Install versus reinstall - lose everything?

[Lee Morgan]

Last week, my PC suffered a corrupted driver, lost LAN connectivity, blah, blah, blah. The result was a total boat anchor of a PC (at least as far as getting on the Internet is concerned). I have a new copy of W7 on the way. My intention is to reload the OS, so that the PC performs well again, while retaining the software that's currently on it. Is that doable, or do I have to unload it all to external disks first? BTW, I think WS2_32.DLL took a hike. It's there, but I can't use Malwarebytes on it, without Internet connectivity.

 

[mrjimphelps]

Dell doesn't have any Windows 7 drivers listed for your computer (XPS 410). Therefore, it will be a gamble to load Windows 7 and have the needed Windows drivers for everything . It might work.

There is no direct upgrade available from XP to 7. However, you could try an aftermarket program like PC Mover to upgrade from XP to 7. I've never used it, nor have I used a similar product. Here is a nice write up from someone who used PC Mover to upgrade from XP to 7:
http://www.windowsusers.org/pcmover.html

I suggest that you first get LAN connectivity working, before trying to do the upgrade. If you have an available NIC (Network Interface Card), you could install it in the computer, so that you could get online. Then do a Windows update, to see if it finds a driver for the internal NIC. If it does, then install only that one update. Then power down, remove the NIC that you installed, plug the Ethernet cable into the internal NIC, and power up, to see if the internal NIC now works. This method has never failed to work for me.

Any of these NICs should work in your computer:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_6_13?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=ethernet+card+pci+express&sprefix=ethernet+card%2Caps%2C234&crid=13J2WU04ER28F

Or, you could try an external USB NIC:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_...efix=usb+ethernet+,aps,223&crid=1RTWVIMKV9ND5

Make sure that whatever you buy will work with XP.

 

[Lee Morgan]

My PC was already on 7 (courtesy of my dad, when he owned it). This is just W7 (non-working) to 7 (new).

 

[mrjimphelps]

Then I suggest you use the method I described above to get your NIC working. Once you have gotten your NIC working, it will be a lot easier to get any other problems resolved.

Make sure you do a backup now, and also after you get something working.

 

[Snick]

Where did you find a Win7 disk? Is it OEM or RETAIL?

Peruse:
Is it OK to use OEM Windows on your own PC? Don't ask Microsoft
&
DELL XPS 410 : UPGRADE TO WINDOWS 7 HOME PREMIUM (64 bit) FROM WINDOWS XP PRO (32 bit)

 

[Lee Morgan]

The copy I bought was off ebay, and was still sealed.

 

[Megahertz07]

If you just having trouble with for the internal NIC, open device manager, right click on the the network adapter and uninstall it.
Then On Action tab - Scan for hardware changes.

Don't understand why did you buy another copy of Win 7 if you already have one. Don't you have the copy your dad used on the computer?

 

[Lee Morgan]

No, I don't have the original copy that was installed. I guess it came preloaded with XP, and then 7 was downloaded, it subsequently failed and was repaired with a volume license version of W7, I guess.

 

[Megahertz07]

On the the current version of Win 7 run MS diagnostic https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52012
It will tell witch version (OEM, Retail or OEM slp) is installed. If it is a OEM or retail you can retrieve the key and use any Win 7 disk to install. If you don't have a disk you can download it.
http://www.klinzmann.name/licensecrawler.htm

There are two options to install win 7
1) My favorite is Clean install Clean Install Windows 7 - Windows 7 Help Forums as it start from scratch and get rid of all trash.
- Backup your data
- Clean install Win 7
- Install all drivers.
- Install the updates. Use the offline SP2 and security only updates. MS releases SP2 for Windows 7 - Windows 7 Help Forums
- Reinstall all programs.
- Restore your data.

2) Repair install. It will reinstall windows and keep your programs, data and all trash. Repair Install - Windows 7 Help Forums
- Backup your data
- Install the updates. Use the offline SP2 and security only updates. MS releases SP2 for Windows 7 - Windows 7 Help Forums

 

[bendipa]

Do you have any restore points pre-dating the time your issue began? If you do it could save you a lot of time and trouble. Run as administrator 'rstrui.exe'.

 

[Lee Morgan]

The only restore points that escaped disappearance were on an external drive, and were 3 years old!

 

[bendipa]

That's unfortunate (re. Restore Points). You should always have at least 1 recent one.

Coming back to your issue when you get your new W7 copy you had better know what your product key is as you won't be able to activate W7 without it. If you can still boot up you can find that out, or you may still have a COA sticker on your PC which displays it. It also has to be the same version of W7, eg you can't activate for W7 Ultimate if the PK was for W7 Home. You may be given a new PK with the W7 disk you are buying but it may not be genuine. If it is and it's for a different OEM W7 version than the one you have, then you can try and use that, but be warned.

Unfortunately when you install W7 you will lose all your software as I expect that's on your C: drive, and they will be wiped, so make a list of all apps already downloaded. If you go to Programs & Features they should all be listed in there. Also make sure you know where all the drivers are for your PC, usually listed under the manufacture's website. That's a fairly big task you'll need to do once W7 is installed and you've activated.

 

[Lee Morgan]

The PC was shipped (to my dad) with Windows XP, then upgraded along the way to W7. For that upgrade they used volume license, so since PK sticker is gone, I had to use PK Finder software. All I get back is BBBBB... So the new copy W7 had to be genuine, or it definitely wouldn't work. It's a sealed OEM copy of W7 64 AND 32, so I should be safe there.