SP2 for vista = NO BOOT?!

Malt_Vinegar · 25 Jan 2010 at 21:56

So, I Service Pack my vista machine....

BING no boot... BSOD flashses up just after the splash screen, and reboots.

GREAT - Safe mode fails, last known good fails....

/me weeps, just wanted to use my machine for some classic fifa 97. Posting from a Thin Client laptop now...

Any ideas, i have MSDN, so tempted to just DL Windows 7, and have a go with that. Will it update from Vista - 7 without nuking my programs/drivers/etc?

theheyes · 25 Jan 2010 at 22:47

Normally it should, providing it is the same architecture (x86 or x64), but considering it sounds borked I'm not so sure.

Can you see a code on the blue screen?

Malt_Vinegar · 25 Jan 2010 at 22:51

Finally! Im in, had to do 3 repairs, and was presented with a black screen with cursor. manually started explorer from the task manager, and got into the OS proper.

Pulling off all my files to USB hdd,, and now Dling and getting ready to burn 7 ultimate onto disc. I dont want to turn it off untill I have it all ready to go for the upgrade. Then its nuke/re-install time. God I hope 7 is less of a pain to get drivers and whatnot for than it was when I went to Vista from XP!

Oh, and is it worth going to ultimate, or should I use another version? I am pretty green when it comes to windows 7!

theheyes · 25 Jan 2010 at 22:56

Driver-wise you should be fine. I'd burn the disc at sub-maximal speed as I've had a few problems with those iso files.

Ultimate is obviously king, but the rule of thumb is if you have to ask the differences go with Home Premium.

Malt_Vinegar · 25 Jan 2010 at 23:13

I am actually a techy for a thin client manufacturer, and have always used the top versions when using my home machines, as I have to be able to use them now and again for my home lab/testing.
I have always kept my lab machines running XP right up till now. I only moved my home machine to Vista to get myself familiar with the interface.
I know my way around XP so well, im kinda reluctant to move my work machines up. I run mainly VMs, so just hang Vista/linux/7 off an XP or 2003 server platform using Workstation, or alernatively just use ESXi

I need to crack on with the times really, got a reasonably handle on 2008 server, but 7 is practically virgin territory for me. Installed a few versions as user desktops in virtual environments/streaming, but never really used them for any length of time!