Repair Install

How to Do a Repair Install to Fix Windows 7​

   Information

This will show you how to do a repair install (aka: in-place upgrade install) to fix your currently installed Windows 7 and preserve your user accounts, data, programs, and system drivers.

   Note

Do a Repair installation if:

• A System Restore did not help fix your Windows 7.
• There is no other easier option left that can fix your Windows 7.
• You DO NOT want to do a Clean reinstall of Windows 7.
• You DO want to preserve your user accounts, data, programs, and system drivers.

   Tip

ITEMS THAT WILL BE RESET TO DEFAULT OR AFFECTED:

• Sounds
• Services
• Visual Effects Settings
• Device Drivers - Be sure to have these handy to reinstall. They do not always remain after the repair (upgrade) install.
• You may lose the ability to sign on to MSN Messenger, to solve this problem have a look at this thread Unable to sign in to WLM.
• You may lose your custom themes due to not having permisions set on the old themes. Go to the hidden themes folder at C:/Users/(User-Name)/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/Themes, then Take Ownership of the themes folder and you will now have all your themes back.
• It has been reported that you may also lose your Media Center gadget after doing the repair install.
• Windows Updates will need to be checked and reinstalled again.

   Warning

• You can only do a repair install with the same edition Windows 7 installation disc for the same edition of Windows 7 that you have installed.
• You cannot use a OEM Windows 7 "Factory" Restore/Recovery type of installation disc that came with or created from a store bought computer to do a repair install with. These can only be used do a clean install instead.
• You can do a repair install on a factory OEM installation with the latest official Windows 7 with SP1 ISO file here: Microsoft: Windows 7 Direct Download Links, and use Windows 7 USB-DVD Download Tool to create a bootable DVD or USB flash drive with the ISO to do the repair install from within Windows 7.
• You can use a retail OEM Windows 7 installation disc to do a repair install with.
• You can use a retail (full or upgrade) Windows 7 installation disc to do a repair install with.
• You cannot do a repair install with a System Repair Disc. A System Repair Disc is not a installation disc, and will only boot to the System Recovery Options screen.
• If you have a 32-bit (x86) Windows 7 currently installed, then you must use a 32-bit Windows 7 installation disc to be able to do a repair install with.
• If you have a 64-bit (x64) Windows 7 currently installed, then you must use a 64-bit Windows 7 installation disc to be able to do a repair install with.
• You can use a retail Windows 7 SP1 installation disc (ex: Technet (available), MSDN (available), or retail (when available)) to do a repair install with on a currently installed Windows 7 SP1.
• You can use a Windows 7 SP1 installation disc (ex: Technet (available), MSDN (available), or retail (when available)) to do a repair install with on a currently installed slipstream Windows 7 SP1.
• You cannot use a slipstream Windows 7 installation disc to do a repair install with on a currently installed Windows 7 SP1.
• You cannot use a slipstream Windows 7 installation disc to do a repair install with on a currently installed slipstream Windows 7 SP1.
• You can only do a repair install from within Windows 7.
• You cannot do a repair install at boot or in Safe Mode.
• You must be logged into Windows 7 in a administrator account to be able to do a repair install.
• You must have at least 8.87 GB + what is currently being used of free space (more if you have a larger installation) on the hard drive/partition Windows 7 is installed on to do a repair install.
• If you changed the default location of a user account's profile folder, then you will need to change it back to the default C:\Users location first.
• If you moved the default location of a user folder, then you will need to change it back to the default C:\Users\(user-name) location first.

Here's How:
NOTE: Be sure to back up anything that you do not want to lose first to be extra safe.1. Start Windows 7, and log on to an administrator account.

2. Disable any 3rd party firewall, antivirus, or other security program to avoid it from possibly preventing the repair in-place upgrade installation of Windows 7.

3. Do either step 4, step 5, or step 6 below depending if your retail Windows 7 installation ISO/DVD/USB has SP1 or not, and if your currently installed Windows 7 has SP1 installed or not.

