Author Topic: Reinstall Win7 without deleting programs (Read 25266 times)

Heatz123 · « **on:** May 29, 2015, 06:11:04 am »

Hello.
I need to reinstall windows 7 on my Dell Inspiron 620 without deleting my programs but do not recall how to do this correctly. I have done it before and it kept the system as it was before i installed fresh. I have to Disc to do this but it is only giving the option to "Install" with a Win7 screen. Shane guided me through this last time. I re booted with disc in drive but nothing happens and f12 is just the bios so f8 would be the only other to try but i never did this before. I just want a fresh OS without installed programs being effected .

Thank you.

Boggin · « **Reply #1 on:** May 29, 2015, 06:45:57 am »

Is this what you are looking for http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

Heatz123 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 29, 2015, 06:59:54 am »

Hello. Thank's for the reply. It may well be a route but not the one i used before. The CD i got with the Dell gave me two options - one would overwrite everything and install Win7 fresh and the other run a data safe option to keep my entire system but with a repair of the OS and now it is only giving me an install screen from the disc. I run a record label and have files that depend upon 100s of locations. If ONE location is moved, the studio files will not load fully and so back these up is a task i can not complete so i have no option but to repair the OS without deleting user programs and files. So it boots up as it always does but with a fresh OS and without the corrupted OS that it has right now.
The steps in that link is not what i have done before and is long winded unlike how it was done previously via the original Win 7 disc that came with the Dell. I should get a dell screen on the disc , not WIn 7 with one option only and i am confused by this so i am not following the steps or i can loose a lot of data forever .

Boggin · « **Reply #3 on:** May 29, 2015, 08:11:23 am »

What about this one then - http://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/19/SLN153763/EN

A Paragon Rescue Disk has a File Transfer Wizard that you can use to back up those important files if you have a suitable external HDD to save them to. https://www.paragon-software.com/home/rk-free/

The Paragon disk also has boot sector repairs but with a Win 7 install disk you could also perform an offboot sfc /scannow, but it would need to include SP1.

Depending upon which key Dell uses to tap to boot up to the Boot order change option (usually F12) change that to ODD (disk player) - insert the disk and press any key when prompted to boot from CD/DVD.

If it comes up with an inverse screen as opposed to the splash screen, press enter on the top Windows Setup (EMS Enabled) default option.

Change or confirm the Time and currency then select Repair your Computer.

Taking note of the OS location, click on Next to continue on to the Recovery Environment and select Command Prompt - you can also select the Startup Repair or Restore point options to see if this will repair/revert whatever has gone wrong.

You should still be able to get these options with a basic install disk.

Anyway, for the offboot sfc /scannow, to confirm the OS location enter bcdedit |find "osdevice" and enter using whichever partition letter - assuming C

sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C:\ /offwindir=C:\Windows

And see what that reports.

Irondude85 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 29, 2015, 01:29:50 pm »

I tried to reinstall Windows 7 with my original disk using this process and at the compatibility check it said that the version on my computer now was newer than the version being installed ... and the installation process was stopped. What would my next step be?

Boggin · « **Reply #5 on:** May 29, 2015, 03:08:30 pm »

Quote from: Irondude85 on May 29, 2015, 01:29:50 pm

I tried to reinstall Windows 7 with my original disk using this process and at the compatibility check it said that the version on my computer now was newer than the version being installed ... and the installation process was stopped. What would my next step be?

You need an install disk that includes SP1.

Which version of Win 7 do you have installed ?

Heatz123 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 29, 2015, 04:09:22 pm »

Hello, again. Thank's for the continued reply.

I run the install to "Update" Win 7 so i did it that way. Only this has not solved an issue or two that initially prompted me to this action.
For one, Microsoft Security Essentials is turned off and can not be turned on, nor can it be removed via the ad / remove or the Fix It Tool.#Next: Upon each boot, i get a message saying NET framework needs to be repaired - do not turn off or reboot until this is complete.
This eventually go's away and nothing strange after that until next reboot when it does it again. I recently have a problem that is much the same were i can not uninstal some software or update it and so on. When i try to install a new version it says it is already installed but it is not on the system. I think these are linked .

