Repair Install

LOL, no worries mate. We all miss things like this from time to time as well. :)

So this will basically revert the computer back to factory settings without loosing files?

Hello Brandon,

Technically, it's does a inplace upgrade from your current installation with a copy of the same edition and version of Windows 7. Since it's a upgrade and not a clean install, all of your files and programs remain intact. :)

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Hello Brink,

first of all great, comprehensible tutorial. I got stuck however with my repair install of Windows. After it gets between the 10-11 part and everything got installed/transferred and after supposedly last restart the install is roll-backed to the previous installation. After that I get this message:

"This version of Windows could not be installed.

Your previous version of Windows has been restored, and you can continue to use it.
Before trying(...) check online to see if it is compatible with your computer. Go to the Microsoft website and search for "upgrade advisor"."

I' ve used the advisor and uninstalled everything it didn't like (2 programs). I have also got rid of all the incompatibilities that the install program showed (one driver). Antivirus program and firewall got uninstalled as well. My version of Windows - Win 7 Pro(x64) SP1 and I'm using a MSDN Windows 7 Pro x64 with SP1 disk (My university gives me access to MSDN - beside that I do not know what version of Windows is it.)

Any ideas why I'm hitting a brick wall?

Hello Damdemon, and welcome to Seven Forums.

To have a successful repair install depends on a few things. Two key items are what type (OEM-factory, OEM-retail, retail (full or upgrade), student), version (32-bit or 64-bit), and edition (Home Premium, Ultimate, etc...) of Windows 7 do you currently have installed, and what type, version, and edition of Windows 7 installation media (USB/DVD) are you using to do the repair install with. These two have to match perfectly, and be retail types as outlined in the red warning box at the top of the tutorial for it to work. Otherwise, you'll only be able to do a clean install instead.

Hope this helps some for now,
Shawn

A student copy is the same as a retail copy, but it is at a discounted prices for students and is downloaded instead of coming in a retail package.

It sounds like you still have something installed that is preventing the repair install. Possibly a driver (ex: video), or something that you may have connected to the computer like USB devices.

Brink,

Excellent tutorial! Repair install went without a hitch. Do have a question:

All programs and files appear recovered except one old program. It is installed on another win7 pc and worked OK on this one prior to re-install. Installation disk hangs up at end of setup/install. I have gotten two errors on repeated attempts to re-install... ;... missing msi.dll, and missing mpl.dll...'. I find mpl in windows library and msi on install disk. I can live without this program, but I'm concerned that this may be a more serious problem installing programs later. Any thoughts?

Hello Paul, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Depending on how old the program is, it may be some issue with it not being fully compatible.

What program is this happening with?

Does it have a uninstall entry in Programs and Features from the previous installation?

If you have not already, you might see if using Run as administrator or compatibility mode on the program's installation file may help to install it.

Yes, There was uninstall, which I have used each time I have tried to re-install. Icon shows up on desktop, but folder is empty.

Checked other win7 machine with successful installation and the 'msi and mlp.dlls' are present in win(86) folder. ??

Program is 'Omar Sharifs Bridge' from Globalstar circa 2002.

Most concerned that mis and mpl dlls might be required to install other (86) programs. MSI is listed as part of the '(86) installation engine' Can't find it on re-installed machine anywhere.... what do you think?