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In-place upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium


Sophy

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Sophy. I didn't forget. Just been very busy.

Also trying to locate my backups (computer room is an A#1 jumbled mess). Seems I "lost" one and have to "convert" another to yours (please don't ask how).

 

Meanwhile, I'm glad you found your Original Dell Vista disk. That will be a lifesaver if you *absolutely* need to go back. Doing that will (maybe/probably?) be similar to a Clean Install of Vista. :unsure: Usually there's a crap-load of "Trial" stuff you'd have to uninstall.

 

Still, get you backups first and foremost. AFAICT, what I posted as an Upgrade should work. The only real difference is I went Business (which is basically Pro) to Pro (a Refurb/OEM DVD). You're going Home to Home (Refurb/OEM DVD).

 

I repeat, it's time consuming to back up your Data (pics, vids, documents, etc) and be *sure* you didn't forget something. Then to "clean install" (will mean wiping the HDD), restore it all, then go through the process of reinstalling all your Software, re-updating you Security Software, as well as re-updating all the other Software.

 

That having been said, *have* you backed up? *OR* done a Clone Backup (you said you had software for that). If so, by all means, procede to do an Upgrade (reboots galore), thus leaving everything already in place intact.

 

Just stick the DVD in, select Upgrade, let it do copy-over and when it wants Reboot DO NOTHING until it's all done, unless it asks for a response. *IF* you have the DVD as First Boot Device (in BIOS Setup) it WILL give a message to "Boot from DVD, preass any key"... DON'T TOUCH IT! EVER! You'll finally come to the last ReBoot where it asks for the Product Key.

 

That last part is where I'm not sure if you DO enter it, whether you'll have 30days to Activate vs 3days (when skipping the key). My post concerning my Initial Test (though rather lacking in full details) should still be good, either way (SkipKey or EnterKey). At this point you may safely remove the DVD (no harm leaving it in up until).

 

Apologies for the previous interjection, but that was nonsense/off-topic under the current circumstances (you HAVE the Win7 DVD and *want* to Upgrade). I also urge you to disregard all the "Clean Install" prodding due to above "Warning, Will Robinson, Warning, Warning! Data Loss Imminent! Time Warp Probable!"

 

You *do* have time before you absolutely *need* to "do something", thus providing opportunity for me to perform Final Test with Detail Steps. Sophy's Choice. (See what I did there?). Details for an Upgrade are nearly unnecessary as it *almost* "just works" without any intervention.

 

A word of caution. *Always* unplug your Network (wire/wired or just turn off/unplug your router/modem, whatever) or the silly thing will insist on going to the WWW before you're ready/finished.

 

Will check in tomorrow (and will still do the Test to satisfy my Key vs Nokey Activation period) and see where you're at. PLEASE post whether you have followed Rule#1 (backups) as you haven't stated as much. (Yes, you said so above.)

 

Edit (due to backing up several posts) -

1- Forget the Product Key - you have the Dell-Supplied Vista DVD. Everything is Self-Contained for Pre-Activation (your New DVD is not, hence Enter Key and Activate being required).

2- Dencorso has told you right about the Drivers. Don't worry about them. You should be good to get up-and-running (except you DID want the Network driver, minimum).

3- Forget Clean Install Link. You *will* have to use a special Command Prompt to prepare for it. Go for the Gusto.

4- EI.CFG - I simply wanted to CONFIRM that you Win7 DVD is indeed aht I believe it to be. Pop the DVD in, cancel (exit) the Autorun, go to Windows Explore, copy that file to your Documents folder, open it with Notepad, and Copy/Paste the contents here.

5- Your Screenshot was the wrong Command sequence. Do with the External (and any USB's disconnected)

... Diskpart

... Select Disk 0

... List Partition

-You will *probably* see only "Partition 1" listed *only*, if no others. If *any* more, let us know.

... Exit

... Exit

6- Your External HDD will undoubtedly function just fine. I have a WD-120gb USB that works just fine.

