Re-installing Windows Vista... any tips and advice?? (Not sure how to do it!)

eskimo

I've decided to re-install Windows Vista on my Dell laptop for a few different reasons. However I've never done it before and I don't know where to start or what to do! All I know is that it has to be done!

What are the advantages to re-installing Windows? (incase there're some I don't already know about!)

Anything I should make sure to do before, during and after to ensure it all goes smoothly? (besides backing up any files I want) All hints and advice appreciated!

Also, how do I reinstall Windows??

Thanks!

DenMan

Hi eskimo

It is a fairly simple procedure compared to previous Windows Operating Systems. Back up your files to an external drive first. Just follow the procedure as instructed on the DVD and you will be fine. Insert the DVD and immediately restart you PC and press any button (on your keyboard) when you get the prompt. A word of advice when you see the options for Advanced settings go into it and say to format your drive first. Windows by default creates a folder on your hard drive called Windows Old and backs up everything you have. I found this to be a huge nuisance as it takes a good while to delete the folder and sometimes it can cause compatibility problems especially if you have older files. The best bet is to do a clean install and that way you will be safe. Just follow the steps and you will be sorted out in no time. Timing has improved dramatically compared to XP, Server (Editions) and ME, so in that sense it will be less time consuming and a hell of a lot more easier (yes I had agro with those Operating Systems before). I have a PC I use for work that runs on Vista and have just in the last week or so got a Vista laptop so I have not had any problems at all. Good luck with it, you will find it a breeze. Here are a few websites for you to look at.

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/e77344fa-e978-464c-953e-eba44f0522671033.mspx

https://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/8e56385e-e25d-4beb-8de5-eaac404a01b01033.mspx

Overheal

DenMan wrote: »

Hi eskimo

It is a fairly simple procedure compared to previous Windows Operating Systems. Back up your files to an external drive first. Just follow the procedure as instructed on the DVD and you will be fine. Insert the DVD and immediately restart you PC and press any button (on your keyboard) when you get the prompt. A word of advice when you see the options for Advanced settings go into it and say to format your drive first. Windows by default creates a folder on your hard drive called Windows Old and backs up everything you have. I found this to be a huge nuisance as it takes a good while to delete the folder and sometimes it can cause compatibility problems especially if you have older files. The best bet is to do a clean install and that way you will be safe. Just follow the steps and you will be sorted out in no time. Timing has improved dramatically compared to XP, Server (Editions) and ME, so in that sense it will be less time consuming and a hell of a lot more easier (yes I had agro with those Operating Systems before). I have a PC I use for work that runs on Vista and have just in the last week or so got a Vista laptop so I have not had any problems at all. Good luck with it, you will find it a breeze. Here are a few websites for you to look at.

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/e77344fa-e978-464c-953e-eba44f0522671033.mspx

https://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/8e56385e-e25d-4beb-8de5-eaac404a01b01033.mspx

while i cant say youre wrong this assumes he has a disk. Realistically he has a Recovery Drive, located in my computer.

In which case, backup your files somewhere that is NOT the C:\ drive, then go to start and run the Recovery Manager. From there just keep pressing NO until it asks if you want to revert to factory settings, then click YES. After about half an hour you will reboot and follow through the same prompts you did when you first got the machine, eg. what name do you want, etc.

eskimo

DenMan wrote: »

Hi eskimo

It is a fairly simple procedure compared to previous Windows Operating Systems. Back up your files to an external drive first. Just follow the procedure as instructed on the DVD and you will be fine. Insert the DVD and immediately restart you PC and press any button (on your keyboard) when you get the prompt. A word of advice when you see the options for Advanced settings go into it and say to format your drive first. Windows by default creates a folder on your hard drive called Windows Old and backs up everything you have. I found this to be a huge nuisance as it takes a good while to delete the folder and sometimes it can cause compatibility problems especially if you have older files. The best bet is to do a clean install and that way you will be safe. Just follow the steps and you will be sorted out in no time. Timing has improved dramatically compared to XP, Server (Editions) and ME, so in that sense it will be less time consuming and a hell of a lot more easier (yes I had agro with those Operating Systems before). I have a PC I use for work that runs on Vista and have just in the last week or so got a Vista laptop so I have not had any problems at all. Good luck with it, you will find it a breeze. Here are a few websites for you to look at.