Any ideas how to get rid of Security Essentials so i can re install it fresh?

I have run MalwareBytes and ADWCleaner . I may try combi Fix.

Shane · « **Reply #7 on:** May 29, 2015, 04:13:53 pm »

You will need a Windows 7 install disk that has SP1 already on it. But MS removed all the ISO downloads for them and so now you have to get them off the torrent sites, which is a bad idea if you dont know what you are doing.

I dont know how MS comes up with such bad decisions and so often.

So if you can get a windows 7 install disk that has sp1 already on it you can do a repair install. A repair install is basically doing an upgrade to the same version. So since you have Service Pack 1 (SP1) already on the system you cant use a disk without as it will be older and you cant upgrade to a lower version, thats why you get that message.

Otherwise a fresh install is the only option with using the old disks, but that will be a huge pain, mainly because not only do you have to get sp1 install and the updates for it you also have all the updates after as well, so it is more time consuming, and you need to reinstall all you programs.

Shane

Heatz123 · « **Reply #8 on:** May 29, 2015, 05:50:59 pm »

Shane: I am sure you was replying to me and not the other poster.

I have the original disc that came with it. All i did was run that as it has SP1 . But the procedure was different to how i did it in the past on this system. The issues are worse now. I may have to just buy a new machine and migrate the needed files over bit by bit. Else, i could switch my master drive to slave and install a fresh copy of Win 7 on another drive as master boot and access folders from the slave drive.

I am not sure what i will do at this point.

Shane · « **Reply #9 on:** May 29, 2015, 06:12:36 pm »

If a fresh install is needed I say backup the system, or if you have another drive switch out your current drive with another and do a fresh install. Keep your current drive out until the install is finished, then hook it in as a slave and then start moving your files over.

There is a tool I use that lets me customize a windows install disk, adding updates, files and changing settings. I wonder if it would be able to use the install disk you have to create a new one. But if you havent done it before I am not sure how easy it would be for you to use, but worth a look

It is called WinToolkit
http://www.wincert.net/forum/files/file/5-win-toolkit/

Shane

Heatz123 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 30, 2015, 07:57:37 am »

Hi Shane. Thank's for the reply. I now have even more HDD drives for data and running out of room on the master right now, too. Fixing this would be the easy part - installing all the software and studio VST i use would be the hardest part but it can be done.
As for swapping HDD - slave and master - i can by an original replacement from Dell so it is identical . However, it may be simpler to just install another version of Win 7 onto it. I can get those

At the moment i am running All in One tool with permissions reset checked . I also run Combi Fix but although it fixed many issues, the PC is still the same.

I will just try other things until i can get and alternative or permanent solution .

Heatz123 · « **Reply #11 on:** May 31, 2015, 08:23:21 am »

I have now fixed most of the issues manually. NET Framework could not be removed or installed in any way via any of the methods approved by Microsoft , nor via many other methods until i downloaded the AMD catalyst centre which scanned the system and then downloaded the software which needs NET Framework to run. During installation it installed NET Framework 4.5.2 for me (LOL) and without any problems and my graphics returned to normal - this also fixed other issues. Even Microsoft updated kept failing to install, yet AMD installed NET Framework with no problems.

I seem to have lost about 15 gig from my HDD when i should have gained space after re install of the OS over the old one. I still have a file that i can not un install or delete and i have even removed it's registry files. As well as that, MS Security Essentials has been removed, but can not be re installed and i can not manually delete the folder in program files as it says i do not have permission yet i have full control.

Any ideas what could be causing these issues ?

Shane · « **Reply #12 on:** June 01, 2015, 12:56:51 pm »

You may want to run all the repairs, but when it comes to .net the only way I have found to make it proper again is to completely yank it out and reinstall it fresh. Works every time. Nothing from MS on it has ever worked for me.

I use the .net cleanup tool, have it yank everything, reboot and go download the network installer of .net and it does the trick
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/astebner/archive/2008/08/28/8904493.aspx

Quote

I seem to have lost about 15 gig from my HDD when i should have gained space after re install of the OS over the old one. I still have a file that i can not un install or delete and i have even removed it's registry files. As well as that, MS Security Essentials has been removed, but can not be re installed and i can not manually delete the folder in program files as it says i do not have permission yet i have full control.

