Repair Install Prep Questions Win 7 Ult x64 SP1

Hello. May I please ask some questions before trying to do a repair install of Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit SP1 to make sure I am trying to do this correctly?

1. Do partition and volume mean the same thing, like interchangeable terms?

2. I should only have the keyboard, mouse, and monitors connected? Disconnect speakers too?

3. Is it still necessary to uninstall iTunes before doing a repair install? What about these other Apple things listed in Programs and Features: Apple Software Update, Apple Mobile Device Support, Apple Application Support (32-bit), and Apple Application Support (64-bit)?

I'm not really very confident about trying to fully deactivate third-party security programs, especially in a way that would prevent them from restarting automatically. I may need to uninstall stuff instead before trying to do a repair install.

4. Does Adblock Plus count as a third-party security application that needs to be uninstalled?

5. I have a My Passport Ultra external hard drive. It makes copies of everything except the Windows folder, it look like. In Programs and Features there are listed: WD Backup, WD Security, WD Drive Utilities, and WD Quick View, all of which I think got installed when I started using the external hard drive. Do I need to uninstall any of that stuff? That one says Security.

6. In Malwarebytes Premium, would it be enough to uncheck Web Protection, Exploit Protection, Malware Protection, and Ransomware Protection in settings so they say Off instead of On, or is there more to disable, or should I uninstall Malwarebytes before trying to do a repair install?

7. Should I be able to do repair install by following the tutorial instructions on my desktop PC that has Windows XP and Windows 7 installed on the same hard drive as described in my system specs? Should I still be able to boot into XP and use it as I have been after the Windows 7 repair install procedure? I don't really know anything about Master Boot Record or Windows Boot Manager. Is there something I have to do in there before doing a repair install of Windows 7 on a dual boot system?

8. Brink wrote: "It will need to be the same edition and version of Windows 7 to do a repair install with it." What does edition and version mean? Is edition Windows 7 and version everything else, like Ultimate 64-bit SP1? I have Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit SP1. SP1 was added by Windows Update, I guess. Someone here looked at my MGDiag report thing and said my copy of Windows 7 is retail. I went to the Microsoft web page where you enter your product key and they let you download ISOs (32 and 64 bit) that include SP1. I downloaded those to use for this. I realize I will only be using one of them. Is that all okay then?

9. I don't fully understand how to proceed regarding where to put the ISO thing. Am I meant to create a new hard drive partition where the ISO I'm using will be extracted? I just do what it says on this page? Partition or Volume - Create New - Windows 7 Help Forums How large should the new partition be, where the ISO is extracted to? It says use a program like 7-Zip to extract the ISO. Will WinRAR do it? That's what I have.

10. Someone posted, "the upgrade asked me for 12.2GB free.." Will I be told how much free hard drive space is required to do my repair install after initiating the procedure or something? My Windows folder is 42GB. How much free hard drive space do you expect I should have available before trying to do the repair install? That space should be located on the C drive where Windows 7 is already installed?

I ran chkdsk for the C drive where Windows 7 is installed, and I did full scans with Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool for April and Malwarebytes with everything checked including scan for rootkits. The results of both types of scans said nothing was found.

Below are screenshots of what that computer is arranged like, or whatever. In Windows 7, F is where Windows XP Pro SP3 is installed. When I'm in Windows XP, it says Windows XP is installed on D. I don't know what E is for in Windows XP; It looks like there is nothing on it.

Thank you for reading this.

A volume is a space capable of holding data. A partition is a volume

Thank you for the reply, TheDeerDude. Yes, those are the instructions I am following to do the repair install of Windows 7. Reading past the tutorial itself has been helpful. The only mention I recall reading so far about doing this on a dual boot system is where Brink replied to someone's question by writing: "Unless this is a dual boot with XP and Windows 7, then you would need to do a clean install..." Which made it sound like I can do a repair install of Windows 7 on my desktop computer that has both Windows XP and Windows 7 installed, but I wanted to ask and try to make sure before trying it.

Thanks again for helping me.

It will tell you if there isn't enough space. In theory you might get away 10-12gb space. I would suggest 20gb.

Setup may copy the install.wim to a different drive - depending on what it figures out.

Extract the Installation media to a different partition/ drive. Or you can run setup from a usb or dvd if you like. Anything big enough to hold the installation media - 5gb is enough for that.

Run setup from within booted windows 7. That way it will replace the windows 7 system files.

I assume you are dual booting xp and win 7 using different partitions on the same hard drive?
Iirc setup will just add an extra bcd entry, so the xp bcd entry should still be there afterwards.

[Edit: I forgot to clarify that I decided to try to use USB flash drive for the extracted ISO files instead of creating a new partition on the hard drive.]

I think I might be ready to begin the repair install. I was confused about if I was meant to create a bootable USB flash drive to which the contents from the folder where the ISO with SP1 was extracted would be copied and pasted.

But that's what I did:
Right clicked on the flash drive in My Computer.
Selected Format.
Selected NTFS, 4096 bytes, and Quick Format.
Followed instructions to create bootable USB flash drive using Elevated Command Prompt, diskpart, etc.
Copied the contents of the folder created when ISO was extracted with WinRAR to the flash drive.

Was I supposed to do that, make a bootable USB flash drive?

Am I supposed to change the boot priority/order/whatever or just leave that how it is?

I don't mean to act stupid. I just really don't understand computers very well. I understand I am meant to be logged in to the administrator account in Windows 7 when I click setup.exe to begin the repair install. I just don't know if I'm supposed to change anything in that boot order thing for whatever reason there may be to do so.

I found what looks like all the drivers that were used when Windows 7 was originally installed in December 2013 and put them on a different flash drive.

I don't presently have sufficient knowledge to make a system image, but I backed up everything besides the Windows folder to the external hard drive. It doesn't have any box to tick to copy that folder where you select stuff to back up.

I know to disconnect the external hard drive before beginning the repair install.

I will switch off the real-time protections in Malwarebytes Premium and automatic updates and deactivate the license per suggestion above by TheDeerDude, so I don't think it will be able to restart any real-time functions that may interfere while I'm trying to do the repair install.

I don't have any other antivirus or anti-malware stuff installed on that computer.

Do I leave Windows Firewall switched on?

Thank you for reading this.