7- I can't say anything about youe Genie Backup, having never used it. Hope you did it right. :unsure:

 

(hope I covered everything *except* Final Test+Details)

 

L8tr, g8tr... ;)

Edited by submix8c
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(QUOTE: I repeat, it's time consuming to back up your Data (pics, vids, documents, etc) and be *sure* you didn't forget something. Then to "clean install" (will mean wiping the HDD), restore it all, then go through the process of reinstalling all your Software, re-updating you Security Software, as well as re-updating all the other Software.)


My Vista has some existing hiccups that I've become accustomed to working around or ignoring, but I'd just as soon have a clean running system when I am done with this. A clean install would not carry along pre-existing conditions of my old system. I was gung-ho for in-place upgrade, but as this discussion has progressed and I have continued to do research, I've become more convinced that clean install is the way for me to go even if it does require more time and more work, and if I'm going to be honest with you, I still feel that way. 


 


In another area of reading I did it was stated that (QUOTE: If you want to be on the safe side do it from scratch.  It is the ONLY way to be sure no rubbish is carried over from the old operating system.) As I stated, the more I've read the more I agree with this because I do have rubbish on my Vista and I know it. 


 


(QUOTE: Forget Clean Install Link. You *will* have to use a special Command Prompt to prepare for it. Go for the Gusto) In all the reading and watching I've done about this, I haven't come across any instruction about a clean install requiring some special command prompt. What is that about?


 


(QUOTE: That having been said, *have* you backed up? *OR* done a Clone Backup (you said you had software for that). If so, by all means, procede to do an Upgrade (reboots galore), thus leaving everything already in place intact.)


I contacted Genie Timeline to ask them questions about the program in hopes of making certain that I will have a backup in case of emergency. They wrote back and gave me the path to a configuration file they wanted me to send, which I did. They confirm that I have my backup in drive L, which is my external HD, which is correct. They stated "we want to assure you that the restore process will restore your machine exactly to the state it was on when the backup was created."


 


(QUOTE: 5- Your Screenshot was the wrong Command sequence. Do with the External (and any USB's disconnected)


I went back to that post, copied it again and pasted in in command prompt and got what you were looking for. See attached screenshot. I couldn't get all in screenshot, but on down there are 2 flash drives and then it shows my Hoyle Card Games in my DVD RW drive.


 


(QUOTE: That last part is where I'm not sure if you DO enter it, whether you'll have 30days to Activate vs 3days (when skipping the key). My post concerning my Initial Test (though rather lacking in full details) should still be good, either way (SkipKey or EnterKey). At this point you may safely remove the DVD (no harm leaving it in up until).


I received a sheet with my Win 7 DVD that says to please read before installing. It states that on a rare occcasion your installation may not activate properly the first time. If that happens follow the steps contained "below" and the installation will be completed in 5 minutes or less. I am going to try and use my Epson scanner to scan this and then attach it here. I haven't used it before so might take me some trial and error. 


 


See screenshot: (QUOTE: EI.CFG - Pop the DVD in, cancel (exit) the Autorun, go to Windows Explore, copy that file to your Documents folder, open it with Notepad, and Copy/Paste the contents here.)


I did just as directed here and this is the error message I get when I try to attach. Error You aren't permitted to upload this kind of file


I copied it to my Documents, renamed it EI.TXT, opened it with Notepad and then used "Save as" to save to my desktop. I must be doing something wrong I guess. So I opened with Notepad and copied what was there: 


[EditionID]


HomePremium

[Channel]

OEM

[VL]

0

 

I'm back. I am going to attach a scan of that sheet of instructions I got with the CD. Also, I think you mentioned something back a ways ... that I could try the upgrade and could always go back and do a clean install with this disk. Is that correct? I ran Scan Disk on my Vista tonight and am going to run it again to have the environment as decent as possible. I am willing to try the upgrade if I can go back and do the clean install if things aren't running correctly. I hate to have a bunch of glitches because I am not a computer tech and I don't know how to tweek or fix these things. 

 

Another item: (QUOTE:  word of caution. *Always* unplug your Network (wire/wired or just turn off/unplug your router/modem, whatever) or the silly thing will insist on going to the WWW before you're ready/finished.)

On the YouTube video for in-place upgrade it shows about the first thing is to ask if you want to go online and get updates and it is recommended to do that. I can't do that if I've got my modem unplugged. And what does WWW mean?

