Repair Install

Brink · Jul 15, 2012

Hello Pete,

Did you have a question?

If you like, you could download a new ISO from the location in the NOTE box under step 5 to create a bootable DVD/USB to use instead.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Exciter · Jul 15, 2012

Brink, absolutely great tutorial, thorough and detailed!

One question I have been meaning to ask (apologize if already discussed but this is a remarkably long thread) ...

Since we are dealing with a repair install (performed live within an already booted Windows 7) why is it necessary to take the ISO and "create a bootable DVD or USB flash drive"? Is this just so the Autoplay dialog is executed when the media is inserted?

Why can't the ISO just be extracted to a folder on a partition within the working Windows 7 computer and the user just manually run (for example): D:\Win7dvd\Setup.exe? This would certainly be the fastest method if it is possible.

Of course this assumes he is logged in as an ADMINISTRATOR with a clean boot without firewall and antivirus and so on as per your instructions.

Thanks!

Brink · Jul 15, 2012

Hello Exciter, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Yes you can do that with a ISO file. It's usually less problematic to use a bootable DVD/USB though, but I added this as step 4 to help.

Exciter · Jul 16, 2012

Brink said:
Hello Exciter, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Yes you can do that with a ISO file. It's usually less problematic to use a bootable DVD/USB though, but I added this as step 4 to help.

Brink, thanks so much for the quick answer!

I was really wondering about that step with the creation of bootable USB or Optical media and why it ("bootable") was necessary.

So may I assume that either case: (1) extract the ISO to a folder, or (2) just copy the pressed DVD to a folder will have the same effect? It is just a matter of getting the SETUP structure in place on the HDD, correct?

Instinctively, the execution from a blazing fast HDD (which we entrust with Windows itself) seems more likely to succeed rather than modern budget optical and flashdrives. Is there any reason my instinct is misleading me?

Thanks again for the wonderful guide. You are probably aware that many threads at Microsoft actually link to here!

Brink · Jul 16, 2012

You're welcome.

It doesn't matter if it's an extracted ISO or copied DVD to the folder since they will both be the same afterwards.

Either method of executing the repair install is fine to use. It's just that I'm in the habbit of using a USB flash drive. That's all.

Please let us know how it went.

sardpl · Jul 20, 2012

OS language switch

Hello everyone.

Can somebody tell me if is possible to use the repair procedure using the Digital River ISO (english version) and activate it with my code (OEM - italian version).

Is the result an english OS language (instead of italian)?

Thanks.

Brink · Jul 20, 2012

Hello Sardpl, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Sorry, but no. You'll need to have a Digital River ISO (Italian version) for it to work. Because Retail/OEM keys are version specific, it has to match the full version name i.e. both edition and language.

mangoh · Jul 22, 2012

Brink said:
.

Hey Brink I got a problem.

My current operating system is windows 7 64 bit Professional.

My disc that I have is windows 7 64 bit Professional aswell (student edition)

What shall I do?

Do I uninstall SP1 first and then try or do I leave it how it is?

Brink · Jul 22, 2012

Hello Mangoh,

If you like, you could use the NOTE box under step 4 to download a Windows 7 w/SP1 ISO to use to create a bootable DVD/USB with to be able to do a repair install with.

Exciter · Jul 23, 2012

Yes ... Repair worked from HDD without the DVD

Just a quick follow-up to my posts at #981 and #983.

Repair Install was successful when executed directly from a partition on the harddrive. The Win7 SP1 x64 ISO contents were extracted to a folder on the D: drive and after clean booting to the ADMINISTRATOR account ...

Start > Run > D:\Win7sp1\Setup.exe

Approximately 90 minutes for the unattended portion with several reboots.

The only deviation from the tutorial that I noticed was that C:\Windows.old was never encountered, however the other two, C:\$INPLACE.~TR and C:\WINDOWS.~Q were created as expected. Perhaps this is because the selected option was UPGRADE rather than CUSTOM?

Thanks again for the excellent tutorial Brink.

Brink · Jul 23, 2012

Exciter said:
Just a quick follow-up to my posts at #981 and #983.

Repair Install was successful when executed directly from a partition on the harddrive. The Win7 SP1 x64 ISO contents were extracted to a folder on the D: drive and after clean booting to the ADMINISTRATOR account ...

Start > Run > D:\Win7sp1\Setup.exe

Approximately 90 minutes for the unattended portion with several reboots.

The only deviation from the tutorial that I noticed was that C:\Windows.old was never encountered, however the other two, C:\$INPLACE.~TR and C:\WINDOWS.~Q were created as expected. Perhaps this is because the selected option was UPGRADE rather than CUSTOM?

Thanks again for the excellent tutorial Brink.

