In-place upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium

[Tripredacus]

List vol is fine, but doesn't do much by selecting disk 0. If you can re-run the diskpart command and do this instead:

 

select disk 0list part

 

That will show which partitions are on disk 0. The list vol command does not only show volumes on the selected disk and is showing extra things like card readers or optical drives.

[Sophy]

Thank you for this. I will attach this info for submix8c when she gets back to me.

 

In the meantime, can you tell me what I am doing wrong with the MBRWhiskey run that I am not getting the selection of drives? This is all foreign language to me and I'm doing the best I can to follow and to do the things submix8c is instructing me to do, but it's not going too well, so maybe if someone else would step in and help clarify some of the points for me ...

Edited February 19, 2016 by Sophy

[submix8c]

(sigh...)

Didn't you notice a Pull-Down?

"HDD Selection List" (and a "down" arrow).

Click on the arrow then "select" "Disk: 0 Size: 290-somethingG CHS: (etc)".

Watch the magic happen.

Your main HDD is appearently a 300GB so it'll show as less than that.

 

And my name is Steve.

 

edit - Relax. You still have time. This isn't a train wreck. That's what we're trying to avoid.

Edited February 19, 2016 by submix8c

[Sophy]

(sigh back ...)

Quote from my answer: 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. 

 

I DID click on the down arrow. There is nothing there! No magic, no nothin'! 

 

P.S. I am attaching the list after using "list part."

 

 

list part.txt

Edited February 19, 2016 by Sophy

[submix8c]

Oy!

Have to reinstall Vista to my Test Machine to see what's going on. This could take a while.

Side Note - may as well make an EISA (Hidden), a D-Drive, and a C-Drive (in that order) to prepare for testing Win7 Install.

 

Are you certain that you have Vista 32-bit? Check in "Control Panel->System".

 

Meanwhile, I'll put together something different to get the MBR (a modified jaclaz CMD script).

 

BRB...

 

edit - Download the attached, extract using 7-Zip.

There's a folder inside it ("MBRDUMP") with two files in it.

Double-click on the MBR.BAT.

MBRDUMP.7z

Edited February 19, 2016 by submix8c

[Sophy]

You don't have much faith in me, so I'm attaching a picture to assure you that I have 32-bit.

 

What was double clicking on the MBR.bat file supposed to do. I did that and nothing happened.

Edited February 19, 2016 by Sophy

[submix8c]

You did unpack the folder inside the "7z, right? Just like the MBRWhiskey.7z, right?

Again, they must be UnCompressed to a folder to run the contents.

You can not run something from within a 7z file.

Nonsense! Here's what happens on double-click.

How about you try right-click on "MBR.BAT" and select "Run As Adminisrator"?

Oh, just DUCKY! It gave me "access is denied" until I did the above.

(Yes, I have Home Premium SP1 with the aforementioned Partition Layout now.)

And I'm betting the same reason MBRWhiskey failed!

From now on RIGHT-CLICK->RUN-AS-ADMINISTRATOR.

This is a "feature" called UAC (User Account Control). I hate it!

 

Go back and try again.

Edited February 20, 2016 by submix8c

[Sophy]

When I double click on MBR.bat I get the command box, just like you did. As soon as you press a letter to continue the box disappears.

 

I can't right click on the file. As I told you, I lost my "Run as administrator" option on my right-click menu ... UNLESS I can pin the item to the Start Menu. Then I can right click and the "Run as administrator" shows. Under just normal right-click usage, it does not. It's been gone for a long time and I searched and searched for an answer but never found one. I tried to pin MBR.bat to the start menu so I could get the option but I guess that's not allowed with this type of file because the option to PIN it did not appear.

 

I just went and pinned MBRWhiskey to my Start menu, then right clicked to run as administator and got the list. I do not trust myself to select the correct item so I'm attaching a screenshot and ask you to tell me which one.

[submix8c]

You have your External USB drive plugged in (Disk 5)? If so, why do you still have it attached?

You also have two (?) USB stick plugged in (Disk#9 and Disk#10)?

 

Your main HDD should be Disk 0. Select that one.

 

Side note - Never have any USB or SD-Cards plugged in when doing these operations. It only confuses things and gives a potential to really screw your setup up. We're messing with internals here!

