How to re-install Vista but keep data?

[HotShot]

My Vista Home Premium PC refused to boot, probably due to some bad sectors that occured on the HDD. I have repaired the disk using chkdsk but it still refuses to boot.

So I now want to re-install Vista. Can I do this without wiping my data? When I insert the Mesh recovery DVD and choose the install option (the only one available) it tells me it will erase all data.

[red fox]

As far as I am aware, the recovery disk does not include an option to repair windows, thats the price you have to pay for an OEM version.

If you are convinced that the hard drive is faulty, you may be better to just bite the bullet and have it replaced. Obviously that means losing all data. Once they develop problems they tend to go downhill quite fast.

If your hard drive is indeed faulty, I believe an expert may be able to retrieve some data but it is probably going to cost a lot and there would probably be no guarantee you would get it all back.

I know its not going to help you this time, but you absoluetley need to keep important data backed up before the hard drive fails as they will fail eventually.

If your data is very important, maybe you could consider a RAID setup next time, just a suggestion.

[MidnightDraven]

do you have access to another computer?
you can install the hdd in this other computer, booting with the pc's original Hdd.
setting up a drive letter for your hdd, you can access it like any other disk drive and possibly copy the folders from it.

if all that is wrong is the boot sector, this is your best option for recovering data.

[pineman]

It is possible to repair an installation with a Mesh disk but it has to be done as an upgrade.

What I had to do was to boot in safe mode and uninstall SP1 (and SP2 if it is installed.) If neither are installed - great.

Having made sure that you have done the uninstallation you need a Mesh Vista disk that includes SP1 and then you install Vista on your PC as an upgrade and all of your settings, files etc will be retained. It takes about two to three hours and works perfectly.

This will not work if your PC came pre-installed with Vista and SP1.