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#290
Correct, you can do a clean install with a upgrade Windows 7 installation disc. :)
I hope this hasn't already been asked...but...in Windows XP, if you weren't able to boot into the OS, you were able to reinstall an XP installation from the recovery console.
I see an option to do a Startup Repair, but can you reinstall a Windows 7 installation from the repair disc?
Thanks!
Not the repair disc, but if you have an installation disc, you can do a repair install or clean install.
From the repair disc, you can do a startup repair, open a command prompt, do a system restore, and restore from a system image.
Thanks! So basically I would put in the installation disc and get to the point where I can click 'Install Now' (as shown in Method Two Step 4 of the System Recovery Options tutorial), and there will be an option to either clean install or reinstall?
A clean install is another name for a reinstall.
Here on SF, we use the terms clean install and custom install separately. They are the same thing, except in a clean install, you format the disk before installing. A custom install backs up your user data to a Windows.old folder, but does not save programs.
There is also an in-place upgrade. When you do an in-place upgrade while in Windows 7 already, it is referred to as a repair install. It keeps all your programs and data intact, while replacing system files. An in-place upgrade can also be done from Vista.
If you cannot get into Windows to run the installer, you cannot do a repair install. You are left with the option of doing a complete reinstall, meaning either a custom or clean install.
See these tutorials so you feel confident enough to go ahead:
Clean Install Windows 7
Custom Install Windows 7
Sorry for mixing up the lingo - I am talking about a repair install. You answered my question though, looks like I cannot do a repair install if I can't get into Windows. Which is weird considering you could in XP. What's up with that Microsoft...
Brink,
I retrieved all my data from my C Drive and then followed the tutorial on a Clean Install with my upgrade disc...being careful to activate manually...and installed on a newly formatted drive. I then installed the drivers from the list provided by you and followed up with my programs. The bonus is that all the HP stuff loaded on my computer is gone!
I'm up and running, faster and leaner than ever!!
Thanks for all the help on the forums from all those that contribute. Good to know there is support out there...God knows the manufacturers don't help!!
Too all those that offered their 'opinion(s)' = Thanks.
It was a combination of them that led to success.
But I have a suggestion to include in 'Step 1: Open msconfig, and disable ALL NON MS applications (both under services and startup) AND to disconnect ALL peripheral - except keyboard, mouse and WEB Connection' of course.
I also have a suggesstion to all in this forum: 'When someone posts a problem, do not assume that they are 'novices'! I for one, probably have more years of working on computers than most of you have been on this earth - started as an operator in 1965, became a cobol programmer in 1969, a LAN Administrator to over 300 users in 1991. However, I just started working with WINDOWS 7 - in March of 2010!!!! For those of you that knew XP and earlier, there was very little change to the user interface over the years. WINDOWS 7 on the other hand, was completly changed.'
So don't assume you are working with 'the nuts that call the help desk'. Ask me questions about XP - I could probably answer as quickly as others on this forum.
Again,
Thanks for all that offered their 'input' and hopefully others learned from this thread.
My question is: do I have to reinstall all my applications after doing a repair Install? (some of my apps are installed on c: drive, but most of them are installed on d:)
If I must reinstall them, which of them must I reinstall (the ones on c:, or d: or BOTH)?