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/e77344fa-e978-464c-953e-eba44f0522671033.mspx

https://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/8e56385e-e25d-4beb-8de5-eaac404a01b01033.mspx

Thanks for your help! I printed out your advice and kept it to hand. It all went extremely smoothly! The only thing was one step which I had to follow that I thankfully read about elsewhere. In order for the computer to launch from the Vista DVD, I had to enter setup and change the Boot sequence order so that the DVD drive was the priority boot source.

But yeah you're right it all went very smoothly and took only about 30 mins!

tom1979

dont do it you may be entering a world of hurt

if you do go ahead
make sure you have all the drivers you need before you start
and do a back up of you laptop

ntlbell

the best advice you could get is to leave it for another 12 months or so SP 2 should be safe enough

eskimo

eh lads see my last comment

tom1979

good advice ntl

ntlbell

eskimo wrote: »

eh lads see my last comment

format/reinstall so

DenMan

eskimo wrote: »

Thanks for your help! I printed out your advice and kept it to hand. It all went extremely smoothly! The only thing was one step which I had to follow that I thankfully read about elsewhere. In order for the computer to launch from the Vista DVD, I had to enter setup and change the Boot sequence order so that the DVD drive was the priority boot source.

But yeah you're right it all went very smoothly and took only about 30 mins!

Glad it went smoothly for you. They have certainly made the set up procedure a lot easier for users to follow.

Mr WibbleWobble

Have a WIN 98 disk at hand

Seriously.

Ourlad

I'm looking to reinstall vista home premium on my laptop but dont know where to start.

The laptop is an Advent 8117 and came with Vista pre-installed. I didnt get a recovery disc with the laptop and i cant find out any where how to get to the recovery manager located in the hidden partition on the hard drive. I cant find it in My Computer and i've tried searching for Recovery and nothing is showing up.

Would anybody know how to access this hidden partition or would it just be easier for me to create a recovery disc and reinstall vista that way?

Soundman

Hi OurLad,

Not sure if this will be the same for your model but you can try these steps and it should work as each manufacturer generally sticks to the same procedure across their own line of products....


Recovering during startup

Use the following steps to perform a recovery from the hard drive:
1.Backup files from the My Documents folder and from other folders you may have created.
2.Disconnect all connected devices (such as the Personal Media Drive, USB drives, printer, and fax), remove media from drives, and remove any recently added internal hardware. Do not disconnect the monitor, keyboard, mouse, and power cable.
3.Turn on the PC.
4.Just after the first screen appears (the logo screen), press the F10 key repeatedly until a recovery menu appears.
5.Select one of the following procedures, depending on which recovery type you want to perform:
To perform a standard system recovery, click Next, and then click Yes
To perform a destructive recovery, click Advanced, (select Destructive Recovery) and then click Next.
CAUTION: A destructive recovery will format the hard drive. This will delete all the information on the hard drive and reinstall the Operating System and the original software that came with the computer.

6.Read and respond to each window and screen that appears.
After the System Recovery is complete, the PC restarts and continues into Windows setup. Complete the setup screens and wait until the computer finishes the setup.


Good luck. Let us know if you still have any problems.

Junior #8

Mr WibbleWobble wrote: »

Have a WIN 98 disk at hand

Seriously.

harsh advice....but XP sp3 is best alternative

Ourlad

Thanks Soundman, i'll try that today and let you know if its worked.

Soundman

Good stuff. Hope it was nice and easy for you and all worked well.

Ourlad

Soundman wrote: »

Good stuff. Hope it was nice and easy for you and all worked well.

Yeah all worked well only took about 40 mins all together, thanks for the advice.

Soundman

Excellent news. Glad it worked.