Installing Windows from an ISO file

[bylerj1]

I currently have a computer with a corrupted copy of Windows. When it boots up, it acts fine until it gets to the "loading Windows XP screen." (or something like that; the screen before you can log in) It stays there for longer than it should, and then it reboots the computer and the process starts over. If I were to get a Windows ISO, would it be possible to only delete the operating system on the HD and re-install Windows around the data already on the HD? I have an Ubuntu live boot USB if that will help in any way.

Thanks in advance.

 

[sdrawkcab25]

I currently have a computer with a corrupted copy of Windows. When it boots up, it acts fine until it gets to the "loading Windows XP screen." (or something like that; the screen before you can log in) It stays there for longer than it should, and then it reboots the computer and the process starts over. If I were to get a Windows ISO, would it be possible to only delete the operating system on the HD and re-install Windows around the data already on the HD? I have an Ubuntu live boot USB if that will help in any way.

Thanks in advance.

You can create an ISO image to repair your existing installation. You can either put the image onto a CD or a thumb drive (similar to the way you have your Ubuntu installation).

I've done it myself a couple times, I'll see if I can find the directions I used....

 

[lunatic59]

You can create an ISO image to repair your existing installation. You can either put the image onto a CD or a thumb drive (similar to the way you have your Ubuntu installation).

I've done it myself a couple times, I'll see if I can find the directions I used....

^^This, but be advised that it may overwrite Grub with it's own bootloader that won't recognize your Ubuntu partitions. If it does, you'll need to reinstall Grub from a Live Ubuntu CD or flash drive.

 

[bylerj1]

You can create an ISO image to repair your existing installation. You can either put the image onto a CD or a thumb drive (similar to the way you have your Ubuntu installation).

I've done it myself a couple times, I'll see if I can find the directions I used....

How do you make a live windows CD? Is it similar to the process used to make an Ubuntu one? Also, how would I go about "fixing" my original installation?

 

[sdrawkcab25]

You can try the directions here (these assume you have access to another working windows installation)
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows/geek-repair-create-your-own-ultimate-recovery-cd/

If you dont have the installation cd, you can also possibly get the needed files off your hard disk, you will want to boot with your Ubuntu live USB and mount your hard disk and copy the contents of the C:\\i386 folder (if you have it)

Basically your end goal is just to create a bootable recovery disc (cd or USB) and use the repair function to replace your corrupted files.

BartPE can come in handy too;
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

The 10 Cleverest Ways to Use Linux to Fix Your Windows PC - How-To Geek

 

[argedion]

Have you tried pressing F8 right after the bios check and seeing if it would let you boot up into safe mode? maybe a corrupt driver? or you need to run a disk check.

 

[bylerj1]

Have you tried pressing F8 right after the bios check and seeing if it would let you boot up into safe mode? maybe a corrupt driver? or you need to run a disk check.

Yes, I have tried to boot in safe mode, but it continues the boot loop without any change. How do I go about running a disk check, and what would that accomplish?

 

[lunatic59]

Yes, I have tried to boot in safe mode, but it continues the boot loop without any change. How do I go about running a disk check, and what would that accomplish?

There can be many reasons for file corruption. A bad sector on your hard disk could easily cause the problem you are having and a disk check would identify the bad sector(s) and try to repair them, or at least recover and relocate any data. If you can boot to a dos prompt you can run chkdsk C: /f where "/f" is the parameter to automatically fix errors.

If you can't boot to a dos prompt from the hard disk, you'll need that Windows Live CD.

Here's the Microsoft technote on it.

 

[bylerj1]

I'm still a little confused on how to make a Windows live USB/CD from an ISO file. Can anyone help me?

 

[bylerj1]

Also, how would I go about booting into a dos prompt? I don't know how to do this on startup.

 

[lunatic59]

I'm still a little confused on how to make a Windows live USB/CD from an ISO file. Can anyone help me?

Are you going to burn the .iso image from the PC with the corrupted version of Windows using the Ubuntu Live USB?

It might be easier to tell you how to do it from another Windows PC (let us know if it's XP/Vista/7).

If you hit F8 after the POST screen but before windows tried to boot, you should see a DOS prompt option along with Safe Mode option.

 

[bylerj1]

Yes, I am planning on making the live USB from another computer running windows XP. I just wanted everyone to know that I had an Ubuntu live USB if that would help anything (it may not be relevant at all).

 

[lunatic59]

It's been a while since I did this on XP, but If I recall correctly, XP does not come with native support for burning ISO images. You'll need a utility like ISO Recorder. Then it's fairly straightforward. You copy the ISO image to the PC, pop in a blank CD and use ISO Recorder to burn the image to the disk.

