"We only lose what we don't backup" (moderator's are known to write this.)
Any path is going to be dangerous so will you backup an image of your system so you can try different repairs and get more than one chance?
Here I could use CLONEZILLA to backup an image of the existing system to that external drive (not an offer to write a clonezilla tutorial) and then I would have a way to try fixing this in many ways. Clonezilla is widely written about so if I wrote a step by step I would be duplicating web pages.
I might even consider installing Windows 7 as an upgrade.
Bob
Reinstalling Windows Vista Business:
I have a Dell Vostro 420 Desktop (Windows Vista Business SP2) that recently crashed and will not reboot normally. It seems a USB connection problem with a Maxtor OneTouch4 1000GB external HD affected the Window boot-up big time. Fact is, I can only boot off the ?Reinstallation DVD Windows Vista Business 32Bit SP1.?
From this DVD I have two options: repair the computer or reinstall Windows Vista. The auto repair function didn?t work (it didn?t even recognize my OS) so it looks like it?s a Windows reinstall for me (gasp!) ? yes? I say gasp! as I don?t want to lose my data and programs. This is not a Vista Business upgrade ? or a new install from scratch -- just a reinstall of the existing program (except I?ll be going from SP2 back to SP1).
Can I do this safely, i.e. without losing my stuff? What I really need at this point is a basic step-by-step process -- for dummies like me -- and a place to ask questions that may arise.
Many thanks.
[BTW, I tried hooking up that Maxtor external HD to my laptop and got the same errors I saw before the desktop crash ? USB not recognized, etc. This time I did a disconnect/reconnect of both ends of the Maxtor?s power and USB cables and, viola, it works again. Yes, yes, if only I had thought of that before the desktop crashed.]

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