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post-142907-0-27137900-1454486637_thumb.

Edited by Sophy
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OK, we'll go with Clean Install. Some background first.

 

NOTE!

I've begun the Test Scenario and currently have an unactivated Clean Install of Vista Home Premium with SP1.

I'll proceed with the Win7 Install per your Clean choice and explain. Please wait for yet another scenario/choice.

 

To continue...

 

You have confirmed your DVD is exactly the same as mine except a different EditionID (shown in EI.CFG). :thumbup

 

Yep, you  have also the Recovery Partition. Here's what you have -

- Partition#1 - A "Special" Dell Boot Partition with so-called Utilities. They stink, IMHO, but it's necessary for Recovery.

- Partition#2 - The actual Recovery Partition. When you use a "special" Boot Sequence. Mine (was) "CTRL+F11" after initial BIOS Detection and during the Dell Logo. You have to be quick, otherwise you have to reboot. This boots you into Partition#1. You'll have some Options, one of which is Restore Your OS (or something like that). Then it flags *this* Partition#2 as the Boot and then Reboots to it.

- Partition#3 - Your Running Vista OS.

#1 is hidden from normal Explorer view. The "CTRL+F11" (for XP) flips a special Flag in Dell's Special MBR that allows for all of the nonsense. Here's some background. Also note the second link. It's specifically for Vista and uses the standard "F8" but nonetheless utilizes the same nonsense. My daughter had a similar setup on her "bought used" HP that some genius had put a bogus Windows7 on. I had to manipulate the MBR to get it to the Restore partition to recover her to the Original Vista. Go figure...

Scroll down to "Appendix" and observe the Notes.

http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/

This is how Vista works as opposed to XP.

http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/vista/

#2 (as stated) is the Vista Restore/Recovery one and (usually) all files/folders on it are "hidden". If not, no biggie. Observe the explanation in the second link above. Your Vista DVD (when you boot to it) will undoubtedly allow you to do either Restore From HDD (since the Recovery exists) -or- allow to do it from DVD -or- (having a completely wiped HDD) allow to restore JUST the C-Drive since the #1 and #2 would not be present. Dell (and other OEM's) don't (normally) allow for a Complete HDD Restore of all 3 partitions. This is how those characters get away with charging you for Technican Assisitance. Their methods are similarly used for newer PC's pre-installed with Windows7. UEFI (no need to explain, just extra info) on later Windows7 PC's have even *more* extra partitions. :crazy:

 

You seem to have you External HDD hooked up in the screen shot. No big deal, but you do *not* want it connect during Install.

 

Your second screen shot oddly implies what I had stated in previous scenario of *not* entering the Product Key *and* unchecking "Activate" during Initial Install. :huh: I say this based upon Point#2 where it literally says to type the Product Key (again if you already entered during install?). Not really sure why you would need to Activate By Phone? Be aware that "by phone" does work juts fine but is extremely tedious as it's all via Voice and is a real pain (been there, done that). If (when) you do that you'll see what I mean. ;) I also note the website link given. I (we) know about it. It's a somewhat reliable forum.

 

Clean Install will undoubtedly be by selecting "Custom". See Part#3 in this link (sceen shots included).

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/a-clean-install-of-windows-7/windows-7-installation/

 

Edit#1 -

See this link for step-by-step (scren shots) Clean Install. Please note it references Retail Windows7.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

See this link for Activation (screen shots). Your picture says use Option#2. This may be bacuse it's OEM?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3408-activate-windows-7-online.html

 

Please note that additional Option (I mentioned) of shrinking the C-Drive to provide space for Windows 7 Clean, thus retaining your Original Vista (all 3 partitions). The Windows7 would go onto Primary Partition#4. In this case, you *should* have the ability to Dual Boot your Original Vista (intact, all 3 partitions) *and* your Band Spanky New Windows7. I had mentioned this as an option in an earlier post.

