Windows Vista Windows Vista Updates Fail to Install!

I actually got a second call back about a half hour ago. The tech support person said that he has not come up with a solution, but will call back again tomorrow at noon.

 

I was not going to make this a separate post, but I cannot seem to edit my last post. I must be beyond the time limit.

I got a call from M$ today. They said that a tech will be calling me between 9a-11a PT tomorrow (Sunday). That means between Noon and 2p ET (I am in Miami, FL).

I'll let you all know how it goes.

 

I just spoke to M$ again. They seem to be at a loss.

The tech support person, after spending days of unsuccessfully trying to make the update feature work, has decided that a 'repair install' is necessary.

The tech support person assured me that I will not lose any of my configuration information or data. True?

 

Sorry to offend you. I am fully aware of your posts, and I believe you. I suppose I was not clear with my post. I don't have a Vista install disc. All I have is what came with my HP notebook, which is a RECOVERY disc. I am sure that using this disc will restore my computer to its original, out of box, state. This would basically mean reinstalling everything.

Doing a repair install just seems like a cop out in this situation. Vista ought to be able to recognize the fact that an update has been installed. And, since it is just ONE update that there is a problem with, I have to wonder if the problem is with Vista at all? If Vista were the issue, I'd think that it would be having problems with more than just one update.

 

I am trying to avoid installing from scratch. I am going to be calling HP today to see if I can get them to send me a Vista Ultimate installation disc. It seems to me that since they sold me the OS, they ought to include a way to install it.

 

Regrettably, the repair options are somewhat limited in Vista, no doubt due to the fact that the installation discs are now image-based. Unless you have Vista Business or Ultimate, and have made a full system backup, your options are pretty much limited to doing a clean install or a system restore. If you have a restore point that goes back to before the problem started, that might be worth a try.

Here's a good article that explains the options available:

Windows Vista Repair Options

 

According to Evan Omo, this is not the case. According to Evan Omo, we should be able to do a 'repair install' which will install Vista on the computer without destroying the data nor the configuration of drivers or applications. The only thing required will be the re-download and reinstall of the updates.

I just got off of the phone with Hewlett Packard. They are charging me $19 to ship me a set of discs that will allow me to either to a full clean install of Windows Vista Ultimate, or a REPAIR install. They are also sending me the appropriate drivers disc. This should arrive tomorrow (Tuesday), so I will be trying it out after I perform a full backup of my system.

As it is, I have dual hard disks in my notebook. HDD0 contains my OS and applications. HDD1 contains my data. As long as I don't mess with HDD1, I am set. I even have my email store, as well as any other storage on HDD1. All I really need is a backup of HDD1 and I am golden.

 

Well all I can say is that I wish you luck in finding the repair options in Vista Setup to do an over-the-top reinstall. The options are completely different to what they were in Win2000 / XP.

But I'll have a play around with a Vista Virtual Machine later this evening and see if I can find a way of doing it.

 

I hear ya. I know what you mean. I am going to give it a try since it seems to be my only option at this point.

 

The issue has been an elightening education which provided numerous reasons to delay purchasing a Vista PC. Hopefully, an enjoyable climax shall be soon?

 

Although there is no actual "repair install" in Vista Setup, my experiments with a VM may have found a workaround Run Setup, either by booting from the DVD or from within Vista, enter the product key, and then choose "Upgrade ". Vista Setup is quite happy to upgrade itself. It may not be an over-the-top reinstall as we are used to, but I see no reason why it wouldn't achive exactly the same thing. You'll probably end up with a Windows.old folder, which you can delete afterwards.

I'll be interested to know how it works

 

According to HP, when I boot with the DVD they are sending me, there will be a REPAIR choice. I'll know more tomorrow when the discs show up. I'm going to be making a hard disk image this evening just to be sure I don't lose anything.

 

It is possible that there might be some custom repair facility that they have put on a Restore disc. But the only one on a proper Vista disc is Startup Repair, which only fixes the boot files.

 

Well, folks. Another delay.

The HP disc showed up via Federal Express today. They sent the wrong disc.

I am waiting for one of the HP techs to call me back to correct the issue. Looks like we're going to have to wait until at least tomorrow.

 

In place upgrade fixed the problem.

I also had a similar problem, where updates would download but could not be installed. I went through the whole enable admin account, delete this and that folder, etc, all to no avail.

I decided to do an 'in place upgrade' as discussed in this forum. The reinstall fixed the problem, and basically it's like my computer was never touched... everything seems to work as before. Nothing needed to be reinstalled.

I have a full OEM DVD of Vista Home Premium.
At first I thought that I had to boot from the CD, but that only lets you do a fresh install.
So you open the DVD from within Windows, and run 'Setup ". It will eventually give you a chance to do an upgrade. It took about 1.5 hours of the machine churning along, sometimes looking like it was stuck but eventually continuing on it's own. Be patient.
The only thing that changed was that I had to reset my dual monitors to show the correct resolution.

Since I keep most of my data on a separate network drive, I wasn't too worried about data, and I can always reinstall software. Make sure that you have your data backed up. As I said, the "upgrade-to-the-same-OS" went smoothly, and the system works fine, the only difference being that updates now work properly.

Edward

 

More excellent information to have.

I am in a bind because I don't have an install CD and HP will not send me one.

I am not about to shell out $400 for Vista Ultimate just to do this.

HP tech support is being horrible about this.

I am, on the other hand, very impressed with how hard Microsoft has been trying to resolve the issue. Even though they have not succeeded, they at least return calls and try to help.

HP's idea of helping is to ask for a credit card.

 

OEM Vista is a lot less.

That is why I don't even bother buying 'name brand' anymore... I just build my own.

Tech support is typically worthless from any manufacturer unless you are completely ignorant when it comes to computers. I bet that they keep telling you to run their 'system restore' and reinstall everything.

Build it yourself will give you a more complete system for less, but you are on your own for support... which is pretty much what I ended up getting from the likes of Dell.

FWIW, since I built my own system from scratch, I went the OEM route, and for $111 bought the Home premium edition at NewEgg. Glad I didn't spend the extra $90 for ultimate.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116202