Clean Vista install WITH NO ACTIVATION

The Dell OEM disk will almost certainly activate without doing the backup, but you might want to backup anyway just to be safe.

 

Thanks. Better safe than sorry!

 

The ABR utility worked to activate my new Vista 32-bit SP1 RTM installation from a previous activation backup I had made.

Worked perfectly ..

 

I did a clean install on my hp dv9700t, (used a spare HD) worked good
I noticed that the new clean vista is about 7gig and the original HP is 16 gig
what a difference in size.

PS: also I did a full HP recovery with the disc I made, it took about 2 hours
to restore, unbelivable.
the best way to back up is to use a image maker like Acronis or Paragon
or simply copy your vista partition to another drive and hide it

Always back-up you key with ABR and store it somewhere

 

I keep getting access denied when I try to create the iso file using cdimage. I downloaded the 3 files from digital river and they are the correct size so I'm not sure what's going on. I am logged in as the administrator, everything is in the right location but I'm just missing something probably simple. Anyone had this problem? I would just order the disk but I read that it's no longer available from microsoft.

 

Have you tried running the command prompt as administrator? You need to start it like this:
- Find the command prompt in the start menu
- right-click on it and select "Run as Administrator"
You must do this even if you are currently logged-in as Administrator.

 

Thanks a lot Orev for the clean install guide. Thanks to Flipfire for sending me the WAU DVDs. Vista is working great. Thanks a lot all once again!

 

hi orev,thanks for fantastic clean install with no online activation.i have used it for many friends.now i have downloaded sp1 from net.i would like to clean install on my vaio laptop.i have vista rtm disk.shall i do clean install and then install sp1 and then activate or activate and then put sp1?i am re installing home premium which came with my vaio?.

 

Will this work from having 32 bit and installing 64 bit?

 

Always activate before downloading/installing any updates from microsoft. Just incase they block off the ABR tool on the new updates

Yes it will work from 32bit to 64bit

 

I don't think it will matter if you activate before or after you install SP1. All you need to worry about is installing within the 30-day trial if the system is not activated. If you're doing it all at once, it shouldn't matter.

 

why would the abr tool ever be blocked?? it's completely legal and ms has a lot more to worry about like pirated copies, etc. just my 2cents.......


thanks for the tool and the guide orev!!!!!!!!!

 

So I backed everything up even with no answer... and it worked just fine. I had the 32 bit OS and now 64 bit OS!! Works Great

 

Worked so well, I did a clean install 3 times. Seriously, the guide was great and couldn't be any better Orev.

My troubles came with flukey drivers and not being happy with some of my Vista tweaks. Zero trouble doing the clean install. Thanks!!

 

I believe orev described it as vendor neutral not completely legal. Microsoft obviously wants us to go through the hassle of activating. The whole "big brother" concept of activating and the ABR totally jumps over this.

I think you need to activate first before you can use Windows update anyway

Who cares, its an awesome tool and works perfectly.

 

The method used to activate is the same method that many OEMs use on their recovery disc installations (at least how HP did it). ABR restore runs this same process as a program that you can control, instead of having to run it only as part of the recovery disc process. That's why it shouldn't be affected by the SP1 update.

 

@ flipfire

yes, orev said it was vendor neutral, but it seems like everyone, but you, understood that it meant that it could be used on almost any make of laptop.... you make it seem like the next word brought up was legality, it wasn't.

orev likes information in this thread to be precise and correct/truthful. While I may not always agree w/ him when it comes to personal opinions on products, etc, he would never have developed the abr tool if he didn't believe it was completely legal. And I agree with him. Since he started this thread and developed the tool, I think we should all refrain from making rash, unfounded statements about it's legality.

I'm not flaming you flipfire, just stating the facts as I see them............

 

I followed this product guide and now I'm worried about a new update MS released:
"Install this update to enable Windows Vista to detect software that bypasses product activation and interferes with normal Windows operation."

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940510

If we already used ABR, will we have any trouble if we install this update?

 

OK, first post so be gentle.... need a little help.... and feel free to tell me to post elsewhere as I was able to use this guide no problems (thanks for the guide) but I am seeing something that I can't figure out after the install.

My Windows Experience and 3DMark06 scores went down after a fresh install over the "out of the box" HP install (although I did upgrade drivers). I would expect the opposite.

On the normal HP "out of the box" (with upgraded drivers from laptopvideo2go (I think version 174))
I am getting a 4.8 on the graphics part of the windows experience and ~2400 on the 3dMark06.

On the clean install with drivers reloaded (no warnings in the device manager) and video drivers loaded (same ones used: 174)
I am getting a 4.5 on the graphics part of the windows experience and ~2100 on the 3DMark06.