What is the file you are trying to delete?

Shane

Heatz123 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 01, 2015, 01:07:51 pm »

The file (Or Folder) is Microsoft Security as it has been uninstalled now (So it seems) which i could not remove before. However it refuses to re install so i need to remove it from program files and also perhaps delete the registry entry for it , too.

I think the lost disc space is due to the updates which never installed but downloaded many many times and during reboot it said it failed to configure them and was reverting back (Or restoring) but it seems like quite a lot of space to lose.

Net framework could not be fixed or deleted via any method known anywhere until i run AMD catalyst centre which installed it for me with no issues

Shane · « **Reply #14 on:** June 01, 2015, 01:21:03 pm »

I had to remove a bad security essentials install. What had happened was a virus was infecting the system, the ms security ess. was stopping only part of it, so it was going none stop. The cache folder for the AV was over 11 GB in size and had 45,000+ entries! It was insane.

Once I manually cleaned up the virus I remove ms and when I tried to reinstall ti again I would just get a generic error. So I followed this
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/wiki/mse-protect_start/uninstalling-microsoft-security-essentials/316493c2-8885-46b0-afba-28ebd45c0838

Which the folder in the C:\ProgramData is where the huge amount of files where. but once I used the bat file and cleaned it all up and rebooted I was able to reinstall it again.

Shane

Heatz123 · « **Reply #15 on:** June 01, 2015, 02:32:08 pm »

Hi Shane. I used most of those methods from the net to solve this but with no luck. The one you sent link to - second one down I created a BAT file but it says copy the "LINE" so do i copy the lot as it : *****MSREMOVAL.TXT***** Or just : MSREMOVAL.TEXT So i tried both and both bring up a box that appears in a flash and is gone. Nothing after that. Further down in those instructions it tells you to copy the long list of commands but tells me nothing after. Like, what so i copy it for and where do i paste it and why? And that is the end of the instructions. After i run the BAT , i rebooted and try to install MSE and get the same damn message as before.
I can run the PC without it anyway. At this point , does it really matter? Why can they give a huge list when a software could do it all in one for them. Millions must have had the same problem as the web boards are full of posts on this issue.

Maybe i should download some other AV and that will remove it when it installs like the AMD did? LOL

Shane · « **Reply #16 on:** June 01, 2015, 02:36:28 pm »

Can you post a screen shot of the error message you get when you try to install it?

Shane

Heatz123 · « **Reply #17 on:** June 01, 2015, 02:51:19 pm »

Ok, i worked out the text thing and run it just now. Re booted and got the same error. It just says it can not install security essentials. No other reason but it does give an error code which can not be copied or clicked. The message is the same one posted all over the web boards by others who have problems installing it after removing it. Shane, it took me long enough just to remove it (Uninstall)

I do know this: Whatever is causing this is also stopping me from installing Native Instruments Kontakt 5 which i bought with a pack and some hardware for the studio - i was trying to update it to the new version and now the whole system went crazy thereafter.
I run Tweaking all in one and that was when MSE turned off and never come back on again and All In One got stuck and i have to hit reboot to shut it down. But it all started trying to remove and re install Kontakt 5 and i opened a support ticket with them and all they did was link me to the MS Fix It Tool and i posted back to say it did not work and they never replied so i have been trying since only to end up this far and no nearer to the real issue / s.

I forgot to say: I followed the final method in that link and there is no folder for MSE in there, yet alone a registy entry

Heatz123 · « **Reply #18 on:** June 01, 2015, 03:09:57 pm »

Here is what happens to me and the exact message i get : It appears at 30 seconds in. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwQEQnjeePY

Shane · « **Reply #19 on:** June 01, 2015, 04:20:53 pm »

So you are getting error 0x80070643?

Shane

Heatz123 · « **Reply #20 on:** June 01, 2015, 04:56:27 pm »

I have no idea of the exact code because it does not allow copy of it from the screen. To me, it is a bunch of numbers and some letters at the start and it is too small to copy manually. Above it, there is a link to "Get Help" with this issue that takes you to Microsoft but nothing on there about the error itself - just help topics that are standard. You would think it would default the code to their site. I am swinging towards Apple very quickly.

