Vista Problem

[indtram]

Hi !!

I have a problem with my Vista Ultimate...

My nephew was fiddling around with the machine yesterday and after his work he shut it down.. when I switched it on again I got the message "VSTALDR Compressed" Pres Ctrl+Alt+Del to boot...

I have tried it many times but to no avail... I even tried System Restore to previous Point by booting with my Vista DVD but still the problem is same....
It is not going into safe mode or anything... (after POST and recognizing the devices like hadd and dvd etc it immediately gives this error).

I suspect he would have set the setting for Drive C: to be compresed or something...

is there way where in I can save my data etc and make my machine work like normal???

an help in this regard will be highly appreciated.

regards

 

[bsobel]

Are you by chance using the vstaldr OEM bios hack?

 

[indtram]

I have no idea as I got this rig assembled from a local vendor ...

 

[bsobel]

You'd know if you had done that. If not, the most likely issue is your brother compressed files needed to boot. Do you have another system you can put the drive into? I'm trying to remember if you can uncompress files from the repair UI (smilin?). If you can put the drive into another system uncompress the files in the root directory.

The data is most certainly still there, the issue is the boot file is compressed and the bootloader doesn't handle that so it aborts. Once the file is fixed everything should return to normal.

 

[corkyg]

Boot with the Ultimate DVD and select REPAIR. It should fix the problem.

 

[indtram]

Hi !!

My drive is a SATA drive and I can Connect it to another system but the other system is AMD and my Machine is Intel.. will it make a difference ???

Also after connecting the drive what do I need to do ???

Please help... its 3 days that I have used my Machine now !!!

Also tried booting with my DVD and selecting"
1) Repair Option...... No avail
2) System Restore... No avail


Will really appreciate any help.
regards

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: indtram
I have no idea as I got this rig assembled from a local vendor ...

Hm. Is your copy of vista a retail copy or an OEM copy?

I'm peeking at the internal kbase here including support cases and bugs and I see no reference to such a problem. The only hits I get are external regarding the Windows Vista OEM Activation Crack.

Either you have discoverd a yet unseen bug or something is fishy dude.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: Smilin

Originally posted by: indtram
I have no idea as I got this rig assembled from a local vendor ...

Hm. Is your copy of vista a retail copy or an OEM copy?

I'm peeking at the internal kbase here including support cases and bugs and I see no reference to such a problem. The only hits I get are external regarding the Windows Vista OEM Activation Crack.

Either you have discoverd a yet unseen bug or something is fishy dude.

I'm thinking the nephew compressed files in the root...

My suggestion was to plug the drive into a working system (boot into that working system) and then in explorer uncompress files in the root of the drive plugged in...

 

[Cutthroat]

VSTALDR is not a Vista system file, it does not exist on a default Vista installation, it's part of the OEM activation hack. The only way to get it on the system is to use the OEM activation hack. After googling your problem there are tons of people that have had the exact same problem as you. I found no instances where the issue was fixed without formatting and reinstalling. I would suggest that the next time your nephew uses your PC that you log him in a standard user with UAC enabled.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: Cutthroat
VSTALDR is not a Vista system file, it does not exist on a default Vista installation, it's part of the OEM activation hack. The only way to get it on the system is to use the OEM activation hack. After googling your problem there are tons of people that have had the exact same problem as you. I found no instances where the issue was fixed without formatting and reinstalling. I would suggest that the next time your nephew uses your PC that you log him in a standard user with UAC enabled.

Since he said he got the system from a local vendor, I presumed the activation was valid. Looks like one of three options:

a) The OP wasn't 100% truthfull about his license
b) The vendor he bought it from ripped him off
c) His nephew installed an activation hack on a legitimate system (seems weird, but dunno, maybe he wanted to try it).

Most likely, Im guessing, is the nephew compressed the loader which was done by 'a' or 'b'. To the OP, this might be a good time to come clean if there is anything to come clean about, because if this was installed by your local vendor this needs to be looked into as he's probably doing this to others (and it's criminal copyright infringment)

Bill

 

[indtram]

I have asked the Vendor to come and have a look at the machine and it is then that I plan to confront him on the issue of Legal or a rip...

I will let you guys know about it as soon as I have any info..

 

[nerp]

All vendors selling OEM copies are required to provide you with your license key somewhere. If there is no product key on the machine or in your paperwork that came with your machine, you got ripped off. I'd either demand a full refund for the cost of the computer or a free license of the software. A threat that you would report the vendor to MS and the authorities for illegal distribution of counterfeit software might convince the vendor to give you a copy.

Slimy system builders suck.

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: nerp
All vendors selling OEM copies are required to provide you with your license key somewhere. If there is no product key on the machine or in your paperwork that came with your machine, you got ripped off. I'd either demand a full refund for the cost of the computer or a free license of the software. A threat that you would report the vendor to MS and the authorities for illegal distribution of counterfeit software might convince the vendor to give you a copy.

Slimy system builders suck.

It takes seconds to do something about it.

http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/reporting/default.aspx