Windows 7: windows 7 repair install?

there are lots of threads saying running a repai install is a good idea to get sp1 going properly

I have one question.

Certainly in the UK you get no windows 7 disc when you buy a new PC (you havent for years)? So how is one to run a repair install?

Hello Gunneradt,

Unfortunately, you will not be able to do a repair install on a OEM computer since it uses a factory recovery disc instead of a retail or student copy of Windows 7.


Without knowing more about what your SP1 issue is, hopefully the "Possible installation issues" at the link below may prove to be helpful.

Windows 7 Service Pack 1 FAQs, installation issues and helpful links

99% of new pcs in the UK come with no windows 7 disk.

all the stuff on the link doesn't work Im afraid - the pc is 100% - no malware, nothing - just sp1 wont install - it's probably an incompatible driver sdomewhere.

waiting for sp2 seems the best bet or for MS to fix this very dodgy SP1 release.

Could be. Did you get any error numbers and/or message that you could post back?

I have done over 200 installs of SP1, all went 100%.

well there are plenty on here that havent gone well at all so it's obviously not a coincidence.

Ive done two successfully but the 3rd now actually completes ok and says sp1 installed but....when the pc reboots finally no program will launch, you can't access any program from explorer via a shortcut or via the menu bar - you cant even access system restore via the start menu - almost as if windows is completely broken. Now I dont understand how that can happen from a load of simple hotfixes. Call me old fashioned but service packs are meant to improve things not break them

Ive run scannow - nothing - malwarebytes nothing, windows update troubleshooter nothing - system readiness tool hotfix - everything in other words.

Ive been fixing pcs for 15 years and have never seen anything like it. Im certainly going to advise users who come to me to hold off on this unless the system is very very new. I believe that is the issue - the older yoru installation ie 6 months or more the more likely it will be to fail with sp1.

And just to add my system after system restore via safe mode is once again perfect.