Can anyone lend a hand as to what they think I need to do?

Here is what I have:
HP Pavilion dv9700t customizable Notebook PC

* Upgrade to Genuine Windows Vista Ultimate (64-bit)
* Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo Processor T9300 (2.50 GHz, 6 MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB)
* 17.0" WSXGA+ High-Definition HP BrightView Widescreen Display (1680 x 1050)
* 2GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
* 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GS
* FREE Upgrade to HP Imprint Finish (Radiance) + Fingerprint Reader + Webcam + Microphone!!
* FREE Upgrade to Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 4965AGN Network Connection and BluetoothTM!!
* 240GB 7200RPM SATA Dual Hard Drive (120GB x 2)
* LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support
* No TV Tuner w/remote control
* High Capacity 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
* System Recovery DVD with Genuine Windows Vista Ultimate (64-bit)
* Microsoft(R) Works 9.0
* HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope

 

ABR does not BYPASS activation. The preceeding few posts before yours are a discussion about exactly this topic.

I guess I'm going to add this to the F-A-Q.

 

It has nothing to do with the make of the laptop. You could do a clean install of vista on any computer if you wanted to. It was the activation i was talking about

I never said it was illegal. I wouldnt have done his method myself if it was, and id do it all again if i wanted to. Im not trying to reduce the credibility of his guide either.

Im just wondering what Microsoft thinks of it. I know orev said OEM's like HP use the same activation method as ABR. Maybe they use that method cause Microsoft allows large companies to do so to save time. As for individuals, im sure they want us to activate either on the phone or online. I guess well find out if it fails to activate after the latest patches have been installed

Its okay i dont feel flamed

 

After downloading the digital river files and downloading cd image 2.52, I extracted the file, opened the command prompt, and copied and pasted the following: cdimage.exe -lVISTA_EN_DVD -m -u2 -bC:\Vista\boot\etfsboot.com C:\Vista\ C:\Vistax86.iso. After I pasted this in the command prompt, I get an error that says it's not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

Can anyone help me with this issue?
Thanks

 

You need to put the cdimage.exe file in the same place that the command prompt is open to. The prompt in the commend prompt will tell you where it is (like C:\windows\system32). If you go there from my computer you can put the file in there.

Otherwise, you can put the cdimage.exe file in C:\, then in the command line, type "C:\cdimage.exe".

If that doesn't work, I would try the vLite instructions, with which you can avoid using the command prompt.

 

Not to break your heart bluefalcn I tried this method two times and it never worked. You might have to order those WAU DVDs to be sure that this works!

 

i never got my anytime dvds from microsoft i ordered a 32 and 64 bit dvds
they charged my card i ordered the 32bit on 2/7 and the 64bit on 2/17 after i read i could install 64 bit home premium on my oem key. now windows dosent offer these disks anymore. they better send my dvds this sucks. any one have a 64bit for sale

 

No 64 only 32 here! And yes you are right, Microsoft has indeed stopped selling those WAU DVDs.

 

Which part of it failed for you? Was there an error on the install.wim file? That seems to be the most common problem.

 

I don't exactly know what happened. The installation mysteriously showed up an error after installing 12%. Don't know why!

 

I think the problems during installation (with the install.wim file) are because the download got cut off somehow and you didn't get the whole file. I have updated the guide with the file sizes that you should have if you get them from digital river, so before you burn the disc, verify the file sizes. They should be the same down to the very last byte.

 

After doing a smooth clean install on my dv9700t CTO, following Orev's guide, I did the same on my just delivered Sony Vaio VGN-FZ 4000 CTO. This ABR program is a real blessing. I will say it repeatedly for ever (well, I am an old man).
For the Sony I also had to take into account the very helpful guide offered by ScuderiaConchiglia on the Sony part of this Forum.
I will post a reply on his guide because the sequence for the FZ4000 is slightly different from his guide which applies for the FZ190.

Thanks again to Orev and ScuderiaConchiglia.

 

Just a quick question:

I have gone through the guide and it has worked perfectly.

Where I ran into trouble was with installing the drivers, and now Vista is always asking me if I was sure a driver installed correctly after I install a new one.

If I want to re-start, it is more proper to use the recovery discs ,

or why not just begin with the anytime upgrade CD and begin with a clean wipe from there?

 

You can do either. Probably you just want to start using the upgrade disc. You only would use the recovery disc if you wanted to get something off of that installation, like the swsetup folder. Otherwise if you just want to do a clean install again, start with anytime upgrade.

Also, those messages don't necessarily indicate there is a problem. As long as your hardware is working correctly, you probably don't need to start over. Even if you do, you'll probably run into the same messages when you install the drivers again.