 

The idea of Dual Boot is to allow you to ensure you've not lost anything important (pics, videos, music, etc, downloads, etc.). After you're absolutely satisfied you've transferred everything, you *should* be able to simpley delete the Vista C-Drive and expand the Windows7 into the free space thus giving all C-Drive space back (to Windows7). This will also allow you to retain the Parttion#1 (hidden) and Partition#2 (Vista Recover/Restore)in case you *ever* want to go back by manipulating the Boot Flag in the MBR (Master Boot Record) like I did for my Daughter.

 

If you *don't* want to retain the Original (on HDD), you *still* have your Vista DVD that would (in essence) put you back to a Single Partition Only Vista (Partition#1+#2 would not exist). Here's the simple way to Wipe Clean (destroy all Dell Partitions) And Install Windows 7 Only.

1- Set DVD Boot in BIOS and Boot to it (as explained in link)

2- After 1st Screen (entering Keyboard, etc) press "Shift+F10" and enter the following:

  > diskpart

  > select disk 0

  > clean

  > exit

  > exit

Now Reboot. You'll automatically be provided "Custom" as an option. Follow the Install Process (as describe in the link.

 

There's your Two Options for Clean Install. If you prefer the "Retain Vista on HDD" let us know and we'll help with the Dual Boot as I'm not sure how the BCD Store is constructed.  AFAIK, it should be automatic. I'll double-check that and get back to you.

 

Side note: Disregard the notation in links that says "Leave Network Cable Plugged In". You'll want to install that Driver and *the* plug it back in. I explained about completely disconnecting in a previous post.

 

DONE! and HTH... (and will be back for the "Retain Vista" option if you want that route...)

Whew!!!! :w00t:

Edited by submix8c
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Not feeling so well and will have to get back to you a bit later, after I've had more time to try and absorb all this. It seems to be getting more and more complicated all time time. What about that link the seller provided for me. There was so much of all this stuff that wasn't mentioned. 

 

BTW, I know you are giving me a tremendous amount of time and effort and all through your own good and generous nature and I wand you to know that I appreciate it, so much.

 

I'll get back to you.

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No prob. It's not that complicated. It just *looks* complicated when you see the step-by-step (as given in links). I simply filled in a couple of "oops, missed that" parts. BTW, the seller wouldn't care about anything else because of "natural assumptions" and "You bought it, now it's in your court."

 

l8tr g8tr. And hope you feel better.

Edited by submix8c
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Sometimes I think you are giving me too much information. I know this stuff all seems crystal clear to you, but in all honesty much of it is about as clear as mud to me. I think all the "background" links/material do nothing but confuse me. For instance, retaining drives and dual boot and all that stuff. You made things much more clear in this very last PM where you just listed the options with a simple explanation and left it for me to decide.


 


Your option 3b says I can wipe just the C drive for a clean install of Windows 7, while retaining only the Vista OEM Recovery Partition. Right? If so, seems to me that would be the way to go. Is this done during the install?


Reference: http://goo.gl/6YvKpT


Part 1, starting at 10 of 15


 


Part 3, 13 of 15 says: "I highly advise that you enter your product key here and choose to Automatically activate Windows when I'm online."


Seller says I should be given option of activating online or over phone and recommends phone. You say phone is nightmare and I should leave blank and click Skip. I'm wondering which is the most simple, fast and stress-free way to do this.


 


After it says the install is complete, I assume I should immediately install that Intel Windows 7 graphics driver I mentioned earlier .... Correct? 


 


I'd like to get going on this as soon as possible. I think I just have to do it because the more I read and search the web the more muddy and confused issues become. 


 


As always, thanks for your help. ;) 


 


I have been into BIOS. Seems to me the only thing I have to be concerned about is the boot sequence.  If this sequence isn't right, could you just tell me what it should be and I'll change it? Right now it shows:


1. Samsung HD


2. Onboard or USB CD-Rom Drive


3. USB Device


4. Onboard Sata HD (not present)


5. Onboard or USB Floppy Drive (not present)


Edited by Sophy
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From my understanding. Vista has a migrate tool. However Windows 7 is not Vista. While they are both ( Windows NT 6.0 ) series. They are very different. If I was you I would keep the Vista, and just apply patch after patch, and continue to edit file settings.

