!!!! (I need a litre of Jack Daniels right about now...)

Thx, again Trip, for stating the obvious. Indeed, lack of information for the OP is the most frustrating part. "I'm not a dentist, Jim, I'm a computer geek!"~Bones I'll edit this post soon. DO NOT REPLY AT THIS TIME. PLEASE!!! As for your "email", I did not send that. It's part of the MSFN Notifications. Indeed, I went back and scrubbed it and TOTALLY rewrote it. As I had said in your Laptop Recovery Topic from some time ago, you're obviously not technically inclined. That means, stop questioning the "Experts". Now, I will say AGAIN (wow!) STOP SEARCING THE INTERNET FOR OTHER INFO! Stay here or go elsewhere. You did it again! Nowhere in this Topic gives that link! If you insist on going elsewhere, we're done here and you can go there instead (too many cooks and all that). If you're willing to STOP IT then I'll proceed to give you step-by-step. Again, your choice. Take it or leave it.

Hrmph! This is not your account! It's the built-in Administrator account. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/555910 Lesson time (just like the "INFO ONLY" and links given). In Vista there are two "user groups" 1-Standard Users 2-Administrators "Cindy" is in group Administrators. So is the Built-In Account. Don't do Step#5 (adding a password). It's just "recommended". Log Off. You should see two Users on the "Welcome" screen - "Administrator" and "Cindy". Click on Administrator. Go to "Control Panel". Go to "User Accounts". Click "Turn User Account Control On or Off" Make sure it's set to "On". -If Not On, Set it to that and Reboot. -If On, just exit and Log Off. Note1 - UAC must be set to allow for Right-Click "Run As Administrator". Note2 - So, basically you allow just anyone to start your computer and get into your "Cindy" Administrator account? Tsk-tsk... Now "Cindy" account should be able to "Run As Administrator" and MBRWhiskey should run normally. Also nothing need be "pinned". If not, log off and try the same thing in the "Administrator" account. Report back. ========== Your MBR is a Standard (not "special") one. BE SURE you have all your Data backed up. Lesson#2 - The links I gave was so you'd understand about your Disk's Partition Layout. 1-Partition#1 Type=DE - Dell "UTILITY" Partition (hidden) 2-Partition#2 Type=07 - Dell "RECOVERY" Partition (visible NTFS format) 3-Partition#3 Type=07 - Dell Vista "OS" Partition (visible NTFS format) The "goodells" link was (again) so you'd understand how Vista Recovery works. ========= I'm suspecting that the "Genie Timeline" software you're using won't be worth a hang for what you need to do. The OLD official website is now defunct. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genie_Backup_Manager I have no clue how it works. I'll try to find something. Report what version you have. (APPEARS to be "free".) New Website - http://www.genie9.com/free_products/free_timeline.aspx Appears to be "automatic". We won't be able to use those backups. We literally have to back up Partition#1 and Parition#2 as IMAGES!. Go here, download, and install it. http://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm ============ Now wait AFTER you report on the two items above.

Let's just chalk this up to, like political polls, not very reliable indicators of reality.