 

This happened to me before. I left it downloading all night, when i woke up i checked the file size and it was only 1.6gb and it said it was completed. Ive had similar download problems before, i think you get d/c'ed from the server but your browser shows it as completed. I havent had a change to test the proper one i downloaded.

Wouldnt it fail when unpacking install.wim to make the .iso to begin with?

 

No, because it doesn't unpack install.wim, just copies it over. It would be a good idea if they made it do some sort of checking, as this would be a common problem.

There's really no way for your browser to know if the file was done or not, and it'll report "Done" when the file stops getting sent. It's probably better to use a download manager (like downthemall for firefox) to download such a large file.

 

Would this then indicate a problem:

I am trying to install the DigitalPersona software (fingerprint scanner) directly from the SWSetup file that I saved. Yet I receive this message right away:

"This installation package is not supported by this processor type. Contact your product vendor".

I don't understand why it refuses to install when it is directly from the original SWSetup file.

 

Are you installing the 32bit or 64bit version of Vista? Did you originally have 32bit, and did a clean install of 64bit?

Edit: PS. that message indicates that the software you are trying to install is meant for another architecture than the one you are currently running.

 

Dammit i deleted the 3 files and the .iso after i burnt it on cd. Now i cant check if this could be the culprit. Im pretty sure i completely downloaded install.wim

 

You should be able to extract the files from the ISO using 7-zip, isobuster, etc... Then you can see what the size of the file is. If it's too small, you'll need to re-download the whole thing anyway. The boot.wim and X3243-43223.exe* files are pretty small, so shouldn't be too bad to re-DL those too.

* = not the actual file name

 

Well then, I'm not sure what's the problem.

I use 64bit Vista Ultimate before and clean installed the same ( or I hope I did, fairly sure I did).

 

Okay i actually make a backup dvd for the 3 install files. I checked the install.wim file and it says 3.44gb on the dvd

When i tried downloading from digitalriver again, it only shows as 3.34gb. I know the sizes are bigger when you put it on disk

but on the first page where you put down the sizes its 3,504,026,910 bytes which is 3.5gb

Is the inconsistent sizes normal?

 

Do not round off to "3.5" or "3.4". You must right-click and bring up the properties of the file. It will show you the exact byte count there. I think you are right that you will need to copy the file to the disk to get the correct sizes.

I have downloaded the file twice from digital river and got the same md5 each time. If yours are different, maybe they are tagging the files by IP address or something, so if anyone else has successfully made the disc from those files, please look at the sizes and md5sum and try to match them with the guide.

 

SUCCESS!!!!!! After getting the clean install complete, I am very satisfied with the way everything went down. The only problem I have so far is the volume controls that are on the right side of the rest of the quick play icons, no longer work. Used to, when you adjusted the volume using this control, the on screen volume control would pop up, but now there is nothing. What am I missing?????

 

Make sure you have the conexant/realtek audio drivers installed, and also the HP quicktouch software. The drivers allow the buttons to work, and quicktouch shows the onscreen display.

 

Looks like i downloaded it properly. I will give it a try soon to confirm that it is the install.wim thats the problem

 

My guess is that there are 2 versions of the software, 32bit and 64bit. Maybe there is another setup.exe file in there somewhere? One to start the 32bit, and the other for the 64bit version? Could be named something else, or maybe a .msi file?

 

Maybe they changed the file. I've downloaded it twice and both times came up with the same file size as flipfire. My md5 hashes were different though, but that could be either because I'm downloading over wi-fi or because I downloaded it across a couple days with a download manager the first time around. Perhaps they're updating the install in preparation for sp1?

 

Same here! I downloaded it all. Checked the exact sizes. Plus I used a download manager to ensure that I download it all correctly!

 

imo, i would be surprised if they changed the file sizes..... i don't have a clue why the differences, but orev may have an idea. i would have thought the md5 would be the same

 

The file size is just a quick indicator that you got the whole file, it's not really good at telling you if you get everything correctly. It's the md5 that would show if it's exactly the same file, so that's the better way to check it. Downloading over multiple days would cause a problem if they changed the file, but I don't think they are doing that. My first guess would be that the download manager didn't join the files correctly, but it's hard to say that for sure.

I doubt they would change the size, but one thing that could be possible is they could be tagging the file with your IP address or something. That would make the file size always the same but the md5 different. I would be surprised if they are doing this, but it's still possible.

For those using download managers, the question is, does the DL manager pre-allocate disk space for the files? If so, then that makes it much harder to tell if the download finished correctly.

 

i have them all installed except for the realtek. Maybe I have it installed, but I didn't see it on the devices page. Where should I look, and if I don't have it where can I find these drivers that I need??