Re: Repair/upgrade using Retail Vista to fix bad OEM

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"JerryF" <youare@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:MPG.24e8ade9e6abfd1198976b@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
My daughter's ASUS Vista Home Premium (64 bit) laptop
has the dreaded empty list in "Turn Windows options on
or off". I have tried everything to fix it including:

-running SFC /scannow

-setting an earlier restore point (unfortunatley the
oldest is 5 days, as Windows Update keeps creating
restore points when before it fails to install updates)

-running KB931712 standalone

-remove the reg key HKLM\COMPONENTS /v StoreDirty (not
present)

I suspect the problem was caused by a faulty download of
.netframework 3.5 sp1. The system problem is also
preventing the computer from upgrading to Vista SP2. The
word is that if nothing works to fix this problem an
Upgrade/Repair is necessary.

ASUS unfortunately only supplies a Recovery Disk which
overwrites everything (not the ideal option for her)

Is it possible to do a repair/upgrade with a retail copy
of Vista Premium? If so when I enter the Product Key
number I would like to use the product key for the ASUS
laptop, not my Vista Premium Retail. Is this possible?

The Vista Premium is without SP1 or SP2 is it possible
to slipstream up to SP2?

Thanks

Yes, you can do an upgrade installation (Vista's equivalent to XP's repair install) with a retail dvd and yes you can use the product key on the sticker (side or bottom of the computer) rather than the one in the retail box. The service pack level of the Windows installed on her computer cannot be lower than the sp level of the dvd, however.

I take it that your daughter's system shiped at SP1 so you need the retail dvd to be at sp 1 as well. A Vista gold dvd would not work.

Also, you can upgrade to SP2 by starting the computer in safe mode and then installing the standalone sp so you might want to try that as a last resort before doing a restore to factory condition.

I have not kept up with the state of the art regarding "slipstreaming", but another poster will undoubtedly clear that one up.

.

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