When done, you pop the newly imaged CD into the optical drive of the misbehaving PC and at the POST screen it should say something like F2=BIOS Setup, F12=Boot Options. It's the boot options that you want. You'll need to be quick. Select boot from CD Optical drive (Every BIOS will have slightly different terminology, but the CD should be pretty obvious). That will boot your PC from the Live CD instead of the hard disk. A Windows XP CD had a repair option and a recovery console. They are not the same thing. If you want to run chkdsk, use the recover console. Here's the Microsoft technote on that. If you want to repair the installation, use repair. Last resort would be to completely reinstall windows, but for that you'll need your license key, and it will pretty much wipe out all your apps and data.

If you go the last route, you should BEFORE YOU RE-INSTALL be able to boot from the Ubuntu Live USB access the NTFS File System and copy your data off the PC to another drive or removable.

 

[SUroot]

I'm still a little confused on how to make a Windows live USB/CD from an ISO file. Can anyone help me?

Theres no such thing. A live cd or live usb means you can boot and use the OS from the media without installation. Windows doesn't do this. All you can do is make bootable installation cd or usb.

That's dead easy. Using Nero or other cd cloning technology, use "burn ISO to disk" or comparable option.

For usb, there is a tool that unpacks the setup files and builds a bootable install. Forget the name but works well.

 

[argedion]

To go along with Lunatic on this my best advice is to really invest a hundred bucks into a terabyte drive. Store all your personal documents, music,etc... on that and leave the other drive for the system files. I have always had 2 physical drives ever since my first computer got a virus and I lost everything. I went out the next day got a new hard drive installed it and put all my personal files on that. I have highly recommended it ever since.

 

[argedion]

Theres no such thing. A live cd or live usb means you can boot and use the OS from the media without installation. Windows doesn't do this. All you can do is make bootable installation cd or usb.

That's dead easy. Using Nero or other cd cloning technology, use "burn ISO to disk" or comparable option.

For usb, there is a tool that unpacks the setup files and builds a bootable install. Forget the name but works well.

this is what your thinking of i believe

WinToFlash - Install Windows from usb - Home page

 

[lunatic59]

Theres no such thing. A live cd or live usb means you can boot and use the OS from the media without installation. Windows doesn't do this. All you can do is make bootable installation cd or usb.

That's dead easy. Using Nero or other cd cloning technology, use "burn ISO to disk" or comparable option.

For usb, there is a tool that unpacks the setup files and builds a bootable install. Forget the name but works well.

Yes and no. No the bootable CD does not boot into a fully functional version of windows, but yes, it does boot the NT kernel so you can mount NT partitions and run repair and shell utilities. And, of course, the installation files.

 

[argedion]

then there is always this nice little tool to have which is a live environment of Windows with the Geo Shell UBCD4WIN

no one has worked on it in a few years though so use at ones own risk.
http://www.ubcd4win.com/

 

[johnlgalt]

it's basically a WinPE-type of install, as opposed to just copying the install files to the USB thumb drive. Whichever will be easiest for the user is probably the best route to go. when performing a repair, either will be able to do it upon boot, but the former method, using something like UBCD / Bart's PE will allow for the installation of other things, like slipstreaming service packs (which, I think, can also be done after you use the ISO to USB method) and also additional software, like AV software, etc. so that the created PE environment can also be used in the future for things like malware scans.

 

[bylerj1]

Is there any way to run some sort of disk checker when booted from the Ubuntu live USB?

 

[johnlgalt]

Might want ot read this:

Can ubuntu help me diagnose my hard drive? - ubuntu harddrive utilities | Ask MetaFilter

 

[SUroot]

Yes and no. No the bootable CD does not boot into a fully functional version of windows, but yes, it does boot the NT kernel so you can mount NT partitions and run repair and shell utilities. And, of course, the installation files.

That is not what a live cd is. A live cd is a fully bootable operating system that loads into RAM from removable media.

This is not what the windows recovery console is. My first post was completely accurate.

 

[SUroot]

this is what your thinking of i believe

WinToFlash - Install Windows from usb - Home page

Yes, that's it

 

[argedion]

Is there any way to run some sort of disk checker when booted from the Ubuntu live USB?

What is the disk you have? have you tried going to the manufacturers web site and seeing what they offer? Many Company's have their own versions of disk checkers that they offer that can check many aspects of the drive. Some can even do low level formats.(Something Best Left to the Advanced User) At point these would be my steps

1. get my personal data transfered over to another physically hard drive

2. prepare to get my disk checked by which ever method I needed to. -This includes downloading the correct tools, making the necessary disk, etc

3. Remove all other drives from the system except the problematic drive. Just HDD not opticals

4. Reboot and go to which ever method I chose to go with and allow it to start. I would select the slowest check. Takes longer but is generally more accurate. IF just a regular checkdisk then I would run
chkdsk c: /f /r
/f automatically fixes file system errors
/r checks free space on the drive. (It will mark bad sectors bad) General rule of thumb if 1% or higher you should replace.

 

[bylerj1]

Well when I boot into Ubuntu from the USB and I try to copy my personal data to my 500 GB external HD, It copies for a while and then its like ubuntu just stops. I get this screen:

I don't know why it does this, it may be because I am trying to do to much at once from the USB. I am going to try re-making the USB and copy the files without doing anything else.