See attachment . Not one of the processes or methods online have worked so far. Although i have not tried one or two due to the long process of editing registry and so on.

By the way, Malwarebytes did find 5 files - mostly PUPs but two was hijackers . These things appear even when i have not installed anything new and ADWCleaner finds conduits and other toolbar warez but this week it removed adblock which is safe and i lost many of my Google profiles . I have always felt this to be a simple permissions issue since there are numerous folders that are locked which appear to be duplicates of regular folders like "My Documents" and so on. I also think that something is not starting up and i need to use the "Turn Winders Features on or Off" to fix that aspect. I also note that some Synthesizers do not work and cause my studio to crash when i try to load them. This was since i run the WIndows update / reinstall to clean Win 7, before that, my entire studio worked fine save for the one problem with Kontakt 5 installing. I am going to buy a replacement Dell Drive and install it as master and run Win 7 on it. I doubt i can use the original Disc because that is likely in need of a tag on the drive as i use not user / pass registration upon install so i may need another version

I can get those with no issue

Heatz123 · « **Reply #21 on:** June 01, 2015, 05:01:57 pm »

Yes, Shane, that is YOUR folder on the top of the screen. I very rarely touch anything on my system except the Studio tools and software .
Although some things have changed. I t removed the gadget you put on the start bar and put back a few other changes i had made. In every other regard, it is the very same PC you accessed previously

Shane · « **Reply #22 on:** June 01, 2015, 05:08:09 pm »

Ok found it, the error code is right there at the bottom which is 0x80070643

That has to do with .Net
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-update-error-80070643#1TC=windows-7

So I think it would be a good idea to use the .net removal tool and yank out .net completely as there is still broken parts of it, then reboot and install it fresh

Once you use that tool and have it remove everything and reboot you will see some errors, that is only because .net is on the system. (Make sure to run the tool as administrator of course)

Once done you need to reinstall .net using the offline installer, here you go
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=42642

Shane

Heatz123 · « **Reply #23 on:** June 01, 2015, 05:52:44 pm »

Shane, NET Framework, like MSE, installing it manually does not work. You must understand that the NET Framework was needed after i re installed Win 7 and the updates could not install it and i used at least 20 methods to fix this and with no success - just the same as this present issue, it is the same type of issue and nothing fixed it until i installed the Video software (Catalyst Centre) with installed NET Framework as part of it's own method. It does this by downloading it from Microsoft right away and installing it.

I just rune a Windows repair from the command Prompt and rebooted. It said i had some browser corruptions fixed.

I already removed NET and then downloaded from that exact page you linked me to. All my graphics was bright and awful until i installed AMD which it already had, so the graphics issue was not due to that and only went strange after i removed NET myself.

I am not going to rip out NET at this point after only just getting it fixed. It is due to registries . CCLeanter finds 100s and a LOT relate to NET and MSE. I could back it up and remove them and see if that fixes it. But i do not trust CCLeaner THAT much

LOL

I will see what tomorrow brings as i need to go to bed now (Unless i can not sleep) and see what i will do after i sleep on it .

Thank you for the help so far, mate. I think this CAN be fixed without drastic formatting or such like. But i am going to order a new drive tomorrow from Dell and eventually do what i feel is the best thing to do to save all my files locations. I may also be able to run some programs from the slave? They may have to have been installed onto that drive via Windows running on the slave? I am not sure on the dynamics of this way to keep my data. The main issue is that when i open a studio project , it loads all the files i used in that project from the locations they are in now and these are in multiple locations and the Studio knows where thay all are. If i simply dump them on a back up drive, the studio will not know i have moved them there and in this regard, i lose the project. These are tracks i released on my Label and i HAVE to be able to have them, not just to prove ownership but also for remixes or if i want to render a new Wave to be mastered by someone better than the original mastering engineer . I can not lose them and they are no use if the files used can not be found

Back up is just not going to help. This drive needs to be intact with everything is the same place it was but it will no longer be C drive and that may cause an issue with my studio files - i don't know!

Mike.