Factory Reset Issue - Asus F5VL Windows 7

funkey_monkey

Prior to factory reset, this machine had a dual boot system with Lubuntu. It had a singlde hard drive with two partitions.
I removed all required data from the drives onto a memory stick.



I accessed the ASUS Preload Manager and selected the third option - "Recover Windows to Entire HD With Two Partitions."


I expected this to removed everything back to factory settings, so I was not expecting to see remnants of the Lubuntu OS. From a quick Google it seems to be something to do with the bootloader, but I don't know how to fix the problem.


How do I get it back to a fully Windows OS - i.e. back to factory specification?


Have I gone about this incorrectly?




Thanks.

funkey_monkey

Anyone?

The computer will only go to the following prompt, which I am unable to get around, any ideas?

error: no such partition
Entering rescue mode... 
grub rescue>

The OS is actually Vista Home Premium - for which I've got the product key, but no installation disk. It was originally on a partition in the disk, but I can't get to it.

Some help here would be appreciated.

smuggler.ie

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Anyone?

The computer will only go to the following prompt, which I am unable to get around, any ideas?

error: no such partition
Entering rescue mode... 
grub rescue>

The OS is actually Vista Home Premium - for which I've got the product key.

Some help here would be appreciated.

What steps you have attempted?
Sounds like you have problem with bootloader.

Have not tried this myself ! Do more research before proceed, you dealing with Vista.

Once you have got your data out, you can try:
1. follow this vid or this(bootable media required) to get back to your Windows.
2. this vid to remove Ubuntu from within Windows. Third party tools required
3. or just clean install(you will loose any programs/activation you had on Windows), but i don't think you can get Vista installer(official/legal) unless you still have installation disk.
If you able to get back to Windows, get read all your MS keys(Windows, Office) just in case, take notes. Produkey

funkey_monkey

I had tried this perviously but it didn't work. See attached.
I've asked Asus for a cd to reload Windows but I doubt I'll get one.

smuggler.ie

funkey_monkey wrote: »

I had tried this perviously but it didn't work. See attached.
I've asked Asus for a cd to reload Windows but I doubt I'll get one.

Well, i guess you left with 2nd option defined in video (second link, bootrec /fixmbr)
You could look through Easy Recovery Essentials option but that is third party.



You must have serious reason to keep Vista. support ended April 11, 2017

funkey_monkey

smuggler.ie wrote: »

Well, i guess you left with 2nd option defined in video (second link, bootrec /fixmbr)
You could look through Easy Recovery Essentials option but that is third party.

Looking into it now.

You must have serious reason to keep Vista. support ended April 11, 2017

Car diagnostic tool which only runs on a 32 bit OS. I don't want my 'good' laptop to be ruined out in the garage so I was going to resurrect an old 32-bit laptop running Vista.
I know I could buy a 64 bit OS and run the tool via a 32 bit VM, but all the chat on the car forums state that a 32 bit laptop, which I've got, is the simplest way to go.

smuggler.ie

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Car diagnostic tool which only runs on a 32 bit OS. I don't want my 'good' laptop to be ruined out in the garage so I was going to resurrect an old 32-bit laptop running Vista.
I know I could buy a 64 bit OS and run the tool via a 32 bit VM, but all the chat on the car forums state that a 32 bit laptop, which I've got, is the simplest way to go.

Thought so, judging by your activity on car forums.
You can have Win7/8.1 on 32bit, even win10, if soft can run on it.
Again, 64bit benefit on RAM, even if you run it on SSD, would transfer bottleneck to CPU, if Vista era machine used. Potentially that is sufficient for car diag tools.

funkey_monkey

The car diagnostic tool is for cars from late 90's onwards, so I would expect vista and the laptop spec to be more than sufficient to run it.

Pain in the arse getting this sorted though.

d31b0y

Could you not download the Vista ISO from a 'less reputable' source? It's completely end of life and you have a valid key for it.

funkey_monkey

Tried this, but cannot get past the same message as shown in post 4:

https://unique-tutorials.info/install-windows-vista-home-premium-32bit-64bit-without-errors-2063883/


EDIT: Getting the installation to progress, but keeps falling over at the installing updates phase. Do I need to have it hard wired into the LAN in order to get the updates? I thought this step could be skipped until internet connection was subsequently created.

smuggler.ie

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Tried this, but cannot get past the same message as shown in post 4:

https://unique-tutorials.info/install-windows-vista-home-premium-32bit-64bit-without-errors-2063883/


EDIT: Getting the installation to progress, but keeps falling over at the installing updates phase. Do I need to have it hard wired into the LAN in order to get the updates? I thought this step could be skipped until internet connection was subsequently created.

No, updates could be done at later stage and internet connection is not mandatory.

Once you got so far with reinstalling Vista you should consider wiping disk clean before proceeding with install(Shift+F10(before install button) > Diskpart > select disk ? > clean) to ensure no remnants of Ubuntu left there.

Create a windows recovery disk, delete the Linux GRUB and rebuild the MBR.
https://neosmart.net/wiki/fix-mbr/ see section Fix the MBR in Windows 7

funkey_monkey

Got it going with the windows USB. There were 3 partitions: recovery, OS and data. I deleted the recovery position and it is now working again.
Just need to get it online to get the updates. It prompted me for my dial up connection LOL!

thanks for update OP. well done.

funkey_monkey

Just waiting for it to download the updates. Taking ages to even inform me of what is required.

funkey_monkey

Updates were not being identified and hanging.

I think it might be related to KB3153199.

smuggler.ie

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Updates were not being identified and hanging.

I think it might be related to KB3153199.

Installing it manually helped?

funkey_monkey

Yet to try. It's one of a multitude of tasks I've got going at the minute, so I might not get back to it until the weekend.

CatInABox

The Windows 7 update service is pretty much broken, and I don't think they're going to fix it, what with them pushing Windows 10 hard.

I'd recommend following some of @swiftonsecurity advice on reinstalling Windows 7. Here's their page on Windows 7. It's a page for enterprises, but you can safely ignore those sections and just grab the updates.

funkey_monkey

Just spending some time back on this. Could not get it working any way I tried.

Then I stumbled on the following on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNmkjqQGXks
Synopsis: 4 random updates out of a total of over 210 updates have to be individually installed prior to running the Windows Update check. How anyone would ever figure that out is beyond me.

So, anyway now I've picked up the 213 updates and am currently downloading them. We shall see if it is plain sailing from here on in. I don't expect it to be.
I shall update later (I know there are thousands of people out there trying to get their 32 bit Vista laptops to update )

funkey_monkey

171 of 214...

smuggler.ie

Same/similar issue was noted on Win7, remember even had all KB downloaded and ready for install at the time i dealt with Win7 a lot.

funkey_monkey

Fell over at 194 of 214. Has been sitting there for a few hours now. So, I've bailed and am now awaiting it to configure some updates so I can turn it off.

I think I know which one it stalled on so will manually install it and try again.

Capt'n Midnight

something to read while you are waiting

https://ssmtx.blogspot.com/2004/09/how-to-install-windows-xp-in-5-hours.html



if all else fails use http://download.wsusoffline.net/ to patch it

funkey_monkey

Had to download another update manually.
And it now works!

I'm up and running.

Installed Avast (not that I'll be needing it for my purpose). Hoping to also get a better browser - Lunascape seems to be the only one suitable now for Vista.