Vista Boot Repair Problems!

I've seen references to it, but I haven't looked into it. Is the download free? The main thing I'm worried about is repairing Vista. Can I do that with Windows 7?
 
Yes Win 7 beta is free. It is good to August 1st and it will work just like the old-new routine where Vista will still be bootable after the install.

Addendum:

Terry60 said:
Guru is considering his legal position in offering MS software which could be held to have been modified by us.
In the meantime, if you download the Windows 7 Beta, it is on there, I noticed it in the DVD directory.
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bootsect is available? Thats good news. I looked at my older Vista dvd (which I got 2 or so months after Vista's launch) and couldn't find it...

As far as the WAIK goes in creating this new image, do you think we could get just WinRE in it to avoid confusion with it being used for installations? I don't have the link at the moment but I've been looking at some of the things you can do with ImageX and apparently the windows image files have what are called indexes. An article I found showed that WinRE itself was index 2 of the boot.wim file. This article demonstrated how to manually install WinRE to the hard drive, so I'm wondering if the same could be done with making an ISO image to burn to disc...
 
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Sorry if I seem a little slow, but are you saying that I could install windows 7 without deleting any of my files, repair Vista from there, then uninstall windows 7 without having anything gone from before my computer broke?
 
Windows 7 will take charge, but it will keep Vista's entry in the boot menu. Install it to another partition than Vista and than when the beta testing period is over delete the partition and remove Windows 7's entry with EasyBCD so it just boots Vista again...

kairozamorro said:
As far as the WAIK goes in creating this new image, do you think we could get just WinRE in it to avoid confusion with it being used for installations? I don't have the link at the moment but I've been looking at some of the things you can do with ImageX and apparently the windows image files have what are called indexes. An article I found showed that WinRE itself was index 2 of the boot.wim file. This article demonstrated how to manually install WinRE to the hard drive, so I'm wondering if the same could be done with making an ISO image to burn to disc...
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Here's that article I was referring to in regards to WinRE... hope CG can make some sense of it for getting it to work on a recovery disc ISO if MS grants us the rights to do it...
 
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No. I was just saying to follow the steps as outlined in the wiki, but when you get to the bootsect.exe, run it from the W7 DVD.
No need to install Windows 7 at all.
 
How could I run it from the DVD if I have the recovery disk in the drive? Can I safely eject it? I have an external DVD drive, but will the computer be able to get the driver? Also, will the boot repair bootsect.exe for windows 7 work on vista?
 
I have 2 DVD drives (my original DVD reader and a later burner) and a floppy drive onto which I could copy it, or copy it to my 2nd HDD or another partition on the 1st HDD.
You just need to copy it to somewhere accessible during the repair.
Whatever would suit your particular set-up.
 
If bootsect is freely available, and we think that it is all I need, how about we just have someone email it to me? That would probably be the easiest and quickest for everyone involved.
 
If Microsoft chooses to give away its software, that's up to them.
If we start to redistribute pieces of their software, we're in contravention of the EULA we electronically signed.
 
I was just looking at the wiki again. It says that if windows can be booted, EasyBCD can repair things. Rather than worrying about EULA and legality, why not just include Easybcd in the recovery cd iso? That would definitely be legal, and from what I've read, it would also make vista easier to fix in the first place. Would that be possible? Does vista absolutely have to be bootable to use it?
 
The recovery ISO isn't Neosmart's. It's a MS image that was provided by them during Vista Beta testing.
I wasn't around then so I don't know the full history, but Guru is considering the legal position of the difference between offering a modified version of someone else's software, and merely indicating where the original unmodified version is available as a torrent.
It's Guru's site, so he must decide what's done in his name.
 
Adding to the iso could be considered "modifying" if they wanted to pin it on us. Just like adding bootsect.exe, that would be facing the same issue.

EasyBCD must run inside of Windows and it is dependant on .net and the c runtime. It can't just be ran from Vista's DVD.

I am working on plans in the future to put up a tutorial on running EasyBCD from bootable media, but until EasyBCD 2.0 is released and I can confirm it will work as it should for the moment it is not possible.
 
FregleyTheWise said:
I was just looking at the wiki again. It says that if windows can be booted, EasyBCD can repair things. Rather than worrying about EULA and legality, why not just include Easybcd in the recovery cd iso? That would definitely be legal, and from what I've read, it would also make vista easier to fix in the first place. Would that be possible? Does vista absolutely have to be bootable to use it?
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The problem is this.

The 32 Bit Recovery ISO was created during the Vista SP1 Beta stages when this option was available. I created the ISO myself back then. As i still have the Beta SP1 on my hard drive and i was able to install it and create the image for use. I had it saved on my hard drive as a ISO as well as burned a CD for myself.

I had shared this information at that time with Guru who asked if he could get a copy. I gladly obliged and transfered a copy to him. It was at that time that it was decided to give this as a alternative to members to help fix their system cause Manufacturers' did not include any media which would allow someone to fix boot issues.

The ISO itself is still property of Microsoft. As it was created using only their software and the tools they had provided at the time.

If Microsoft wished they could send us a Cease and Desist order and stop us from using them overall. As they are technically their products which are not officially supported by them.

But since we are basically doing them a favor, they have left us alone. Since this helps deter people from contacting M$ about these issues.

This is why the decision to not edit the ISO and share it has been made. It is still under review but at this time there is no decision to share it cause modifying it is could very well be considered illegal.

So until Guru gives the Okay there is no option to share the ISO or the file in need. At the point in time when Guru decides to either run with it or continue on as we are there is no option but to abide by his wishes. He is the owner of the site and everything done is reflected on him. He would be the one to pay the ultimate price if action was taken. Not us.
 
I've been looking on the Internet to see if anything else might help. I have come across VistaPE at the site http://www.vistape.net/. I don't know anything about it really, but if I were to use it, would I be able to run EasyBCD or something else to fix Vista?

If not, does anyone have any suggestions since it doesn't look like I'll be able to get bootsect.exe?
 
VistaPE is what was used to create the 64 Bit Recovery Disc. From what i read it can be used. But dont quote me on it.

Why not just download a Vista DVD?
 
VistaPE is what I am considering for testing. I've tried Bart PE and I can get it running, but problems with the current version make it unusable. CG stated that 2.0 will fix it. At that time I will try it out and if it works than I will post a tutorial on all the details. Check out this thread for our discussion on the matter.
 
I'm got VistaPE, but can't get the computer to boot off it. Before I mess with it more, Makavelli mentioned downloading a Vista DVD. Where can I get it? Will I be able to use it to repair things? I never knew it could be downloaded. Is it free?
 
It isnt available from Microsoft via download. You would have to go thru other means to get it. This is not illegal cause the Media is not what is protected by the EULA and TOS. That is strictly the Serial.
 
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