That's great news Exciter. Thank you for posting back with your results.

mangoh · Jul 23, 2012

Brink said:
Hello Mangoh,

If you like, you could use the NOTE box under step 4 to download a Windows 7 w/SP1 ISO to use to create a bootable DVD/USB with to be able to do a repair install with.

thanks it worked on my computer

however on my laptop I'm having a problem.

It loads the system files etc... and then restarts and then does nothing.

Restarting it again runs the windows 7 setup but it says "windows installation could not start"

What am I doing wrong?

Brink · Jul 23, 2012

Mangoh,

You might consider biting the bullet and reinstall Windows 7 from scratch. Since it's a laptop, you should be able to do a factory recovery if Windows 7 came preinstalled on the laptop. Be sure to backup anything that you do not want to lose first.

mangoh · Jul 23, 2012

Brink said:
Mangoh,

You might consider biting the bullet and reinstall Windows 7 from scratch. Since it's a laptop, you should be able to do a factory recovery if Windows 7 came preinstalled on the laptop. Be sure to backup anything that you do not want to lose first.

Hi on the boot menu there is windows 7 (what I had before)

and windows setup (what came after following this tutorial)

when I click windows setup it says "windows could not start the installation process"

When I click windows 7 it returns me back to my old OS so that bit is fine.

Any ideas how can I still do a repair?

Brink · Jul 23, 2012

Is the installation DVD/USB still there? Also double check to make sure that you have your AV program temporarily disabled or uninstalled to prevent it from possibly conflicting.

What was the original problem for why you were wanting to do a repair install?

mangoh · Jul 23, 2012

Brink said:
Is the installation DVD/USB still there? Also double check to make sure that you have your AV program temporarily disabled or uninstalled to prevent it from possibly conflicting.

What was the original problem for why you were wanting to do a repair install?

Hi thanks for helping me solve the issue on the computer (the first problem)

The second problem I have is that the laptop is windows 7 professional SP1.

My disk is windows 7 professional (not SP1)

I was recommended to do a repair as i'm having an issue with printer spooler (in services.msc). Trust me with the printing issue I have asked a lot of people and they recommended to do a repair install, the printer works etc with windows 7 professional as it works on my computer so please don't suggest things to help me fix the printer as the printer is a right pain and I've already tried reinstalling the printer spooler service via your tutorial.

Custom install = Not possible imo as it took for ever to find the drivers and backing up all my documents etc.. won't fit on a a 5GB USB I have :roflmao: LOL 5GB

The only I option I can see is doing a repair.

I have a 5GB USB free if that helps.

The problem when I tried doing a repair is when it got to the "transfer programs" part it randomly restarted and did NOTHING. I was like wtf. I tried several times but it kept restarting then.

Could it be that the laptop had reached 100% so stopped charging? It told me to plug in my charger before installing as the installation process said it has to run on AC power. Prehaps it reached 100% when it got to the transfer programs part and the charger stopped charging, could that be possible?

Brink · Jul 23, 2012

Mangoh,

Yeah, you will not be able to use a Windows 7 Professional (not SP1) disc on a laptop with Windows 7 Professional SP1 installed. You could use the NOTE box under step 5 to download a Windows 7 Professional w/SP1 ISO to use to create a bootable DVD/USB with to be able to do a repair install with.

For a print spooler issue, you might see if the tutorial below may be able to help with that to avoid having to do a repair install.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/89483-print-spooler-queue-clear-reset.html

mangoh · Jul 23, 2012

Brink said:
Mangoh,

Yeah, you will not be able to use a Windows 7 Professional (not SP1) disc on a laptop with Windows 7 Professional SP1 installed. You could use the NOTE box under step 5 to download a Windows 7 Professional w/SP1 ISO to use to create a bootable DVD/USB with to be able to do a repair install with.

For a print spooler issue, you might see if the tutorial below may be able to help with that to avoid having to do a repair install.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/89483-print-spooler-queue-clear-reset.html

Hi thanks yep I already tried that print spooler tutorial

Prehaps it may not be printer spooler then all I know is that my laptop has a few problems such as lexmark setup.exe file not launching etc...

I'll give the USB boot up a try, will get back to you tommorrow.

Cheers

JBelcher · Jul 23, 2012

Win 7 Repair Install

When I try to do a repair install, I get the following message:
Your current version of Windows is more recent than the version you are trying to upgrade to. Windows cannot complete the upgrade. I am using the factory disk (Velocity Micro) and have SP 1 installed on system, but I do not believe it is on disk. Any suggestions? Thank you, Joe B.

Brink · Jul 23, 2012

Hello Joe, and welcome to Seven Forums.

This is due to your installation disc not having SP1 included when your installed Windows 7 does. You could use the NOTE box under step 5 to download a Windows 7 Professional with SP1 ISO to use to create a bootable DVD/USB with to be able to do a repair install with.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Repair Install

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