Side note#2 - it appears to be possible to install Recovery (NOT BACKUP) software for your Windows 7 to recover your Original Vista. Unsure at this point. We'll check for that later.

 

BIG EDIT! Run As Administrator is missing? Someone has been screwing with your PC, right? Don't fib!

This should fix it.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/200558-run-administrator-add-remove-context-menu-windows-7-a.html

Edited February 20, 2016 by submix8c

[Sophy]

I have my external drive plugged in because my backup program, Genie Timeline, uses it. That's where I have the backup recorded and stored.

 

Yes, I do know about removing all my drives before starting the Win 7 install.

 

I wouldn't fib to you. No reason to. This option disappeared from the right-click menu at least 2-3 years ago. I tried the fix you gave me and others but nothing was successful. There are some places that lead through manually making changes to the registry, but I don't know if I'm brave enough for that. I ran it again and it states that the changes were made to my registry (see screenshot) but I still don't have the "run as administrator" on my right-click menu.

 

Is there any way to get that MBR.BIZ file added to my start menu? From there I could most likely run as administrator.

 

Your next instructions on the MBRWhiskey thing were: 

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.

 

Foiled again! No window opened after I selected "Save MBR to file." I took a picture of the screen and will attach that since that's all I can do. On the bottom of the screen it says "The MBR was successfully saved to C:\Windows\System32\MBR.BIN." I followed that path and there is no file or folder in there labeled MBR.BIN. The only thing in there labeled MBR was an icon for VLC Media Player. When I clicked on it ... see screenshot.

 

 

HOLD UP! Keep in mind that I had to run MBRWhiskey from my start menu to utilize "Run as administrator" command. I tried something different and I got a window this time so let me try to complete the rest of your instructions.

 

OK, apparently that MBR file with the VLC icon is probably right. But then you want me to Right-click on "MBR.BIN", select "7-Zip", then "Add to MBR.7z". Once again, I can't perform the task. I have 7-zip on my right-click menu but it's dead. I used to be able to access its context menu and just select "extract" but 7-zip itself is non-responsive. So I don't know how I can add MBR.BIN to MBR.7z.

 

I uninstalled 7-zip using Revo Uninstaller Advanced mode. I checked the right-click menu and it was no longer there. Then I downloaded the program from the company site and installed it. After installation 7-zip was on the RC menu, but just as dead as it was before.

Edited February 20, 2016 by Sophy

[Sophy]

I'm giving this up for tonight, but please see my last screenshot here. You can see that if an item is in my Start Menu, I not only have the "Run as administrator" command, but 7-zip also works the way it's supposed to.

Edited February 20, 2016 by Sophy

[submix8c]

============ Post#85 ============

IGNORE THIS SECTION! PRECEED TO NEXT RED HILITE!

How on God's Green Earth did MBRWiskey manage to save in "Windows\System32" folder? The default to save it is in the same folder as the Program is! You're not providing information as to HOW or WHERE you're doing things in detail. This is causing a miscommunication and requires me to "figure out" exactly what's going on! NOTHING should be running from that folder. NOTHING THAT YOU'RE RUNNING SHOULD BE THERE!

 

EDIT! Figured the above out (see bottom of this post).

You put "somehow" that stuff in "Windows\System32" via

-Search for CMD.EXE

-Right-Click and "Run As Administrator"

-It takes you directly to that folder.

No freakin' wonder!

That also explains the screen pic confusion of "Cindy" vs "Administrator".

ALSO! Forget "Enabling Administrator" (bottom of post)!!! It seems that having UAC TURNED OFF totally disables "Run As Administrator". TURN IT BACK ON, REBOOT, AND SUFFER THE POP-UP MESSAGES FOR A WHILE! LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD!!!!

 

The screen pic with "VLC" in it is overlaying the left hand side. It APPEARS that you're signed on as Administrator! No WONDER it isn't showing "Run As Administrator" because YOU ARE THE ADMINISTRATOR! Bad mistake running under Admin! Real bad! IGNORE! SEE ABOVE!!!

 

As for using 7-Zip to create a Compressed File, run "7-Zip File Manager", go to "Tools" then "Option" then the "7-Zip" Tab, then check-mark (select) EVERYTHING there EXCEPT "Icons in context menu" (unless you really want that). Exit 7-Zip. IGNORE! ALREADY SET!!!