4. Repair Installed Windows 7 SP1 using Windows 7 with SP1 ISO

   Note

If you do not have a Windows 7 with SP1 ISO, then you can download an official ISO with your retail product key from Microsoft at the link below.

:ar: Microsoft Software Recovery

You can also download the latest official Windows 7 SP1 Media Refresh (SP1 U) ISO file at the link below, but this link is not always available for download.

:ar: Microsoft: Windows 7 Direct Download Links

A) If you have not already, you will need to install a program like 7-Zip that supports extracting a ISO to a folder.

B) Using the program (ex: 7-Zip) from step 1, extract the Windows 7 SP1 ISO file to a folder on a partition or HDD other than the current Windows 7 partition. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: For example with 7-Zip, right click on ISO, click on 7-Zip, Extract files, browse button, select where you want to extract to, and click on OK twice.
C) While in Windows 7 SP1, open the folder that you extracted the ISO into, and run the setup.exe file.

D) Go to step 7 below.
5. Repair Installed Windows 7 SP1 using Windows 7 with SP1 DVD/USB

   Note

If you do not have a Windows 7 with SP1 ISO, then you can download an official ISO with your retail product key from Microsoft at the link below.

:ar: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-recovery

You can also download the latest official Windows 7 SP1 Media Refresh (SP1 U) ISO file at the link below, but this link is not always available for download.

:ar: Microsoft: Windows 7 Direct Download Links

Afterwards, you can use Windows 7 USB-DVD Download Tool to create a bootable DVD or USB flash drive with the ISO to do the repair install from within Windows 7 using this step.

A) While in Windows 7 SP1, insert your retail Windows 7 SP1 installation DVD into the DVD drive, or connect your Windows 7 with SP1 installation USB thumb drive, and click on the Run setup.exe option in AutoPlay. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If the AutoPlay window does not open, then open the drive folder in Computer and run the setup.exe file.
B) Go to Go to step 7 below.
6. Repair Installed Windows 7 without SP1 using Windows 7 without SP1 DVD/USB

   Note

If you do not have a Windows 7 without SP1 installation DVD/USB, then you can download the latest official Windows 7 Professional or Home Premium without SP1 ISO file here: Microsoft: Windows 7 Direct Download Links, and use Windows 7 USB-DVD Download Tool to create a bootable DVD or USB flash drive with the ISO to do the repair install from within Windows 7 using this step.

It is preferred to have SP1 installed on your PC and to use step 4 or step 5 above to do a repair install with instead though.

A) While in Windows 7 SP1 installed, insert your retail Windows 7 installation DVD into the DVD drive, or connect your Windows 7 installation USB thumb drive, and click on the Run setup.exe option in AutoPlay. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If the AutoPlay window does not open, then open the drive folder in Computer and run the setup.exe file.
B) Go to Go to step 7 below.
7. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

8. Click on the Install Now button to start the installation. (see screenshot below)
9. If prompted, uncheck the I want to help make Windows installation better box (unless you would like to ), and click on the Go online to get the latest updates for installation option. (see screenshot below)
A) Windows 7 will now check online for and install any available installation updates. (see screenshots below)



10. Check the I accept the license terms box, and click on Next. (see screenshot below)
11. Click on the Upgrade option. (see screenshot below)
12. Windows will now check for any compatibility issues. If any are found like in the example below, click on the red X to cancel the repair install and close this "Install Windows" window, take care of any found issues (ex: uninstall any incompatible program), then restart the repair install process over again.
13. The installation of Windows 7 will now begin. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: During the installation process, your screen may flash and computer will restart a few times.
14. After the final restart, you will see this screen for a moment. (see screenshot below)
15. Type in your Windows 7 product key number. (see screenshot below step 16)

16. Uncheck the Automatically activate Windows when I'm online box unchecked, then click on the Next button. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: You can activate Windows 7 later after you make sure it is running properly. (see step 23 below)
If you chose to automatically activate Windows online when you set up your computer, automatic activation begins trying to activate your copy of Windows three days after you log on for the first time.
17. Click on Use recommended settings. (see screenshot below)

:note: You will always be able to change your Windows Update settings at anytime in Windows 7.


