Solved Reinstalling Windows 7 On My PC

[Busterbrown]

I'm about to reinstall Windows 7 on my PC--any particular critical procedures to undertake beforehand?

I do know about backing up critical files first.

And a tech friend says that Sysprep is lame and nearly useless. Just his opinion.

 

[Megahertz07]

- Backup all your data.
- Boot with your Win 7 installation disk.
- Select custom (advanced) - drive options - delete all partitions - create new. Windows will create the necessary partitions and install.
Clean Install Windows 7

To save time on the updates:
MS releases SP2 for Windows 7

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Now's your chance to consider 64 bit. I'd go with 64 bit if you have at least 4 GB of RAM--unless you have an unusual situation.

Disconnect all drives except the one that will receive Windows.

Go to your motherboard manufacturer's web site and download the NIC (Ethernet) driver for your motherboard. You can also grab all suitable drivers if you want although you may not need them. Put them on a USB flash drive.

I assume you are using your original hardware. Do you have a 25 character "Product Key"?

 

[Busterbrown]

Now's your chance to consider 64 bit. I'd go with 64 bit if you have at least 4 GB of RAM--unless you have an unusual situation.

Disconnect all drives except the one that will receive Windows.

Go to your motherboard manufacturer's web site and download the NIC (Ethernet) driver for your motherboard. You can also grab all suitable drivers if you want although you may not need them. Put them on a USB flash drive.

I assume you are using your original hardware. Do you have a 25 character "Product Key"?

I am upgrading both my MOBO and my processor, along with my re-install of Windows 7.

I do have a Product Key, and am strongly considering 64 bit.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I do have a Product Key

If it is not a Retail key, you may have activation issues--sooner or later.

 

[Busterbrown]

I do have a Product Key

If it is not a Retail key, you may have activation issues--sooner or later.

Purchased from Microsoft. It's valid.

 

[Busterbrown]

- Backup all your data.
- Boot with your Win 7 installation disk.
- Select custom (advanced) - drive options - delete all partitions - create new. Windows will create the necessary partitions and install.
Clean Install Windows 7

To save time on the updates:
MS releases SP2 for Windows 7

Will Drives E & F, on a separate HD, be affected by the new Win 7 Install?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Will Drives E & F, on a separate HD, be affected by the new Win 7 Install?

They certainly should not be.

They can't be affected if you have them disconnected completely when installing Win 7--as you should.

 

[Busterbrown]

A friend suggested I back up SYS on Drive C before re-installing Win 7--where do I find SYS?:huh:

 

[ignatzatsonic]

It's been close to 15 years since I've heard anybody talk about that.

He's talking about copying "system" files from one disk to another. They are normally hidden from view.

If you are doing a clean Windows install, you don't need to do anything like that. Just boot from your Windows installation media and tell the installer to delete all partitions when you come to the "where do you want to install Windows" screen.

See post 2 in this thread.

It's on you to have valid Windows installation media, which you say you do have. Begin with just one drive connected--the one that will receive Windows.

 

[Megahertz07]

Buster, you are telling us the big picture in chapters.
You said you wanted to reinstall Win 7.
Than you said you're upgrading your MB an CPU and that can turn out to be a complete different story.

Which MB and CPU you are putting on your computer? Aren't you replacing the memory as well?
New MB has to be configured in a way to be compatible with Win 7.
Skylake MB only has USB 3 and Win 7 doesn't has the USB 3 and new SATA drivers.

 

[Busterbrown]

Buster, you are telling us the big picture in chapters.
You said you wanted to reinstall Win 7.
Than you said you're upgrading your MB an CPU and that can turn out to be a complete different story.

Which MB and CPU you are putting on your computer? Aren't you replacing the memory as well?
New MB has to be configured in a way to be compatible with Win 7.
Skylake MB only has USB 3 and Win 7 doesn't has the USB 3 and new SATA drivers.

My new MOBO is: AsRock MB-970A-G/3.1
My new processor is: AMD FX-8350
New memory is: EVGA Superclocked DDR 3 series memory

 

[Megahertz07]

- Backup all your data.

For AsRock MB-970A-G/3.1 and Win 7 64 bits
On Bios Boot tab
- Disable Fast boot
- Enable CSM
- Launch PXE OpROM Policy, Launch Storage OpROM Policy, Launch Video OpROM Policy = UEFI

- Disconnect all other drives - Very important
- Boot with your Win 7 installation disk on UEFI mode
- Select custom (advanced) - drive options - delete all partitions - create new. Windows will create the necessary partitions and install.
Clean Install Windows 7

To save time on the updates:
MS releases SP2 for Windows 7

 

[Busterbrown]

If I opt for 64-bit on the re-install, will that affect the data backed up on another HD, which was done under my current 32-bit version of Win 7?

 

[Megahertz07]

Data = no, settings= some = yes
If you're buying more than 4G of memory, you must install Win 7 64 (Win 7 32 (any kind) can't manage more than 3.2 G of memory).

 

[Busterbrown]

Data = no, settings, some = yes
If you're buying more than 4G of memory, you must install Win 7 64 (Win 7 32 (any kind) can't manage more than 3.2 G of memory).

Fortunately, my valid Windows 7 Home Premium [UPGRADE] copy contains a 64-bit disc, too.

And I trust the many 32-bit Windows program I have will also run under the 64-bit version of Win 7, too....

 

[Megahertz07]

All win 7 32 programs also run on Win 7 64. Don't worry.