Clean Windows Vista Install

[alextwist]

I have an old vista machine I want to upgrade for use by my younger sibling. It currently has a lot of programs running in the background and I suspect it could have a virus. I would like to reinstall Vista but I don't have the disk. The computer already has the Vista product key sticker. I already tried to install this:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30
It just tells me that Windows Vista Sp1 is already installed.

 

[Barty1884]

That is just SP1, not Vista including SP1.

Unfortunately MS no longer provide Vista ISOs to download & create your own media. They used to provide them via DigitalRiver, but that stopped hosting them years ago now.

You can either acquire an official Vista disk online (ensuring you get the relevant version), or locally etc - realistically, a local computer shop probably has one laying around (or use local buy/sell/trade sites). It should reactivate with your existing product key, providing it's still legible. You may have to use the automated telephone activation service though.

You might want to contact MS first though, as they may have the option of providing an ISO to allow you to create bootable media........ but I don't know whether they do or not.

 

[Flyfisherman]

The problem is you got the wrong Vista version, perhaps?
You need absolutely to install Windows Vista Service Pack2 (SP2) it will include all of the previous updates.
Install it from here: https://support.microsoft.com/sv-se/help/13858/windows-vista-service-pack-2-install


Then, restart the computer, run Windows update again, restart the computer.
Sincerely from Sweden

 

[Barty1884]

The link the OP provided, and yours now Flyfisherman are just the links to the service packs.

To clean install, you actually need a copy of the 'base' Vista.

 

[alextwist]

That is just SP1, not Vista including SP1.

Unfortunately MS no longer provide Vista ISOs to download & create your own media. They used to provide them via DigitalRiver, but that stopped hosting them years ago now.

You can either acquire an official Vista disk online (ensuring you get the relevant version), or locally etc - realistically, a local computer shop probably has one laying around (or use local buy/sell/trade sites). It should reactivate with your existing product key, providing it's still legible. You may have to use the automated telephone activation service though.

You might want to contact MS first though, as they may have the option of providing an ISO to allow you to create bootable media........ but I don't know whether they do or not.

I'll probably buy a disk online (amazon/ebay) if I think it's worth it. It needs some work to be half decent. Only has 2 gigs and an old pentium. Thanks for the help though.

 

[Flyfisherman]

That is just SP1, not Vista including SP1.

Unfortunately MS no longer provide Vista ISOs to download & create your own media. They used to provide them via DigitalRiver, but that stopped hosting them years ago now.

You can either acquire an official Vista disk online (ensuring you get the relevant version), or locally etc - realistically, a local computer shop probably has one laying around (or use local buy/sell/trade sites). It should reactivate with your existing product key, providing it's still legible. You may have to use the automated telephone activation service though.

You might want to contact MS first though, as they may have the option of providing an ISO to allow you to create bootable media........ but I don't know whether they do or not.

I'll probably buy a disk online (amazon/ebay) if I think it's worth it. It needs some work to be half decent. Only has 2 gigs and an old pentium. Thanks for the help though.

In that case, not necessarily at all.
Get Yourself a copy of Windows 10 -32.bit
Installed it and have fun.

Why? Because I have successfully installed Windows 10 32-it on several old machines, some with Windows XP , another with Vista, several on Windows 7/8 on and guess what? They are all running like hyper, in comparison.

32-bit Windows 10 runs like a racer driver compare to Windows 10 64-bit on a slow system with little memory and slow professor.

Windows Microsoft database will find the drivers for your hardware via Windows update easier for 32-bit, otherwise: just visit the hardware manufacturer and download and install the latest driver for Windows 10, otherwise Windows 8 or even Windows 7, sometimes even Windows Vista drivers.
It will work!
Best regards from Sweden