18. Select your time zone and set your time and date settings, then click on the Next button. (see screenshot below)
19. Click on the option for your computer's location to select the correct network location type settings to be applied for that location. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: It is best to select Public location for the best security.
20. Windows 7 will now prepare your desktop to startup. (see screenshots below)



21. If you used a DVD or USB to do the repair install with, then you can remove the DVD or USB when the repair install has successfully completed and you are logged in to Windows 7.

22. Check to see if you are missing any user files. If you are, then you can copy them from the C:\Windows.old or the hidden protected operating system C:\$INPLACE.~TR and C:\WINDOWS.~Q backup folders. (see screenshot below)
23. If everything checks out in step 21, then you can run Disk Cleanup (step 5 at this link). You will need to click on the Clean up system files button first, and then could check the Files discarded by Windows upgrade, Previous Windows installations, and Windows upgrade log files boxes. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: This will delete the C:\Windows.old, C:\$INPLACE.~TR and C:\WINDOWS.~Q folders from step 21 above.
24. Refresh your Windows Experience Index (WEI) score.

25. When finished, activate Windows 7, and make sure that your 3rd party security programs (if applicable) are enabled again.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Do an Upgrade Installation with Windows 7
• How to Do a Clean Installation with Windows 7
• How to Do a Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version
• How to Activate Windows 7 Online
• How to Run a Startup Repair in Windows 7
• How to Do a System Restore in Windows 7
• How to Repair Windows 7 System Files with System File Checker
• How to Extract Files from the Windows 7 Installation DVD
• How to Boot to the Advanced Boot Options in Windows 7
• How to Boot to the System Recovery Options in Windows 7
• How to Create a Windows 7 System Repair Disc
• How to Run Disk Check in Windows 7
• How to Create a Windows 7 Installation USB Key
• How to Install Windows 7 FAST without a DVD or USB Device
• How to Do a Custom Installation of Windows 7
• How to Create a System Recovery Shortcut in Windows 7
• How to Slipstream Windows 7 SP1 to Create a Installation DVD or ISO File
• Fix "The User Profile Service failed the logon. User profile cannot be loaded." Error in Windows 7

 

[Jonathan_King]

Excuse me... I've got little problem when trying ti repair or upgrade the win 7
It always said that the windows cannot upgrade from 32 to 64 or the opposite
Even though i using the 64 and want to upgrade to 64 again
How to solve this problem?

Where did you get your copy of Windows 7? Are you 100% sure it is the x64 version?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/515-system-type-32-bit-x86-64-bit-x64.html

 

[n00bs]

Bought it at campus when there is a discount at windows 7 seminar
An i sure about that, it give me choice whether i install the x86 or x64
Since i using the quad core i choose the x64
and now still don't know hot to start the repair

 

[Jonathan_King]

I'm guessing you have a 32-bit setup, with the 64-bit installation files imagex'd in.

You will need to get a hold of an official 64-bit copy.

That may be impractical, so maybe we can figure out your problem without doing a repair install. Why are you trying to do a repair install?

 

[n00bs]

Well.. i choose the x86 but it still say the same problem
Sometimes i cannot do anything after i leave my PC on
there still some reaction to any button but its not doing anything, only animated the button
and some sound is not playing, like an error message sound or warning sound
Btw, if i choose the custom install, it still backup the windows.old right? same like repairing, or its different

 

[Brink]

Well.. i choose the x86 but it still say the same problem
Sometimes i cannot do anything after i leave my PC on
there still some reaction to any button but its not doing anything, only animated the button
and some sound is not playing, like an error message sound or warning sound
Btw, if i choose the custom install, it still backup the windows.old right? same like repairing, or its different

A custom install is not the same as a repair install. It's like a clean install instead, but places your current installation in the C:\Windows.old folder as a backup to be able to copy files and folders back into the new installation with.

 

[n00bs]

A custom install is not the same as a repair install. It's like a clean install instead, but places your current installation in the C:\Windows.old folder as a backup to be able to copy files and folders back into the new installation with.