 

DO THE FOLLOWING! GET DOWNLOADS OFF OF DESKTOP!!!

Next, why on God's Green Earth are you saving the downloads and extracting to the Desktop? Bad idea on Vista! Always save stuff in something more appropriate, like "Downloads". You're using FireFox so you have the "Default Download Location" pointing to "Desktop". CHANGE THAT because it's (again) A BAD IDEA! Here's mine (see screen pic) and I'm betting you have your Default set to your Desktop.

Go to the top and click "Tools" then "Options" then the "General" Tab (like mine) and fix that!

 

Now MOVE all of that stuff you downloaded FROM the Desktop TO Downloads.

1a - Start then Documents (on the top right)

1b - Click Desktop (on the left)

1c - For everyting that you Downloaded to there, Right-Click and "Cut"

1d - Right-Click on Downloads (on the left, below your User-ID) and select "Paste"

- at this point the stuff is in THAT folder and NO LONGER on the Desktop.

- also note that for SOME reason you have downloaded TWO "REG" files (your "added" screen pic). Did you by chance overlay the Fix one with the Unfix one?

- SIDE NOTE! From that pic, I see you're logged on as "Cindy" and NOT the Administrator. Did you Log Off "Cindy" and Log On as "Administrator"? I AM CONFUSED!!!! TELL ME WHICH USER ID AND STAY IN THAT ONE!

2a - Go to that MBR file and CUT it and MOVE it to that SAME DOWNLOADS FOLDER!

2b - Open it and and TRY TO RIGHT-CLICK on MBR.BIN AGAIN and 7-Zip it AND UPLOAD!

- at this point that MBR.BIN is NOT where it should NOT be!

 

THE REMAINDER IS INFO ONLY! ABSORB IT AND DO THE ABOVE!

When I clicked on it...

NO! I said RIGHT-click to get the Pop-Up Context Menus!!! ANYTHING you "click" on will RUN the associated program. Anything you "RIGHT-click" on will allow a Pop-Up Selection. See #2b above.

 

Seriously, you have me running in circles. Provide better details on EXACTLY (Step By Step) what you're doing and where!

 

You've provided the Disk Layout Screenshot. Now get that MBR to me! Partition Type "DE" is the Standard Dell "Utilities" partition. See this -

http://thestarman.pcministry.com/asm/mbr/PartTypes.htm

This implies that either -

1 - You have a "special" MBR

2 - You have a "standard" MBR and F8 allows you to run those Utilities as well as allowing you to Restore From Recovery Partition.

You, right here (confusion about MBR as well) -

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/158263-windows-xp-doesnt-want-to-shut-down/#entry1010414

============ Post#86 ============

WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU AT THERE - WHAT FOLDER? YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED IN YOUR CONTEXT! RIGHT CLICK ON "MBR.BIN" SELECT "ADD TO MBR.7Z"! You OBVIOUSLY know how to use Windows Explorer (not Internet Explorer), RIGHT? (holy schmoley!)

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

PLEASE pay atention! Click is NOT the same as Right-Click. Right-Click an EXE/CMD File Extension (that's what the Reg entry fixes) to "Run As Administrator" - CLICK to "Run As Cindy". RIGHT-Click to "Extract" -or- "Add to" a Compressed Package using 7-zip!!! 7-Zip is NO DIFFERENT than Rith-Click and "Send To->Compressed Folder" (creating a ZIP file as opposed to a 7Z File). WinRar creates RAR files. ALL OF THESE ARE COMPRESSED AND MUST BE EXTRACTED TO EXECUTE ANYTHING THAT ALLOWS "RUN AS"!!!

(... tutorials galore... wow!)

========================== EDIT EDIT EDIT ==========

UserID "Cindy" is a "Stadard User" and has absolutely no powers to RunAsAdministrator. I just created one and Right-Click "RunAs" does absolutely nothing! I'm suspecting Dell has done this during Setup/Recovery. Dumb Dell! I'll see what I can do about that. Probably using Safe Mode (F8) and logging on as Administrator then changing "Cindy" to an Administrator.

http://www.howtohaven.com/system/standard-user-account.shtml

Be right back...

