Trying to get Computer back in action

Greetings;  Re: O/S Vista Business in Dell Dimensions E521

  The unit broke down and we had to replace the power supply & motherboard. Before the unit broke down, it had Win 10 Pro installed and the different motherboard voided any attempt to reinstall Win 10 again. I decided to  install the O/S  that the computer came with (Vista) and go from there. After doing a complete wipe,  I installed Vista Home then Vista Business. I got them both installed with no problem but when I tried to go to initiate email, I can't , when I try to go to a website, I can't and get hit with "Internet Explorer cannot access the website. When I use the default home page, I don' t get any pictures only lists. There is no option to upgrade IE which is on version 7. Thanks for any help. 

I would reinstall windows 10 and call Microsoft to reactivate.

If you don't wanna go that route then see if Vista will update.

I tried  to update and  that won;' go either. '

Whenever I  try  to go to a website, I get:  Internet Explorer cannot access  the website'

Can you see if you can download sp2 for Vista on a USB drive and transfer it?

Where do I download it from?

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=150036

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=150035 the 64bit version

Yea, I should have know better. I'll back  to you. 

...when I try to go to a website, I can't and get hit with "Internet Explorer cannot access the website...

Someone with actual Vista experience here. If you are going to use Vista, then you can forget about using Internet Explorer (or Chrome for that matter). The only mainstream browser compatible with Vista that remains reasonably useful now is Firefox ESR 52.9.0 x86 (x64 versions never supported Vista). Here is a link for offline installers:

https://archive.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/52.9.0esr/win32/

You will need to select your desired language from the list (for example, en-US if you live in the United States), then download to a PC with a functional browser and transfer to the Vista system on removable media for installation. It does not require Vista to be updated, which is a good thing because Windows Update no longer supports Vista.

I see you have been advised to install SP2. Of course we dont know anything about your installation media, but there are certainly Vista ISOs that include SP2. It might be worth noting that SP1 was a prerequisite for SP2.

Windows Vista 64bit sp 1 download

https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/ScopedViewInline.aspx?updateid=80426d35-deed-40db-a13e-6da7231e1e2f

Thanks for your reply. 

Actually, installing Vista is only part of the end installation. The goal is Win 10 which was on the unit before it broke down. We replaced the power supply and motherboard and i did a complete wipe. I wanted  to follow the same installation steps taken on the computer to arrive at Win 10,:  Vista Home, Vista Business, Win 7 Pro and then 10. I was just attempting to make clean working systems at each stop before I went to the the next but didn't take that route going from Vista Home to Vista Business thinking they were so close. Of course the problem showed up on Vista Business. So what your are saying is that I have a problem I won't be able to solve. 

Thanks for your reply..  I can't navigate  to just about anything, so it doesn't matter which one works or not.  

Actually, installing Vista is only part of the end installation. The goal is Win 10 which was on the unit before it broke down. We replaced the power supply and motherboard and i did a complete wipe. I wanted  to follow the same installation steps taken on the computer to arrive at Win 10,:  Vista Home, Vista Business, Win 7 Pro and then 10. I was just attempting to make clean working systems at each stop before I went to the the next but didn't take that route going from Vista Home to Vista Business thinking they were so close. Of course the problem showed up on Vista Business. So what your are saying is that I have a problem I won't be able to solve. 

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=150036

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=150035 the 64bit version

Those links are no good. Microsoft removed practically everything related to Vista from Download Center more than a year ago. However, searching Microsoft Update Catalog for windows vista service pack standalone will get you both SP1 and SP2:

https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=windows%20vista%20service%20pack%20standalone

Edited by Abzyx, 08 November 2021 - 04:14 PM.

They were good when I posted them, and the op didn't return to say that they didn't work. Had he did so, I would provided the correct links but whatever. Don't like your condescending attitude.

Thanks for your reply. 
Actually, installing Vista is only part of the end installation. The goal is Win 10 which was on the unit before it broke down. We replaced the power supply and motherboard and i did a complete wipe. I wanted  to follow the same installation steps taken on the computer to arrive at Win 10,:  Vista Home, Vista Business, Win 7 Pro and then 10. I was just attempting to make clean working systems at each stop before I went to the the next but didn't take that route going from Vista Home to Vista Business thinking they were so close. Of course the problem showed up on Vista Business. So what your are saying is that I have a problem I won't be able to solve. 

No need to go through that, all you gotta do is reinstall windows 10 and call Microsoft to reactivate.

...Actually, installing Vista is only part of the end installation. The goal is Win 10 which was on the unit before it broke down.

I dont follow your logic, since there is no free upgrade offer from Vista to anything else. If you already know that Windows 10 runs satisfactorily on the old hardware (which is somewhat surprising in itself), then why not a clean install of Windows 10? I think I will bow out of your thread now, since it is not really about Vista and anyone can help you with Windows 10. Good luck!