Windows 7 - Repair Install

   Information

This will show you how to do a repair install (aka: in-place upgrade install) to fix your currently installed Windows 7 and preserve your user accounts, data, programs, and system drivers.

   Note

Do a Repair installation if:

• A System Restore did not help fix your Windows 7.
• There is no other easier option left that can fix your Windows 7.
• You DO NOT want to do a Clean reinstall of Windows 7.
• You DO want to preserve your user accounts, data, programs, and system drivers.

   Tip

ITEMS THAT WILL BE RESET TO DEFAULT OR AFFECTED:

• Sounds
• Services
• Visual Effects Settings
• Device Drivers - Be sure to have these handy to reinstall. They do not always remain after the repair (upgrade) install.
• You may lose the ability to sign on to MSN Messenger, to solve this problem have a look at this thread Unable to sign in to WLM.
• You may lose your custom themes due to not having permisions set on the old themes. Go to the hidden themes folder at C:/Users/(User-Name)/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/Themes, then Take Ownership of the themes folder and you will now have all your themes back.
• It has been reported that you may also lose your Media Center gadget after doing the repair install.
• Windows Updates will need to be checked and reinstalled again.

   Warning

• You can only do a repair install with the same edition Windows 7 installation disc for the same edition of Windows 7 that you have installed.
• You cannot use a OEM Windows 7 "Factory" Restore/Recovery type of installation disc that came with or created from a store bought computer to do a repair install with. These can only be used do a clean install instead.
• You can use a retail OEM Windows 7 installation disc to do a repair install with.
• You can use a retail (full or upgrade) Windows 7 installation disc to do a repair install with.
• You cannot do a repair install with a System Repair Disc. A System Repair Disc is not a installation disc, and will only boot to the System Recovery Options screen.
• If you have a 32-bit (x86) Windows 7 currently installed, then you must use a 32-bit Windows 7 installation disc to be able to do a repair install with.
• If you have a 64-bit (x64) Windows 7 currently installed, then you must use a 64-bit Windows 7 installation disc to be able to do a repair install with.
• You can use a retail Windows 7 SP1 installation disc (ex: Technet (available), MSDN (available), or retail (when available)) to do a repair install with on a currently installed Windows 7 SP1.
• You can use a Windows 7 SP1 installation disc (ex: Technet (available), MSDN (available), or retail (when available)) to do a repair install with on a currently installed slipstream Windows 7 SP1.
• You cannot use a slipstream Windows 7 installation disc to do a repair install with on a currently installed Windows 7 SP1.
• You cannot use a slipstream Windows 7 installation disc to do a repair install with on a currently installed slipstream Windows 7 SP1.
• You can only do a repair install from within Windows 7.
• You cannot do a repair install at boot or in Safe Mode.
• You must be logged into Windows 7 in a administrator account to be able to do a repair install.
• You must have at least 8.87 GB of free space, more if you have a larger installation, on the hard drive/partition Windows 7 is installed on to do a repair install.
• If you changed the default location of the Program Files or Programs Files (x86) folder, then you will need to change it back to the C: drive, and change any shortcuts that pointed to the other location to also point to the C: drive before doing a repair install.

1. Start Windows 7, and log on to an administrator account.

2. Disable any 3rd party firewall, antivirus, or other security program to avoid it from possibly preventing the repair in-place upgrade installation of Windows 7.

3. Do either step 4 or 5 below depending on what type of retail Windows 7 installation media you have, and what Windows 7 you currently have installed.

4. Repair Windows 7 SP1 installation using "retail" Windows 7 with SP1 installation media

A) While in Windows 7, insert your retail Windows 7 with SP1 installation DVD into the DVD drive, or connect your Windows 7 with SP1 installation USB thumb drive, and click on the Run setup.exe option in the AutoPlay window from within the currently installed Windows 7. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If the AutoPlay window does not open, then open the drive folder in Computer and run the setup.exe file.

B) If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

C) Click on the Install Now button to start the installation. (See screenshot below)

D) Go to step 6.

5. Repair Windows 7 SP1 installation using "retail" Windows 7 without SP1 installation media
NOTE: If you have not used the SP1 Disk Cleanup Tool, then you could also just uninstall SP1 and do step 4 above instead with your "retail" Windows 7 without SP1 installation disc instead.

A) While in Windows 7, insert your retail Windows 7 without SP1 installation DVD into the DVD drive, or connect your Windows 7 with SP1 installation USB thumb drive, right click on the DVD drive or USB drive in the Computer window, and click on Open. (See screenshot below)

B) Right click on the setup.exe file, and click on Properties. (See screenshot below)

C) Click on the Compatibility tab, check the Run this program in compatibility mode for: box, select Windows Vista (Service Pack 2) from the drop down menu, and click on OK. (See screenshot below)

D) Run the setup.exe file. (See screenshot below step 5B)

E) If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.


F) Click on the Install Now button to start the installation. (See screenshot below)

G) Continue on to step 6.

6. If prompted, uncheck the I want to help make Windows installation better box (unless you would like to ), and click on the Go online to get the latest updates for installation option. (See screenshot below)

A) Windows 7 will now check online for and install any available installation updates. (See screenshots below)

7. Check the I accept the license terms box and click on Next. (See screenshot below)

8. Click on the Upgrade option. (See screenshot below)

9. Windows will now check for any compatibility issues. If any are found like in the example below, take care of them first then restart the repair install process over again.

10. The installation of Windows 7 will now begin. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: During the installation process, your screen may flash and computer will restart a few times.

11. After the final restart, you will see this screen for a moment. (See screenshot below)

12. Type in your Windows 7 product key number. (See screenshot below step 13)

13. Uncheck the Automatically activate Windows when I'm online box unchecked, then click on the Next button. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You can activate Windows 7 later after you make sure it is running properly. (See step 20 below)
If you chose to automatically activate Windows online when you set up your computer, automatic activation begins trying to activate your copy of Windows three days after you log on for the first time.

14. Click on Use recommended settings. (See screenshot below)

15. Select your time zone and set your time and date settings, then click on the Next button. (See screenshot below)

16. Click on the option for your computer's location to select the correct network location type settings to be applied for that location. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: It is best to select Public location for the best security.

17. Windows 7 will now prepare your desktop to startup. (See screenshots below)

18. Check to see if you are missing any user files. If you are, then you can copy them from the C:\Windows.old or the hidden protected operating system C:\$INPLACE.~TR and C:\WINDOWS.~Q backup folders. (See screenshot below)

19. If everything checks out in step 18, then you can run Disk Cleanup (step 6 at this link). You will need to click on the Clean up system files button first, and then could check the Files discarded by Windows upgrade, Previous Windows installations, and Windows upgrade log files boxes. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: This will delete the C:\Windows.old, C:\$INPLACE.~TR and C:\WINDOWS.~Q folders from step 17 above.

20. Refresh your Windows Experience Index (WEI) score.

21. When done, all you will need to do is to activate Windows 7, and make sure that your security programs are enabled again.