A better question is "Can you upgrade from x86 ( 32 bit ) to x64 ( 64 bit ) operating system. Many processors are 64 bit but is running 32 bit operating systems. If I was you and really really needed Vista/7/8/9/10 for work I would go for the X64 bit operating system with a chip that is also in 64 mode ( whatever that is.

A 64 bit operating system ( in terms of windows ) is able to launch 32 bit code. Also 64 bit processors ( not two separate processors ) is and should be able to launch 32 bit operating systems. I was recently looking this up, as I just had to move my Vista to a new machine ( as the old one is not functioning normally ).

...........

Also...................Windows 7 home premium sucks. Because you are unable to access the root/true admin account. I think this is possible with Vista Home, but not 7 and up. You need something stronger.

Also there is the black screen of death which for some reason plauges all Windows after Vista. So far it have not happen to my Vista but to the Windows 7 home premium it is very annoying to deal with. Because there is no real way around it at all, because some Windows have it while others do not .

.................................

Only thing I really hate about Vist is the Indexing.

Edited by ROTS
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Thank you for responding, but I don't think the stuff you are writing about is pertinent to the information I am still needing. 

 

I am not interested in keeping the Vista and dealing with all the issues about non-support. I am not a computer guru. I don't even know what you mean when you talk about applying patches and editing file settings.

 

I am going from Vista 32-bit to Windows 7 32-bit. I have Windows 7 Home Premium on another computer and I don't mind it at all. 

 

Just waiting for the last bits of information from my helper so I can get on with this.

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Hrmmmm...

(and will be back for the "Retain Vista" option if you want that route...)

Now you're referencing yet *another* place! :crazy: Please don't as *you* are confusing *yourself* and it interrupts my instructions. Stick with what I give (inluding links).

Step#12 - DO NOT do it! This is for the TOTAL WIPE option I gave in the previous post. They went about it the hard way - one-by-one deletion rather than *my* method which is faster and does *all* partitions in one shot! Worse, the tell of a Non-OEM (i.e. Retail) "Clean Install" of Windows 7 and *not* going from Vista to Win7. IGNORE IT and regret you ever went there!

Again, the "FYI" links (in previous post) informs you of *special* Dell (and other OEM's) way for the purpose of Recovery/Factory. The lik you gave (and the Clean Install links I gave) are *not* for you if you go the "keep original Recovery" route.

Sadly, my daughter totally wiped her HP (Hewlett-Packard, different OEM) Vista Laptop HDD so I no longer have access to a scenario such as yours. What I *do* have is a Full HDD Backup Image (all 3 partitions, similar to yours) but it's Win7 Home Premium 64-bit (not 32-bit, like yours) that I *might* be able to double-check with.

I fear telling you "how to retain Vista Paritions #1 and #3 while Clean Installing Windows7 to Old Vista Parition #1" lest you go searching and get further confusing information.

I *will* tell you this -
The *theory* is if you simply format your C-Drive (Partition #2) and boot from DVD and do "Custom"/"Clean Install" to it that you *should* be able to use Paritions #1/#3 to put it back to Factory, thus overwriting Partition#2 (Which *would* have Win7 *but* you want to go back).

Side note - You're wrong! It's "Part 2, 13 of 15" and please not THIS little tidbit!

Enter the product key that came with your retail purchase or legal download of Windows 7.

Yours is *not* Retail, it's O-E-M (it says so in your EI.CFG). BIIIG Diiference!

Sit tight. And again, don't go searching anymore. Leave that to me (and my own personal tests).

(Seriously, I have some whack stuff going on right now, but I haven't forgotten you.)

 

To anybody else reading this thread. Just... STAHP IT! No more "stay with Vista" or any other such nonsense. Indeed, "opinion" is waaaaay off-topic. Either help with this *particular* task or go to an "opinion" topic. This isn't it. 'K, thanx. ;)

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To ensure that indeed you have a normal MBR (Master Boot Record) and not a "funny" Dell Modified MBR, please download this package -

http://red.boot-land.net/mbrwhisky.html

You'll need 7-Zip to extract it. Download it here (first one) -

http://www.7-zip.org/download.html

Install 7-Zip and extract the MBRWhiskey file you downloaded. You actually only need the two files inside the "files" folder.