A lil bit confused....
so custom install is start from zero an repair is only repairing the existing OS?
Oh yea, is the program in the windows.old still can be run?
so i didn't have to install everything again?
i thing i gonna do the custom install since the repair won't do
Thanks again btw

 

[Brink]

Correct, a custom install is starting from scratch, but with a backup of you current installation placed in the C:\Windows.old folder.

Programs and drivers will still have to be reinstalled, but files and folders (ex: user files) can be copied back from the C:\Windows.old folder.

 

[n00bs]

Ah... damn.... gonna have a lot of time and work to install all those program
So, all in the User files and folder like my document etc will be backup right? at least my game saves still save

 

[OrangeTux]

Hello,

I Don't have a Windows 7 CD or DVD, only a Recovery partition.. Is there a way to reinstall en clean up my entire PC. If I loosing files, fine! I want a clean installation. But my recoverypoint are not older than 7 days, so recovering from a recovery point won't result in a fully clean PC.

 

[Brink]

Hello OrangTux,

Since you have a Acer Aspire 7540, you should be able to do a factory restore using the Acer eRecovery Mangement Q7 at the link below. It should be the same.

Acer Service & Support

 

[OrangeTux]

I didn't make a backup disc.....

 

[Brink]

A factory restore is not a restore from a backup. It does a clean reinstall of the OS back to how it was when you first turned on the computer.

 

[henrylife]

Hi, i can't made upgarade it says
There is not enough free space to store temporary Windows installation files. Try using Disk Cleanup, uninstall old programs, or move files to an external location such as a CD, DVD, or external hard drive.
I have 50gb free and 160gb hdd

 

[Jonathan_King]

Hi, i can't made upgarade it says
There is not enough free space to store temporary Windows installation files. Try using Disk Cleanup, uninstall old programs, or move files to an external location such as a CD, DVD, or external hard drive.
I have 50gb free and 160gb hdd

Welcome!

You may want to try defragmenting your drive.

 

[henrylife]

no problem exists same error

 

[gordo23]

Most excellent.. Resolved a few nagging problems that remained after a malware infection.

 

[Brink]

Hi, i can't made upgarade it says
There is not enough free space to store temporary Windows installation files. Try using Disk Cleanup, uninstall old programs, or move files to an external location such as a CD, DVD, or external hard drive.
I have 50gb free and 160gb hdd

no problem exists same error

Hello Henry, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You might also reduce your system restore disk storage space to see if that will give you enough free space to be able to do the repair install.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[belikexp]

Thank You Brink. Nice tutorial. This is why Windows 7 is selling so well.

Even though I unchecked Automatically activate Windows; if your one time of activating in 3 days is used up Windows forces you to activate.

So far it fixed some issues I had.

This is great if your replacing your motherboard and you need to update the OS.

 

[jtjr]

Music hell

Thank you,

I was refered to this link from a music company when I could not install a PreSonus.com Faderport. My question is that this machine is being used for music production and has a lot of my hours tied up in customization settings. Mostly due to the fact that companies like Avvid and Presonus were not ready for win 7 x64 and probably not even win 7, but I don't know that. What I am worried about is if I do a repair of win 7 will I have a chance of losing any of the settings for hardware 'Digidesign M-box 2 mini' software Pro-tools v8.0.3

This may not be answerable. I have got Pro tools working fine, but there were about 50 or more different changes(OK maybe 20 or more) . Can you recover from a Restore using restore points?

Will be grateful for any help,

JT

 

[Brink]

Hello JT, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Doing a repair install is the same as doing a inplace upgrade install to the same OS edition (Windows 7 Home Premium). You will not be able to undo this using a restore point. If you needed to recover from the repair install, you would have to create a system image to a different hard drive before doing the repair install, then you could do a system image recovery if needed afterwards to go back to how your computer was at the time the system image was created.

Your program settings should remain intact after the repair install, but be safe and create the system image as a backup.

Hope this helps,
Shawn