Reflashing hard drive to .wim image (with a linux dualboot installed)

iPwntUrMum

iPwntUrMum

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Hi all. Long time no see. I've been having quite a few problems lately. (sorry for the long title )

So here's the problem. I currently have both Ubuntu Linux (10.04 if it matters), and Windows Vista installed on my hard drive, and I'm using GRUB (i think) to switch between both at start up. Only problem is, Vista is totally dead. I accidentally uninstalled the Drivers folder under system32 and all this stuff, so it's just brain dead. I can't even boot. So I just want to get rid of it.

I don't have a windows vista install disk to use to reinstall vista. This computer is a fixed up Dell computer, so vista just came preinstalled. I do have a Dell Recovery Partition, and it doesn't seem to be broken or corrupt at all.

Now. I've read elsewhere that you can hit control and F11 to activate that Dell Recovery program, to reflash my hard drive with the factory image. But, that doesn't work with the dual boot set up that I have now. When I push ctrl+f11 both at bios loading and after selecting Vista and at Vista's loading, nothing happens.

So. TL;DR. I have a ~5.5 gb .wim file (which is apparently a disk image) that I have access to, and I also have the Dell Recovery Partition that, I believe, just loads that image back onto the hard drive.

How can I reflash my hard drive using that image, without using any Windows Vista in-OS programs?

I think I read that I could burn that to a disk somehow, and boot from it...? Maybe? No?

Any help would be hugely appreciated, as currently I have hundreds of dollars of software inaccessible to me.

Cheers. Pwnt.
 
Are you able to access the windows partition from your linux login?
 
indeed I can. I'm going to use that method to back up all of my non-program files (docs, pics, vids)
 
iPwntUrMum said:
Hi all. Long time no see. I've been having quite a few problems lately. (sorry for the long title )

So here's the problem. I currently have both Ubuntu Linux (10.04 if it matters), and Windows Vista installed on my hard drive, and I'm using GRUB (i think) to switch between both at start up. Only problem is, Vista is totally dead. I accidentally uninstalled the Drivers folder under system32 and all this stuff, so it's just brain dead. I can't even boot. So I just want to get rid of it.

I don't have a windows vista install disk to use to reinstall vista. This computer is a fixed up Dell computer, so vista just came preinstalled. I do have a Dell Recovery Partition, and it doesn't seem to be broken or corrupt at all.

Now. I've read elsewhere that you can hit control and F11 to activate that Dell Recovery program, to reflash my hard drive with the factory image. But, that doesn't work with the dual boot set up that I have now. When I push ctrl+f11 both at bios loading and after selecting Vista and at Vista's loading, nothing happens.

So. TL;DR. I have a ~5.5 gb .wim file (which is apparently a disk image) that I have access to, and I also have the Dell Recovery Partition that, I believe, just loads that image back onto the hard drive.

How can I reflash my hard drive using that image, without using any Windows Vista in-OS programs?

I think I read that I could burn that to a disk somehow, and boot from it...? Maybe? No?

Any help would be hugely appreciated, as currently I have hundreds of dollars of software inaccessible to me.

Cheers. Pwnt.
Click to expand...

The recovery partition would only work if it was a single operating system install. It is not designed to reinstall Windows alongside another operating system.

The only way you're going to be able to recover Windows is to use a Windows Vista CD and use the Automated System Recovery to repair the operatin system. However, be warned that your linux partition may interfere with the recovery.

Other than that, you will have to reformat the Windows partition, but then you're also going to have to make sure GRUB works after that too. Be careful, as reinstalling Windows may screw up your Master Boot Record and render both operating systems unbootable.

On a side note, who has hundreds of dollars of software installed on their PC's without proper copies of the software or the install discs? Backups are always the most important part of a computer system.

On another side note, why do people dual-boot linux and Windows? It's "cool" but unnecessary.
 
I would suggest reinstalling vista (download a new .ISO, burn it to a CD/USB, and reinstall vista on the dead partition) since you are able to access and back up all of your files from Ubuntu. the vista key should be on a sticker on your PC so there shouldnt be an issue there and the Dell website should have all the drivers you need. For your programs, as long as you have the software keys/install disks (well keys more than the disks cause you can download the program from the internet) you should be able to recover you programs. I dont know for sure how this will do with GRUB, though.
 
Call Dell, They will ask for the windows ID on the side of the computer. Ask if they can sell you a vista disc for $25. Thats what they usually go for. It wont let you reformat because your using grub instead of the windows boot manager. You may wanna ask a computer savy friend to let you borrow a disc if they have one.
 
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