@Freestyler, Please explain in more detail. You installed vista on say C:, then installed Win7 on another primary partition say D:. So how come both are using C: as system drive? If possible pl. make a detailed sticky.
When I first got my Vista laptop (Vista in C obviously) I installed an RC version of W7 in D:\ to check it out. I thought something was wrong when I booted into it, because when I clicked on Computer to see my drives, W7 was showing as being in C:\ and Vista was showing as being in D:\. (I labeled C "V32" and D "W7" so it was clear they were switched.) I then booted back into Vista, and sure enough, Vista showed as being the C drive now, and W7, in D. I Googled it and found it is a new feature starting with Vista, that whatever MS OS is booted into, will show as being in C, regardless of the actual physical drive it is in. Took me awhile to get used to it. (To avoid ppl telling me my problem is W7 RC... I tried the RC months ago while waiting for the official release of W7 and my upgrade disc. I uninstalled the RC months ago. The W7 installed now is RTM.)
Hi Zepp I have done a duel boot vista /win7 a while back.... TBH I think a total restart is in order in your case. First off Mod your bios with a Slic 2.1 as this is what you need in Bios for duel boot then install vista insert the cert 2.0 and then enter your product key for vista " that should activate vista " then install W7 insert the cert 2.1 and then enter your product key for W7 "that should activate W7 " I used the Acer SLIC/CERT for my duel boot system as this was the easiest way of doing it... If you have any problems just send me a message or pm or whatever it is ...
Since 3sidedcube has a dual boot setup, he should be able to help you out. but was just wondering, whether a repair install of vista will do the trick.
Wrong! Acer vista 2.0 Certificate is not Compatible with 2.1 SLIC, you really have to use the new 2009 signed Acer OEM Certificate (aka 2.1 Certificate)
Just a quick comment from an IT support 'oldie'. Most of my Vista/Win7 knowledge is gained ftom the really excellent MDL forums but I haven't been reading them long enough to help Zepp. However .... @Zepp ... Your fault descriptions earlier are so detailed and carefully written (compared to some I've seen with virtually NO really relevant info) they're a pleasure to read (and for us to learn from). I'm sure you'll eventually get a resolution from one of the many MDlexperts here. Good Luck
As stated in the OP, I am using a modded BIOS with 2.1 SLIC. I did a clean install of Vista after modding the BIOS, and it auto-activated without me having to do anything. However, as previously stated, it broke my W7 activation, because installing Vista also installed an emulated 2.0 SLIC into memory. I was not about to run a loader in W7 to address that, when I modded my BIOS with a 2.1 SLIC. So I wiped off the new install and put my full Vista image back with all my proggies. Hence, W7 is again happily activated, and Vista is giving me the errors we have been discussing, when trying to insert a matching 2.1 SLIC. That's really kind, thank you, but I'd like to keep the discussion public so that others can benefit. And I believe this is a strange circumstance, I am having, with an unusual (less common) step required to fix it. The usual fix (inserting a cert) is not working. @MasterDisaster Can't install a key first, or a cert. No matter what I do, I get the same "data is invalid" error. @soufender Thanks for the encouragement. @venu I will keep the thread updated and am about to go Google. @whoever said I need the new Acer cert signed in 2009... how can I find out what version cert I am using? (It works fine in W7.) This is something I will keep in mind when I get the initial problem solved, which is not being able to install ANY cert. Once I get it to process the slmgr request properly, if the cert I am using doesn't work, I will look into which Acer cert it is, and if it is "the new one." Thanks to everyone for your input!
I think I tried this and it didn't find anything wrong. (I know I ran repair but am trying to remember at what point I ran it and on which OS. I've been doing this for 2 weeks now!) But I will try again if Googling the error doesn't pan out... Good suggestion.
I have also used to run both Vista(Darker Edition/Custom OS) and win7 with a bios mod that had slic 2.1 installed and I was able to activate both at the same time. I do believe that Daz's 7loader 1.7.7 also works on both at the same time as well though.
