Windows Vista system repair?

[RMSe17]

I am fixing a computer for someone... Vista boots up fine, but then Explorer keeps crashing, for pretty much any window type, from Computer, to Control Panel, to Internet Explorer launch. I never used Vista, so I was wondering if Vista supports the same automated System repair as WinXP has on the install DVD/CD? With WinXP, there were 3 ways to repair, when booting to CD, you could select ASR (which required a preexisting repair materials, and thus was never useful), dump to CMD for some manual stuff, and finally, if told to Install Windows, the setup would scan the drive, and upon finding an existing install of WinXP, it would prompt you to repair that install, actually overwriting all of the Windows system files with the ones on the CD, but leaving User settings and programs alone. Thus, your computer would boot up to a fresh copy of Windows, while still retaining all programs and documents.

Does Windows Vista have the same feature?

Thanks,
RMSe17

 

[lxskllr]

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial148.html

 

[RMSe17]

Yea.. I guess thats a no.

I checked out all those options that the bleeping computer lists before I posted, none of them match WinXP repair install functionality. Guess there goes another reason why XP is a superior OS to Vista/7.

Edit:

Yep, Vista does have the same feature, accessed through the Upgrade Windows path.

 

[Scotteq]

Yea.. I guess thats a no.

I checked out all those options that the bleeping computer lists before I posted, none of them match WinXP repair install functionality. Guess there goes another reason why XP is a superior OS to Vista/7.

Actually, it's a Yes:

How to check system files in Vista:
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/66978-system-files-sfc-command.html

How to perform a Startup repair:
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/91467-startup-repair.html

How to perform a full system repair:
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88236-repair-install-vista.html


How to generate a system health report:
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/82728-system-health-report.html

checking the Reliability Monitor for errors:
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/69535-reliabilty-monitor.html

Troubleshooting Sequence:
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/101393-repair-vista-options-preferred-sequence.html

Troubleshoot Stop Errors:
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/208876-stop-errors-troubleshooting-specific-stop-errors.html

 

[RMSe17]

Actually, it's a Yes:

How to check system files in Vista:
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/66978-system-files-sfc-command.html

How to perform a Startup repair:
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/91467-startup-repair.html

How to perform a full system repair:
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88236-repair-install-vista.html


How to generate a system health report:
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/82728-system-health-report.html

checking the Reliability Monitor for errors:
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/69535-reliabilty-monitor.html

Troubleshooting Sequence:
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/101393-repair-vista-options-preferred-sequence.html

Troubleshoot Stop Errors:
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/208876-stop-errors-troubleshooting-specific-stop-errors.html

Yep, looks like the Upgrade install is the equivalent to the XP repair that I was looking for.
Thanks!

I will also check out the other procedure that you listed, as the DVD that came with the compy is an OEM, and may not allow the Upgrade repair routine.

Thanks again for those links,
RMSe17

 

[RMSe17]

Ultimately everything failed.. I couldnt run the upgrade cause the system had SP1 installed, while the DVD didn't. SP1 would not successfully uninstall.. Other correction methods didn't have any effect. So I copied off the User files, ran the OEM Factory disk, put the files back.. now they just need to reinstall some of their apps, but thats as close as I could get to repair... *sigh*