Run "MBRWhiskey", select the Disk with the Three Partitions (your HDD). DO NOT select your USB Drives!

Click on the "Disk" Menu item and then click "Save MBR to file".

A window will open to the folder where "MBRWhiskey" is. Save it as "MBR.BIN".

Exit MBRWiskey.

Right-click on "MBR.BIN", select "7-Zip", then "Add to MBR.7z".

Upload "MBR.7z" in your next post.

 

Additionally, open a CMD prompt (Start->Search->CMD.EXE, then right-click and "Run As Administrator").

Enter the following -

>select disk 0

>list volume

Right-click and select "Mark".

Now run your cursor from the first line to the last line.

(This is a Copy operation.) No press "Enter".

Open Notepad and select "Paste".

In the CMD prompt, enter

>exit

>exit

NOTE! the ">" are NOT part of the commands. Enter what's after it.

Save the Notepad TXT file so you can list in in your next post. 

 

Finally, run "MBRWhiskey" again (selecting Disk 0) and list IN ORDER the "Type/Name" Column values.

 

Please do NOT do anything else!

 

1 - Get and upload MBR

2 - Provide Notepad TXT contents

3 - Provide Type/Name information

The above 3 items are to be in your next post.

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To ensure that indeed you have a normal MBR (Master Boot Record) and not a "funny" Dell Modified MBR, please download this package -

http://red.boot-land.net/mbrwhisky.html

You'll need 7-Zip to extract it. Download it here (first one) -

http://www.7-zip.org/download.html

Install 7-Zip and extract the MBRWhiskey file you downloaded. You actually only need the two files inside the "files" folder.

Run "MBRWhiskey", select the Disk with the Three Partitions (your HDD). DO NOT select your USB Drives!

Click on the "Disk" Menu item and then click "Save MBR to file".

A window will open to the folder where "MBRWhiskey" is. Save it as "MBR.BIN".

Exit MBRWiskey.

Right-click on "MBR.BIN", select "7-Zip", then "Add to MBR.7z".

Upload "MBR.7z" in your next post.

 

I'm totally lost. I mean completely. You say to extract the MBRWhiskey file I downloaded but the file I downloaded from the link you gave me is MbrWiz.7z. I opened it with 7Zip and there's one folder called 7zFM with a number of files in it. I see nothing that says MBRWhiskey, I see no Disk with three partitions. I can't do a thing until this is somehow clarified for me.

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I can't come up with what you show on the second part of your directions with the command prompt either. Not even close. This is a copy of the window when I enter the commands you gave me.

 

 

 

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post-142907-0-98363700-1455776652_thumb.

Edited by Sophy
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Your cmd picture shows you trying to run diskpart commands from cmd. Those won't work. You would need to run diskpart first, it has its own prompt just like ftp does.

 

For an example visual representation only of what diskpart commands look like, you can see some in the 2nd code box in this post:

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/169284-windows-81-creates-2nd-recovery-partition/#entry1057840

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Sophy, you are not following my instructions to the letter!

 

1 - If you already have 7-zip installed then good, you needed that to extract files you download/save.

 

2 - The file "MbrWiz.7z" is to be saved first on you Hard Disk somewhere.

That means (at the indicated website) right-click and "save", not "open".

Wherever you "saved" it is where MbrWiz.7z (a file) will be.

Now, If you open that file with 7zFM.exe (7-Zip File Manager) then you'll see -

a. a "files" folder and two files ("Mbrwiz.htm" plus "mbrwiz.inf")

b. Click on the "files" folder once

c. Click on "Extract" above that (a blue MINUS sign) and let it extract wherever its says.

You now have a brand-spanky-new folder named "files" in the same place as the MbrWiz.7z file.

Inside that folder is the "MBRWhisky.exe" - double-click it to run it.

d. Proceed with remainder of the instructions.

 

Run "MBRWhiskey", select the Disk with the Three Partitions (your HDD). DO NOT select your USB Drives!

Click on the "Disk" Menu item and then click "Save MBR to file".

A window will open to the folder where "MBRWhiskey" is. Save it as "MBR.BIN".