1-Under "Cindy" account, do this - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/555910

2-Log "Cindy" off.

3-LogonOn to Administrator.

4-Go to "Control Panel". Your final destination is "User Accounts"

5-Select "Add/Remove" to get a screen of All Existing Accounts

6-Select "Cindy" and change the Account Type to Administrator.

7-LogOff and LogOn to "Cindy" - NOW everything will work!

BE FOREWARNED that you may want to reverse this later on. Simply do the exact opposite -

1-LogOn Admin

2-Change "Cindy" to "Std"

3-LogOff/LogOn "Cindy"

4-Do #1 except replace "yes" with "no"

(note- NOT "Switch User" but LogOff/On!!!)

===========

This has not been a fun exercise. I've had to experiment to figure out what your setup is.

Edited February 20, 2016 by submix8c

[Sophy]

I'm going to take your last post item by item. I'm just curious if you realize how unpleasant you are being and how much harder you are making things for me because of it. REMINDER: Most all the stuff we are dealing with is absolute Greek to me. I am not a computer tech. I am just a home user. So it's you who needs to make sure you go step-by-step and have those steps in the right order. 

 

How on God's Green Earth did MBRWiskey manage to save in "Windows\System32" folder? The default to save it is in the same folder as the Program is!

I have no idea. I clicked on Disk/Save to MBR and the window opened up with that location. I questioned it myself because you said it was supposed to be in the same folder as the program, but in this case I wasn't asked WHERE to save it, and because often your directions aren't clear or easy to follow, I just went a head and saved. Scrshot 1.

 

It APPEARS that you're signed on as Administrator!

I only have one account and it is named Cindy-Administrator (Scrshot 3), but apparently I do not have full administrator rights because when it calls for running something as administrator I have to have that "run as administrator" command and the only place I can access it is from the Start Menu. 

 

... run "7-Zip File Manager", go to "Tools" then "Option" then the "7-Zip" Tab, then check-mark (select) EVERYTHING there EXCEPT "Icons in context menu" 

Already this way.

 

Next, why on God's Green Earth are you saving the downloads and extracting to the Desktop ... etc.?

My choice and not the end of the world or anything that's going to make or break this process we are working on, however, I have cut and pasted all files/folders to Documents, including that MBR.BIN file, and I still can't run it like you want me to because I have no more access to the right-click 7-Zip menu from Documents than I did from desktop. See #2. 7-Zip item is dead. I know how to change my download location in my browser and my default browser is Chrome.

 

Now MOVE all of that stuff you downloaded FROM the Desktop TO Downloads, etc., etc.

Done

- also note that for SOME reason you have downloaded TWO "REG" files  ...

No, I did NOT overlay the Fix one with the Unfix one. 'Nuf said.

- SIDE NOTE! From that pic, I see you're logged on as "Cindy" and NOT the Administrator

Already answered above -- only one account but apparently not full administrator rights.

2a - Go to that MBR file and CUT it and MOVE it to that SAME DOWNLOADS FOLDER!

Done as stated above, but still can't right click on it and do anything with 7-Zip because no access through the right-click context menu.  

IDEA: What if I open 7-Zip, find the MBR.BIN file in Documents (now) and right click it from there (inside 7-Zip)? Well, that worked (Scrshot 6) as far as I could tell so I will be attaching that. 

 

NO! I said RIGHT-click to get the Pop-Up Context Menus!!!

I know the difference between click and right click. I was right clicking!!!

 

http://thestarman.pc...r/PartTypes.htm

What on earth did you include this for? I do not have the knowledge or experitise to decipher this and it meant nothing at all to me. 

 

WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU AT THERE - WHAT FOLDER? YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED IN YOUR CONTEXT! RIGHT CLICK ON "MBR.BIN" SELECT "ADD TO MBR.7Z"! You OBVIOUSLY know how to use Windows Explorer (not Internet Explorer), RIGHT? (holy schmoley!) 

How many times do I have to say that my right-click context menu is not right -- it doesn't work right for all things? The only place I can get the "Run as administrator" option is if I right click on something on the Start Menu. I have now discovered 2 places where I can get the 7-Zip options menu and they are on the Start Menu, or from inside 7-Zip itself. I tried right clicking on the MBR.BIN file from within Windows Explorer and it did not give me the 7-Zip options menu, I tried from my desktop, from Documents, from C/Windows/System 32 and it did NOT work. The item "7-Zip" is there, but when I click on it the extended options menu does not open. Nothing happens. 