Hey MasterDisaster... This supplied the answer, thanks. Unfortunately, it's one that apparently can't be fixed. The scan discovered corrupted files and "could not repair some of them." The CBS.log was 45MB, and looked like at least part of the problem was with comtrl32.dll.mui. I downloaded a new one but it was late and didn't find the path to place it where it belongs. Beforehand though, I flashed my BIOS back to factory (2.0 SLIC) so I could boot into Vista and find it activated, leaving W7 de-activated, but with time on the clock (and rearms). So for now, both OSs run. I did run a repair on Vista using the CD, and all it did was totally screw up my multiple boot menu so that I had to remake it with EasyBCD. I will use the 2.0 BIOS for now so that both systems work, but later will want to wipe Vista, flash the modded 2.1 BIOS, and then reinstall a fresh Vista in D. When I do that, however, how can I do it so that Vista does not install a 2.0 loader? Because I tried doing this already a few days back, and when I installed a fresh Vista in D:\ instead of recognizing the 2.1 BIOS and W7 in C:\, it loaded an emulated 2.0 SLIC into memory at boot so that W7 became deactivated! (And like I said earlier, I am not going to use a loader for W7 when I have a modded 2.1 BIOS for it.) Anyone know how to keep Vista from loading an emulated 2.0 SLIC?
Sorry, but this just make no sense at all... why do you wan't to stick with the 2.o slic loader? Vista works with a slic 2.1 as well (backwards compatible) You are doing something totally wrong, but i assume you just don't believe me and try to find a solution for you f**ked up installation
I don't. I only want to stick with it for now until I build W7 up and can wipe Vista. My Vista system will not work under 2.1, as documented in 5 pages of this thread. And yes, apparently because there are files in Vista that are corrupted that are the very files responsible for accepting a new cert. Hence it won't accept a new 2.1 cert. If you had read that more carefully, you would see that you are mistaken on all counts. I understand Vista is compatible with a 2.1 SLIC, or I would not have spent the last 2 weeks trying to get it to work with a 2.1 SLIC. For now, however, I am foregoing trying to get the corrupted Vista to work with 2.1, and just using 2.0, since my W7 has 100 more days available and both OSs work fine under 2.0. Later, the W7 system will be built up to where Vista is, and I can wipe Vista and go back to my modded 2.1 BIOS, then reinstall Vista, using it as a secondary bootable drive. HOWEVER... when I did this a few days ago with my modded 2.1 BIOS, Vista installed an emulated 2.0 SLIC, deactivating my W7 installation in C:\. Maybe you're the one who doesn't believe me? I am all ears if you can tell me what I am doing wrong. All I did was install Vista into D:\, with W7 already installed in C:\. The Vista installation disc did the rest -- including loading an emulated 2.0 SLIC into memory. I certainly didn't ask it to. I didn't even know Windows used emulated SLICS. I think I saw somewhere that when running a dual boot with the newer MS OSs, you have to install the older OS first. Maybe this is "what I am doing wrong." If so, then I won't be reinstalling Vista when I switch to the 2.1 BIOS, as I am not going to wipe W7 at this point to install them in a particular order. I already put too much work into W7.
Since you are activated in Vista, try this Install the 2.1 cert in Vista Flash your bios to 2.1 Install cert and key in Win 7
Already tried. This is why I reverted to the 2.0 BIOS in the first place. Same error. (Data is invalid) Then I ran the scf /scannow as you suggested prior, and it found corrupted files it could not repair. What's weird is that I have never had a single problem with the OS, so I was surprised to find it had corrupted files. Afterward, I ran sfc /scannow in W7 too, and it again found corrupted files, but was able to repair them in that case. It makes me wonder if Macrium Reflect had anything to do with this, as both were restored images made with that software. I have only started using it, and am not familiar with its quality, but was under the impression it was pretty good.