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05-26-2011, 10:04 AM
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#1 |
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Computer Geek
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: West Lothian, SCOTLAND, United Kingdom
Posts: 1,223
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How to reinstall Windows Vista Home Basic?
This is a forked thread from one I've got going in the internet section.
I've got a friends Packard Bell laptop which has so many problems, Windows Vista Home Basic will probably need reinstalled. The problem is that there was no disc supplied with the PC and there appears to be no reinstall recovery partition. I can change product keys accordingly but is there a way I can install my Windows Vista Home Premium installation disc onto his PC so that it becomes Windows Vista Home Basic with his valid product key? Oh how I'd love to just install Linux Mint on it! 
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05-26-2011, 10:08 AM
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#2 |
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Ride 'em Cowboy
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Dallas, Tx
Posts: 9,109
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OEM companies are required to provide the means to reinstall. Dell for example will send you an OS dvd for free....
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05-26-2011, 10:34 AM
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#3 | |
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Computer Geek
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: West Lothian, SCOTLAND, United Kingdom
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Quote:
Assuming this is the case, is there a way I can do it with the method I mention above? |
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05-26-2011, 11:07 AM
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#4 |
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Moderator
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Premium Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Detroit, MI
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It has to be an identical version of the OS as I know it. Some manufactures, like Dell won't even let you do that (identical), it has to be a Dell OS disk. Not sure about Packard Bell because they are not in the US any more. Find someone with a Home Basic disk, good luck on that and it still may not work with the key you have on the unit. You may have to order recovery discs from the manufacture, they will probably charge you around 20.00 bucks. Hopefully they are not like IBM and get you for 60.00.
It is not your fault the customer or friend did not make a set of recovery discs. When ever I fix a laptop or PC. I ask the customer if they have the recovery media. 9.5 out of 10 never have unless I built the system for them. I then charge them for the service of me creating them. |
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05-26-2011, 11:12 AM
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#5 |
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Techphile.
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: San Francisco Bay
Posts: 5,962
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Which Packard Bell is it? Have you tried pushing the correct keys for bringing up system restore during the POST process?
Entering "(the model number) system restore key" in a Google search and that should find it for you. I looked it up and it seems to be F8....of course if it has a backup partition.
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05-26-2011, 02:50 PM
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#6 |
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Computer Geek
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: West Lothian, SCOTLAND, United Kingdom
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Sorry to waste your time guys but in amongst the garbage he had in his laptop case I found the user manual.
In the manual it says to press "F11" on startup for recovery. Sorted! Thanks anyway guys. 
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05-26-2011, 02:57 PM
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#7 | |
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Quote:
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05-26-2011, 03:21 PM
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#8 | |
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Computer Geek
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: West Lothian, SCOTLAND, United Kingdom
Posts: 1,223
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Quote:
Just boots into various recovery options and lets you choose the appropriate course of action. I've reinstalled Windows Vista to it's factory default and now I'm creating a recovery CD. 
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