26/04/2011 Windows 7 Forums - Repair Install

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Brink 02-02-2009 05:06 PM

Repair Install

17 Attachment(s)

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
c urrently installed Windows 7 and preserve your user acc ounts, 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 acc ounts, 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 will not be able to use a OEM Windows 7 Factory Restore/Recovery type of
installation disc that came with or c reated from a store bought c omputer to do a repair

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26/04/2011 Windows 7 Forums - Repair Install
install with. These c an only be used do a clean install instead.
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 sc reen.
If you have a 32-bit (x86) Windows 7 c urrently 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 c urrently installed, then you must use a 64-bit
Windows 7 installation disc to be able to do a repair install with.
If you have Windows 7 SP1 installed, then you either must use a Windows 7 SP1
installation disc to be able to do a repair install or uninstall SP1 to be able to use a
retail Windows 7 installation disc to do a repair install with.
You can use a Windows 7 SP1 installation disc (ex: Tec hnet (available), MSDN
(available), or retail (when available)) to do a repair install with on a c urrently
installed Windows 7 SP1.
You cannot use a slipstream Windows 7 installation disc to do a repair install
with on a c urrently installed Windows 7 SP1.
You cannot use a slipstream Windows 7 installation disc to do a repair install
with on a c urrently installed slipstream Windows 7 SP1.
You can use a Windows 7 SP1 installation disc (ex: Tec hnet (available), MSDN
(available), or retail (when available)) to do a repair install with on a c urrently
installed slipstream Windows 7 SP1.
You c an 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 ac c ount to be able to do a
repair install.
You must have at least 8.87 GB 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 the Program Files or Programs Files (x86)
folder, then you will need to change it bac k to the C: drive, and c hange any shortcuts
that pointed to the other loc ation to also point to the C: drive before doing a repair
install.

Here's How:
1. Start Windows 7, and log on to an administrator acc ount.

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

3. Plac e your Windows 7 installation DVD into the DVD drive, while still in Windows
7 (Step 1), and clic k on the Run setup.exe option in the AutoPlay window from
within the c urrently installed Windows 7. (See sc reenshot below)
NOTE: If the AutoPlay window does not open, then open the drive folder in
Computer and run the setup.exe file.

Attachment 4038

4. If prompted by UAC, then c lick on Yes.

5. Clic k on the Install Now button to start the installation. (See sc reenshot below)
Attachment 4039

6. If prompted, unc hec k the I want to help make Windows installation better
box (unless you would like to :) ), and clic k on the Go online to get the latest
updates for installation option. (See sc reenshot below)
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26/04/2011 Windows 7 Forums - Repair Install

Attachment 4040

A) Windows 7 will now check online for and install any available
installation updates. (See sc reenshots below)

Attac hment 4041Attac hment 4042

7. Chec k the I accept the license terms box and c lick on Next. (See sc reenshot
below)

Attachment 4043

8. Clic k on the Upgrade option. (See sc reenshot below)

Attachment 4044

9. The installation of Windows 7 will now begin. (See screenshot below)

NOTE: During the installation process, your sc reen may flash and c omputer will
restart a few times.

Attachment 4045

10. After the final restart, you will see this sc reen for a moment. (See sc reenshot
below)

Attachment 4046

11. Type in your Windows 7 product key number. (See screenshot below step 12)

12. Unc hec k the Automatically activate Windows when I'm online box
unc hec ked, then c lick on the Next button. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You can ac tivate Windows 7 later after you make sure it is running
properly. (See step 19 below)
If you c hose to automatic ally ac tivate Windows online when you set up your
computer, automatic ac tivation begins trying to activate your c opy of Windows
three days after you log on for the first time.

Attachment 4047

13. Click on Use recommended settings. (See sc reenshot below)

Attachment 4048

14. Selec t your time zone and set your time and date settings, then c lick on the
Next button. (See sc reenshot below)

Attachment 4049

15. Click on the option for your c omputer's location to select the c orrec t network
loc ation type settings to be applied for that loc ation. (See sc reenshot below)
NOTE: It is best to selec t Public location for the best sec urity.

Attachment 4050

16. Windows 7 will now prepare your desktop to startup. (See sc reenshots below)
Attachment 22338Attac hment 22339

17. Chec k to see if you are missing any user files. If you are, then you can c opy
them from the C:\Windows.old or the hidden protec ted operating system
C:\$INPLACE.~TR and C:\WINDOWS.~Q bac kup folders. (See sc reenshot below)

Attachment 4053

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18. If everythig checks out in step 18, then you c an run Disk Cleanup (step 6 at
this link). You will need to clic k on the Clean up system files button first, and
then c hec k the Files discarded by Windows upgrade, Previous Windows
installations, and Windows upgrade log files boxes. (See sc reenshot below)
NOTE: This will delete the C:\Windows.old, C:\$INPLACE.~TR and
C:\WINDOWS.~Q folders from step 17 above.

Attachment 4054

19. Refresh your Windows Experience Index (WEI) score.

20. When done, all you will need to do is to activate Windows 7, and make sure
that your sec urity programs are enabled again.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

How to Do a 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 Ac tivate 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 Chec ker
How to Extrac t Files from the Windows 7 Installation DVD
How to Boot to the Advanc ed Boot Options in Windows 7
How to Boot to the System Rec overy Options in Windows 7
How to Create a Windows 7 System Repair Disc
How to Run Disk Chec k in Windows 7
How to Create a Windows 7 Installation USB Key
How to Install Windows 7 FAST without a DVD or USB Devic e
How to Do a Custom Installation of Windows 7
How to Create a System Recovery Shortc ut in Windows 7
How to Slipstream Windows 7 SP1 to Create a Installation DVD or ISO File

swarfega 02-03-2009 03:55 AM

Thanks for this tut, resolved a c ouple of issues I had. This proc ess creates two folders:
C:\$INPLACE.~TR and C:\$WINDOWS.~Q, can these be deleted?

Brink 02-03-2009 08:59 AM

Your welc ome Swarfega,

Yep, you can use Disk Cleanup to delete them in step 18. ;)

swarfega 02-04-2009 04:02 AM

Just saved 4.80gb!

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Brink 02-04-2009 08:05 AM

Not bad. :)

Airbot 02-04-2009 11:46 AM

Just a note, the Files discarded by Windows upgrade box doesn't show up on the initial page
in disk cleanup, unless you clic k Clean up system files first. Maybe this is already notic ed
when you use the (step 6 at link) but c ould still be kind of confusing for some.

Brink 02-04-2009 12:07 PM

Agreed Aaron. Updated to help make it more c lear. :)

Thank you.

Airbot 02-04-2009 12:12 PM

Very nice tutorial by the way, I used it and it worked great, got 11.5 gb bac k after deleting the
disc ards. :)

Mark 02-05-2009 09:31 AM

Just need to add some info that will affect most users, when doing a Repair Install afterward
you may loose the ability to sign on to MSN Messenger, to solve this problem have a look at this
thread http://www.sevenforums.c om/software/3541-unable-sign-wlm-2.html

Another thing you might find is you loose your custom themes and this is due to not having
permisions set on the old themes, go to the themes folder in C:/Users/Your User
Name/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/Themes and use the Take Ownership shortc ut
in your c ontext menu found here Take Ownership Shortcut on the themes folder and you will
now have all your themes back.

Brink 02-05-2009 10:20 AM

Thank you Mr GRiM.

Added. :)

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