New
#120
Well I thought it had all sorted itself out but my explorer just crashed after activating windows and now crashes everytime I right click on the desktop so it looks like a clean install is needed, I'm just backing up all my docs and other essential files then going to reformat and reinstall, thanks for the repair install guide either way as it's very useful, I guess it just wasn't going to work for me.
Thanks
ATC Rogue
Is it possible to do a repair install with another version of Windows 7?
I had Windows 7 Home Premium pre-installed so I don't have an installation disc for Home Premium. However, I did borrow a friend's Windows 7 Professional Disc but I don't want to upgrade - just do a repair install. Is this possible?
Hello Alecks,
Sorry, but no it will need to be the same edition and version of Windows 7 to do a repair install with it.
But don't those disc have all versions on them? The Key Code determines what version gets installed? If so, then he/she should be able to use it. I sure would try it anyhow...if it works-great, if not-then a little bit of time is lost is all.
Turns out you can't...if you try to do a repair install with the different version Windows 7 Disc it'll tell you to go to the Windows Anytime Upgrade screen to perform an upgrade.
Just a quick question, what's the difference between Repair install and the full custom install? Doesn't custom install keep your files too? (in windows.old)
Hello Btlastic, and welcome to Seven Forums.
A repair install is basically the same as a upgrade install, but you are upgrading to the same edition instead. This way it acts like a upgrade and leaves your programs and user profiles and settings intact with the same Windows 7 edition. That's why this is a good repair option when nothing else works. Think of it like resetting the Windows 7, and you still keep everything else as is.
A custom installs the same way as a clean install does almost except that is saves the previous installation to the Windows.old folder as a backup only. Your installed programs, user profiles, and settings will not remain intact. It will be essentially the same a clean install with a backup.
Hope this helps,
Shawn