Windows Vista Repair Options

Windows Vista does not contain a Recovery Console, therefore doing a repair install like that we are familiar with in Windows XP is not possible. Instead, if you need to replace the operating system, you either have to re-install Vista from scratch, or else re-image the drive from a backup source created using the Windows Vista Backup Status and Configuration application. this then effectively replaces the current copy of Windows Vista with a shadow copy you backed up previously.

This backup option is the only one provided by Windows Vista. of course there are other ways of imaging your hard drive, but these require the user to purchase a third party application.

Of course, re-imaging is one option. If, however, you are simply experiencing startup problems or perhaps you cannot readily access your system and need to do a system restore, then you need to look at Windows Vista's Repair Your Computer options.

How you access the repair options will depend upon whether you have a Windows Vista installation disk or whether your operating system came pre-installed by your PC manufacturer.

Windows Installation Disk

NOTE : With the Complete PC Restore Option you must have made a backup of your system, either on your hard drive or on a set of DVDs, in order to use this option. If you don't have a backup then don't use this option

1/ make sure your PC can boot directly from the Vista DVD. Obviously, most modern PCs can. With older machines you may need to check the PC's BIOS

2/ Start the PC

3/ Immediately insert the Windows Vista DVD into the DVD drive

4/ A Black screen will appear with the words 'Press any key to boot from CD or DVD'

5/ Press Any key to start the booting process

6/ A new screen will now appear with a progress bar. The legend say's 'Windows is loading files'

7/ After a few minutes the Microsoft copyright window ill appear and another small progress bar will be visible

8/ You will next see a Blue curtained screen

9/ After a short while the Language option screen will appear

10/ Select your language and keyboard language and the Click the Next button

11/ At the bottom left of the next screen - the Install screen, Click on the Repair Your Computer option

12/ The System recovery options will now search for your Windows Vista installation

13/ Once the Vista installation has been located, Highlight it and then Click the Next button

14/ You are now presented with the following set of recovery options

* Startup repair - This automatically fixes problems that are preventing Windows from starting

* System Restore - This will Restore Windows to an earlier point in time

* Windows Complete PC Restore - This will completely restore your entire PC - programs, system settings and files - from a back up that you have previously created (Available in Windows Vista Business, Enterprise and Ultimate editions only)

* Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool - This checks your computer's memory hardware for errors

* Command Prompt - This opens a Command Window

15/ Click on the Option you require and follow the onscreen prompts

Pre-Installed Options

NOTE: If no repair options are available your PC manufacturer may have replaced the tools or customised them. Check your Computer Manual before proceeding.

1/ Start your PC

2/ If your PC has one operating system Press and Hold the F8 key as your PC starts. If the Windows Logo appear you will need to start again

3/ If you have a dual boot system a Boot option menu will appear. Highlight the Vista operating system and Press the F8 key

4/ In both cases, if all has gone well, an Advanced options screen will now appear

5/ Highlight the repair Your Computer option and Press Enter

6/ Select a keyboard layout, and then Click the Next button

7/ Next select your user Name and Enter your Password, then Click OK

8/ The recovery options should now appear

Windows Vista Backup

Although vista has been criticized a lot people are really starting to notice that Windows Vista has many great features that XP did not have with it. One such feature is the Windows Vista backup and restore center. With the backup center you can schedule an automatic backup to run whenever you want. It is recommend you use an external hard driver just in case your main one crashes.

Because most systems do not ship with a Windows Vista CD anymore it is also important that you create a full backup of your computer as well. By creating a full image backup you will not have to re-install any programs or re-do your system settings in case of a computer crash. This will save you many hours of frustration.

Now for the bad news! Only Windows Vista Business and Ultimate have the full image backup features. The rest do still have a backup but it will only take care of documents and not the programs or operating system. All is not lost however. Many companies such as HP have a one time image back that you can use. We will attempt to go over the different backup methods in the article and give you multiple options so you can choose what works best for you. Having a full image backup is a must! You will hate your self later on if you do not do this.

(HP only) To use the HP One time image backup simply click the Windows start button and browse to the “PC Help and Tools” folder. Then select “Recovery Disc”. This will create a full backup of your computer including programs. Keep the discs in a safe spot and read on for further info.

The Windows Vista Backup features for the Business and Ultimate addition are easy to use. Simply click the windows start button and in the search box type “backup” There you will see the backup and restore function. Simply open it and create a full system backup. This will be your recovery image. Do this at least every 6 months so you have a new fresh copy of your system.

For the rest of you use the above method but you will notice you can not create a full backup image. You should still create and schedule a backup of “My Documents” and any other files you have on your system. I would set the backup to run once a week.

Windows Vista Copy Protection Cracked

More than a year after Windows Vista was introduced, hackers have finally developed a clean crack of Windows Vista. There have been a variety of workarounds for Vista's copy protection before now, but this is the first time someone has figured out a way to install a cracked version that would pass all of Microsoft's various anti-piracy checks. It seems that certain OEMs found the activation process too burdensome and persuaded Microsoft to provide them with a way to bypass it in order to save their own customers the hassle. Hackers figured out how to activate this special "no activation" mode on cracked copies of Vista. I think this is one of the biggest reasons copy protection schemes fail: they almost always creates serious inconveniences for customers, and irritating customers hurts the bottom line. Companies may talk a tough line about fighting piracy, but when push comes to shove, they're not willing to cut off their own nose to spite their face by insisting on enforcing a copy protection scheme that would put their product at a disadvantage in the marketplace.

Of course, the obvious question is why companies implement copy protection schemes in the first place if they invariably wind up compromising them. The reason, I think, is that these trade-offs are almost never made explicit to corporate decision makers ahead of time. When the copy protection plan is being pitched to management, its developers only talk about how great it will work. Only later, once it's actually being implemented, do people start noticing that it will also cause a lot of problems. But by that time, the copy protection system is too far along the development process to be canned, so instead exceptions are added. These exceptions prevent the copy protection system from crippling the product, but they also undermine its effectiveness as an anti-piracy measure. So customers have to deal with annoying restrictions and the product still gets pirated.

Install and Uninstall Additional Fonts in Vista

Install a Font:

1. Go to Start
2. Select Control Panel
3. Select Appearance and Personalization
4. Select Fonts
5. Select File (if the File option is not visible, press the ALT key on your keyboard)
6. Select Install New Font
7. Select the drive where the fonts you are trying to add are located
8. Select eh folder where your downloaded fonts are located
9. Select the font that you would like to install
10. Select Install

Uninstall a Font:

1. Follow steps 1 - 4 above
2. Select eh font that you would like to uninstall (to select multiple fonts, hold down the CTRL key then click each individual font)
3. Select File
4. Select Delete

For any short of help and assistance on Windows Vista visit Computer Support

Repair the corrupted Vista Bootloader in a dual-boot configuration

Once you install any older version of Windows the Windows Vista no longer starts and only the older version starts.This happens because older versions of the Windows OS are incompatible with the new Windows Vista startup method. Windows Vista uses a new Boot Configuration Database (BCD).

Now follow these steps to solve that problem :


Use Bootsect.exe to restore the Windows Vista MBR and the boot code that transfers control to the Windows Boot Manager program.

This can be done by typing the following command at a command prompt:

Drive:\boot\Bootsect.exe /NT60 All

Here Drive is the drive where the Windows Vista installation media is located.

For online technical support and computer repair you can visit Computer Support