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

PLEASE pay atention! Click is NOT the same as Right-Click. Right-Click an EXE/CMD File Extension (that's what the Reg entry fixes) to "Run As Administrator" - CLICK to "Run As Cindy". RIGHT-Click to "Extract" -or- "Add to" a Compressed Package using 7-zip!!! 7-Zip is NO DIFFERENT than Rith-Click and "Send To->Compressed Folder" (creating a ZIP file as opposed to a 7Z File). WinRar creates RAR files. ALL OF THESE ARE COMPRESSED AND MUST BE EXTRACTED TO EXECUTE ANYTHING THAT ALLOWS "RUN AS"!!!

(... tutorials galore... wow!)

RIGHT-CLICK MENU DOES NOT WORK RIGHT as explained above and over and over and over. 

 

I went to the link https://support.micr...en-us/kb/555910

I don't want a password on my account.  Can I skip #5, or do I HAVE to assign a password?

If I have to have a password, do I include the <   > marks around the password in 

net user administrator <Password>

 

 

 

MBR.7z

[submix8c]

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.

Edited February 21, 2016 by submix8c

[Sophy]

I don't know what to do. I got an email notifying me of your answer, but you've got a whole set of instructions in that email that do not appear anywhere, that I can find, in this topic. Then you've got more instructions in your actual new post #89. I'm not sure what, if anything, I'm supposed to do with that post of yours #87 where you went back and inserted all that red stuff in. God knows I don't want all the time that's been spent on this by both of us to go to waste. I am trying to follow your instructions but I honestly wondering if that is going to be possible. 

 

I'm scared to ask you a questione, but I guess there's no help for it. In the email you instruct as below. What do you mean when you say THAT MBR backup?What MBR backup? Are you talking about that MBR.BIN file? Or is it that MBR.7z file? Or what about that other file in the folder with MBRWhiskey, MBRWiz? We never have used that for anything.

To RESTORE TO FACTORY (if need be AFTER you've installed Windows 7) you will need -

1-That MBR Backup

2-FIRST Partition (see above)

3-SECOND Partition (see above)

The THIRD parition will be COMPLETELY REPLACED with Windows7 Clean Install.

 

Email: P.S. I tested the Right-Click in my Vista Test. It WORKS if you TURN ON UAC (I gave a link to that as well?) You're NOT telling me some key factor here. POST THAT SCREEN SHOT OF USER ACCOUNTS because I'm not believing everything you say anymore.   IOW, WHY is YOURS "not working" and MINE IS????

My UAC is turned on. It's never been off. I would guess that mine isn't working because something in my system has been corrupted or lost and there are some things that aren't working because of it. You accuse me of not telling you everything. I send you screenshots of everything and I just don't know what else to do. You want pictures of my user account so I'm attaching 3.

 

 

Email: I'm going to recommend THIS to back up JUST THE FIRST TWO PARTITIONS (aka VOLUMES)-

http://www.todo-backup.com/products/home/free-backup-software-features.htm

This is the process you will be using but DO NOT DO IT YET!

1-TURN OFF GENIE'S AUTO-BACKUP FEATURE (apparently that's why you leave it connected)

2-Create a Folder on that External HDD JUST FOR THE ABOVE THREE ITEMS (name it DELLVISTA)

3-COPY (or MOVE) the MBR you backed up TO IT!

4-Install the above Backup/Restore Software. <-THIS YOU SHOULD GO AHEAD AND DO!!!

5-READ the Help Files to determine how to backup SINGLE VOLUMES (NOT the Whole Disk).

6-BACK UP THE FIRST TWO PARTITIONS/VOLUMES.

At this point you'll be CORRECTLY backed up.

I have downloaded ToDo. But I don't understand about the MBR file. Above you called it "That MBR backup" and here you refer to the "MBR file you backed up." Please clarify exactly what MBR file refers to.

 

Now I'll look more closely at your post #89. I guess I'll try to take care of this administrator account thing and if I can get back into my computer I'll be back.

Edited February 21, 2016 by Sophy