I understand how to make the AIO perfectly, however when it comes to start up repairs the setup that must be used must match the windows that was installed. So if windows 64bit was installed, then the repair mode selected from the windows disc must be 64bit. I assume its the same for windows 7. Is there a way of including both on the disc WITHOUT a stupid custom boot menu? Or a way of automatically selecting one at DVD-boot?
Repair Repair isnt required to run from the disc. the appropriate Install.Wim # installs the correct Repair partition. I made my own custom install disc with all versions on the dvd, same way as everyone else in that aspect. The Repair partition gets installed to the Disk Drive, No need for CD to run it. So no need to bother with it.
If someone is having a problem with startup, and i need to use the repair function and with Vista if the windows installation was 64bit, the install disc needs to be 64bit (specifically the boot files). Is that the same with windows 7?
no you can't use a vista disk to repair a 7 install. The Vista AIO I had contained a x86 and x64 boot image. I do not know what the current ones contain. If it contains both an x86 and x64 boot image than you can use SU repair for the appropriate version.
I didn't mean fix vista with a windows 7 disc. I mean if they have 32bit windows 7 installed, can I use repair mode from a 64bit windows 7 disc? This only matters because I am making an AIO How would I set the boot.wim to contain both, just add the x86 to the x64 one as image 3?
No, you can't use x86 image to repair x64 image and vice versa. Even if you add, you can have only one bootable image in wim file. The best action to take is start with x86 disc, then copy boot.wim from x64 disc to the sources folder under the x86 disc using a new name, say boot64.wim Now, edit BCD file under boot folder and copy the default entry and edit it's Path item to reflect the x64 image, something like that: Code: Windows Boot Loader ------------------- identifier {a2409fd0-7548-11de-ad7b-001a4d46802e} device ramdisk=[boot]\sources\boot64.wim,{7619dcc8-fafe-11d9-b411-000476eba25f} path \windows\system32\boot\winload.exe description WinPE x64 locale en-US inherit {bootloadersettings} osdevice ramdisk=[boot]\sources\boot64.wim,{7619dcc8-fafe-11d9-b411-000476eba25f} systemroot \windows detecthal Yes winpe Yes ems Yes
I don't think that would solve my problem, because if I want to load the 64bit boot.wim, I could just use the boot files from a 64bit disc. Or did I miss something?
There is no need for startup repair on a disc, It is installed to the HDD when windows 7 gets installed.
setup.exe could be hacked to allow you through to the repair tools page but using anything but command line would probably make things worse.
I might be able to have the repair my computer link open a command prompt the tools never work anyway.
Honestly there are only a few reasons I need the repair option: 1) PE mode doesn't work - Loads to the operating system, then turns black... its a motherboard deal. 2) I messed up a loader and need to undo it 3) chkdsk /r - again no PE mode 4) Table/Partition Editors (PTedit) 5) When F8 + Repair this computer for Dell Restore fails & cannot run PE Mode (happened 3 times so far) -> Run imagex in Repair. 6) Windows Memory Diagnostics (okay I am jk about this one)