Clean Install Guide (works for 32-bit or 64-bit)

[stallen]

Guide updated to include some specifics about backing up before clean install.

[vc6]

Hmmm... I just finished the procedure described here and... ABR did not restore activation as promised...

Here is the log from the ABR restore:

===== OEM Windows Vista Activation Restore 17-Jul-2007 Beta =====
USE ONLY FOR LAWFUL PURPOSES!!!

Checking if already activated...
Looks like it's not activated.

Installing activation backup certificate...

Uninstalling product keys...
Removed key for: <32 hex digits number>
Removed key for: <32 hex digits number>
Removed key for: <32 hex digits number>
Removed key for: <32 hex digits number>
Removed key for: <32 hex digits number>
Removed key for: <32 hex digits number>
Removed key for: <32 hex digits number>
Removed key for: <32 hex digits number>
Removed key for: <32 hex digits number>

Installing product key...

Activation has been restored!

Press to exit

What did I do wrong?

Victor

[stallen]

Originally Posted by vc6

Hmmm... I just finished the procedure described here and... ABR did not restore activation as promised...

Here is the log from the ABR restore:




What did I do wrong?

Victor

Not sure what you mean.

It says "Activation has been restored" on the bottom. That's what you want, right?

[vc6]

Originally Posted by stallen

It says "Activation has been restored" on the bottom. That's what you want, right?

Yes, that's what I want, but unfortunately when I go to Control Panel > System and Maintenance > System: It shows that Windows is not activated (30 days remaining).

Does this mean that ABR is buggy?

If so, why does it work for others and not for me?

BTW, another point where I noticed discrepancy between what you describe in your guide and what happened in my system is the part where you wrote:

If your manufacturer has included a recovery partition you will see Disk 0 Partition 1 and Disk 0 Partition 2. Choose Partition 1.

I did have a recovery partition, but when I reaced that "Where do you want to install Windows", I saw only one partition and it was partition 2 (about 69GB).

This is weird. I panicked and restored to "factory installed state" - using the recovery media, because the recovery partition was somehow damaged in the process... It seems like everything that could go wrong went wrong in my case except... the recovery media: It turns out that the single DVD that I created before this entire adventure was sufficient to restore the system to the exact original state when I opened the box (and yes, control panel shows that Vista is activated - with the latest & greatest BIOS ver. 1.08).

So we have a positive confirmation here.

I am suspending clean install for now, until I understand why ABR failed in restoring activation.

Victor

[eyecon82]

Can we delete the recovery partition after the clean install...or is it best to do it before? Thanks

[stallen]

Originally Posted by eyecon82

Can we delete the recovery partition after the clean install...or is it best to do it before? Thanks

That's personal preference. I say "Yes". I don't need it. If I want to recover I'll just use the anytime upgrade disk and start all over. Or even better would be to use a program such as Acronis True Image.

Originally Posted by vc6

If so, why does it work for others and not for me?

....I panicked

^^^Question and Answer^^^

@VC6 - Not sure what to tell you my friend. My guess is you were kind of "panicked" through the whole thing and missed a step somewhere.

There is really no need for panic. Your system will not self destruct. I responded to your post in 7 minutes !!! You had 30 days until Vista would have expired. Until then you could have just followed the steps in post #76 to manually activate. Or you could have even went the telephone activation route.

Seriously if you just follow the steps including the prompts in the screen shots it works.

[taCtiCs]

hey sorry if this was answered before but does this work for other laptops that arent lenovo?

[stallen]

Originally Posted by taCtiCs

hey sorry if this was answered before but does this work for other laptops that arent lenovo?

Should work for all Vista systems. See "Credits" at the bottom of the guide and follow the link to Orev's Clean Install Guide. He made the ABR utility.

[hypertrophy]

Originally Posted by vc6

BTW, another point where I noticed discrepancy between what you describe in your guide and what happened in my system is the part where you wrote:
I did have a recovery partition, but when I reaced that "Where do you want to install Windows", I saw only one partition and it was partition 2 (about 69GB).

To see the recovery partition, right click "Computer," click Manage, click Disk Management, and you should be able to see Disk 0 with both the hidden recovery partition and the Primary partition with the OS.

After you have extracted the key code, if you wish, you can go ahead and delete the recovery partition through command "Diskpart." If you're going to delete the recovery partition, it would be a good idea to do this before you go ahead and do a clean install. That way you can delete the partition without having to use a 3rd party software later after the OS has been reloaded.

Edit: Please note that once you have done a clean install, you will not longer have access to the recovery partition without the 1st recovery disk. There seems to be a problem with the MBR sector of the hard disk once you do a clean install.

[stallen]

Originally Posted by eyecon82

Can we delete the recovery partition after the clean install...or is it best to do it before? Thanks

Delete it before since you have the choice. No harm done to delete it after though.