Windows 7: Repair Install

Brink · 24 May 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Chinga

Gidday Brink,

I can't thank you enough for your complete, concise and easy to follow & understand description of how to perform a "Repair Install" for Windows 7. It worked perfectly & was completed, including fresh updates in about 6 hours.

I had been searching for fixes to several problems for nearly 4 months. It all started when I lost the ability to stream sound from the internet, or play sound in videos downloaded from the 'net using Real Player, even videos downloads prior to the problem appearing. . .all other sound functions worked perfectly.

I then found the System Properties would not show the CPU detail.

The next thing I found was that sfc /scannow would complete with errors it could not fix.

Next thing as that msconfig/system info was unable to run.

I tried all the fixes and all they did was show up other problems & fixed nothing.

Your procedure fixed EVERYTHING. . . . . .

Also I experienced none of the side effects you alluded to in you description, including windows theme. . .worked perfectly in every respect.

The only issue that arose was a warning about iTunes & the need to, I forget the term it used, but I simple switched screens & uninstalled it. . .no problemo!

Please excuse the long winded reply, but I thought it may help the myriad of people out there who are also chasing solutions to these problems.

Again thank you

Cheers,
Chinga

You're most welcome Chinga, and welcome to Seven Forums. I'm happy to hear that it went pretty smoothly for you. Thank you for posting back with your results. :)

Slartybart · 24 May 2012

Wish I could, but all I can remember is what I posted. I had the wrong bootsect, replaced it with one from a different version of windows and that solved it.

If I recall, I was trying to create a bootable flash drive, it failed exactly where your attempt failed. It was quite a while back, so I don't know the exact post/thread. Search for bootsect or wrong bootsect.

Here are two I found One Two, you might also want to view the tutorial section creating bootable flash drives

and this seems like it might be what I saw way back when.

Sorry I can't be more specific, you'll just have to search Seven forums.

The key thing is: there is specific information on the wrong bootsect and it, the post, told me where to get it (either on my other machine or download-but I think I just moved it from the other machine)

Quote: Originally Posted by anon123

Can I have the details and tut on how you fixed this?

and then there is this, which sounds like the same problem I had.

Night Hawk · 24 May 2012

The commands for DiskPart in Windows versions 2000, XP, and Vista are slightly different from what is seen in 7 at times. The command line reference page for DiskPart in XP is seen at DiskPart

For 7 you would instead refer to the TechNet page for the Bootsect Coomand-Line Options

A repair install on the other hand would automatically take care of any boot situation when new mbr entries as well as the replacement of boot files and the new BCD store take over. The other options would include the Startup repair tool and manually rebuilding the BCD store and seeing the boot entries rewritten.

Ran into this problem when going to OS a flash drive and the Windows mbr was nailed instead by the other OS's boot loader!

The guide here shows how to see a whole lot of problems solved while still keeping the present installation intact for the most part as far as files, folders, programs, and user settings.

tzach44 · 04 Jun 2012

"Custom:
Choose Custom to install Windows on the partition you select. This deletes your programs and settings on that partition. You should back up any files and settings you want to keep so you can restore them after the installation. You must reinstall your programs when the installation is done. "
When choosing this option does this mean I'll need to backup EVERYTHING on my computer or just the files on the drive windows is installed on?

Brink · 04 Jun 2012

Hello tzach, and welcome to Seven Forums.

If you are wanting to do a Repair Install, then you would need to select "Upgrade" instead as outlined in the tutorial.

If you select "Customize", then you will be doing the tutorial below for a custom install instead. This would place a copy of your current OS into the C:\Windows.old folder before doing a clean install.

Custom Install Windows 7

Hope this helps,
Shawn

tzach44 · 04 Jun 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Brink

Hello tzach, and welcome to Seven Forums.

If you are wanting to do a Repair Install, then you would need to select "Upgrade" instead as outlined in the tutorial.

If you select "Customize", then you will be doing the tutorial below for a custom install instead. This would place a copy of your current OS into the C:\Windows.old folder before doing a clean install.

Custom Install Windows 7

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Thank you for your guide :)
Just to make sure I read it right, it means only the windows folder/drive will be completely formatted?

Brink · 04 Jun 2012

You're welcome.

Nope, with a "Custom" install it will still do a clean install, but in addition, it will place a complete copy of your current installation into the C:\Windows.old folder in the new installation as a type of backup. This way you could copy any files you want from it back into your new installation.

tzach44 · 04 Jun 2012

I understand... well I'll give it a try then :)

Brink · 04 Jun 2012

Please let us know how it went. :)

hiitsmescott · 04 Jun 2012

Thanks for this tutorial, I've used it successfully in the past more than once. The problem I am having right now is that I've tried both the "with SP1" and "without SP1" fixes and neither works due to the fact that SP1 won't successfully install on my machine. If I try the "without SP1" repair but it says Win 7 Pro can't upgrade to Win 7 Pro. If I try the "with SP1" it says "To upgrade, you need to be running Windows 7 with Service Pack 1 installed. Close the installation, open Windows Update, and then check updates for Service Pack 1." Yet SP1 always fails to install on my system and isn't in my list of installed updates. Any ideas other than reinstall Windows?

Thanks.