List on paper IN ORDER the "Type/Name" Column values. <-(saves re-running it.)

Exit MBRWiskey.

Right-click on "MBR.BIN", select "7-Zip", then "Add to MBR.7z".

Upload "MBR.7z" in your next post.

 

You said -

I opened it with 7Zip and there's one folder called 7zFM with a number of files in it.

Huh??? No, you did not open "MbrWiz.7z" (<-Has "MBRWhisky.exe" inside the "files" folder). You are aware that a 7z file is a Compressed File just like a ZIP files, or a RAR file, right? You must decompress/extract contents to use the contents.

 

 

@Tripredacus. Thank you! It seems I missed saying enter "diskpart" as the first CMD. (I was being distracted).

@Sophy - Use that as first line after entering CMD. The rest pf that is correct.

 

The reason for this exercise is (again) to confirm you indeed have the correct MasterBootRecord settings/contents. I cannot (and will not) instruct you further because every single link disregards your Partition Layout. Here's an example that disregards your First Partition (wrong info!). Screen #13 does not show it because it is Hidden!

http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/vista/vistarecovery.shtml

Again, you must keep the Hidden Partition and the Recovery Partition (you see it as the D-Drive).

 

To be continued when you do what you've been instructed...

(IOW, we will also confirm that you're Recovery Partition has correct contents.)

===============

INFO SECTION ONLY!

Dell "manually" created the Hidden Parition (First one in list).

Next, they populated the Second Partition (D Drive) with Recovery Files.

The Vista OS (C-Drive) is the Third Parition.

 

Reference your Post #62 screen shot -

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/175077-in-place-upgrade-to-windows-7-home-premium/page-3#entry1117264

 

Normally a Clean Install of Vista Home Premium (and lesser Editions) when Clean Install (NOT OEM like Dell, HP etc) will have only the Single Partition (the C-Drive) and neither of the other two (Hidden or Recovery).

 

The fact that you have an EISA (A special Partition Type) as the First Partition bothers me as it's indicative of a Special (non-Standard) MBR and/or is Dell's Utility Partition. I find it odd that your C-Drive has all of the normal Partition Flags (Reference the Screen Shot for "Disk 0") like "System" and "Boot". This indicates a similar setup/layout to my Dell Windows XP Media Center Edition and would use D2D Method (Dell-Specific MBR) of pressing "Alt+F11" to do a Restore.

 

Basically, I don't see how using "F8" method (see above "goodells" link) of "Restore To Factory" would work if you Boot via the C-Drive. :crazy:

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I have been SAVING the link Download It (BartPe plugin included) to my desktop, but I apparently didn't know how to use 7-zip to extract it. I read several different links and watched a YouTube video and finally got it done.

 

I am trying to follow your instructions to the letter, but though they apparently seem very clear and precise to you, they are not to me. I've been using the command prompt for a long time but when you gave me instructions on how to use it I wondered if it was the same thing I have been using. I can't use the command prompt according to your instructions. The only way I get the right-click "Run as administrator" option is if I add an item to Start. 

 

I now have the folder on my desk, with said files in it, and inside that are two files, MBRWhiskey and MBRWiz, just like you said.

 

Your next instruction says to Run "MBRWhiskey", select the Disk with the Three Partitions (your HDD). DO NOT select your USB Drives!

 

There is nothing in the box which opens that allows me to SELECT anything. I click on the arrow in the empty box under HDD Selection List and there is nothing there from which to make a selection. Am I supposed to type in the name of my Hard Disk? If so, that is not what you instructed. You instructed me to select my HDD and to not select my USB drives which would lead one to assume there should be a list there of all my drives. 

 

After receiving the correct commands to follow, I do have the list from the command prompt which I am attaching.

Windows Diskpart.txt

Edited by Sophy
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Your cmd picture shows you trying to run diskpart commands from cmd. Those won't work. You would need to run diskpart first, it has its own prompt just like ftp does.

 

For an example visual representation only of what diskpart commands look like, you can see some in the 2nd code box in this post:

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/169284-windows-81-creates-2nd-recovery-partition/#entry1057840

Thank you. Once you provided the missing command diskpart I was able to follow through the rest.

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