How To Fix Windows Error Recovery Without Cd

How to Repair a Faulty Windows Installation Without Reformatting

Corrupted organization files don't have to ruin your 24-hour interval

Null will put a crimp in your computing style quite like a Windows error. Although Microsoft's Os has gotten exponentially more than stable over the years, information technology'south all the same very possible for Windows system files to become decadent, which can cause your system to boring downwards, freeze, or (in the worst case) refuse to load your operating system at all.

When you encounter a Windows error, your outset instinct may be to back up your information, grab the ol' installation disk, and weep silently as you press the Reformat button. We're hither to tell y'all there's some other way. Yet support your data, of course, simply by following this guide, you might well exist able to repair your Windows install without dropping the nuke.

Note: Though these guides are written for Windows 7, a very like process will piece of work for Vista or XP.

Method 1: Repair Windows Fifty-fifty If You Can't Get To Your Desktop

The start method will allow you to repair corrupt organisation files, even if the problem is so astringent that you can't boot all the manner to your desktop. For this method, you'll demand a Windows installation DVD, and so rails down yours or infringe one from a friend—it doesn't thing if the DVD'southward version matches your license, as long as it's the right fleck count.

Stride 1: Insert the Install Disc and Reboot

If your system won't kick into Windows, yous'll need to boot from somewhere else—in this case, the installation DVD. Your computer should exist fix to kick from your optical drive earlier your hard drive, but if information technology's not, you tin always change the boot priority in the BIOS. When the system starts upwards, make sure you lot press a key when prompted to boot from the Windows installation disc. When you do, you'll see the familiar Windows installation language-choice screen (image beneath).

Pace 2: Go to the Command Prompt

The recovery tool we're going to use is run from the control prompt, which tin can (thankfully) be accessed through the Windows installation disc. To get there, don't click Install Now in the center of the screen, but instead click Repair Your Computer in the lower left. Click Next on the outset menu that pops up.

The next menu will have 2 radio buttons. Make certain the first one is selected, and note that in the text box, your System drive might non have the drive letter C. If that'southward the case, make a annotation of the drive letter used. Click Next, and on the post-obit screen (epitome above), select the bottom option, marked Command Prompt.

Pace 3: Scan Your System

Finally you're prepare to browse your system files for errors. To do that simply run the post-obit command:

sfc /scannow /offbootdir=[DRIVELETTER]:\ /offwindir=[DRIVELETTER]:\windows

Substitute the drive letter you noted earlier for [DRIVELETTER]. At that place should be no foursquare brackets in the command (image below).

Windows volition now attempt to find and repair any errors in your system files. If the scan finds errors, you may need to repeat the steps in this guide until it finds no more errors. To restart your estimator, enter the exit command, and so click the Restart button. When yous're gear up to endeavor booting into Windows once again, remove the install disc and restart one final time.

Method 2: Reinstall Windows Without Losing Whatsoever Data

If yous are notwithstanding able to get to your desktop, y'all've got boosted options. You can still use the control prompt to scan as in the previous method, just there's some other style that may be more thorough: reinstall Windows.

Wait, didn't we say yous wouldn't accept to reformat? We did, and y'all don't. It's possible to do an in-place, nondestructive reinstall of Windows, which will restore all your organisation files to pristine condition without damaging any of your personal data or installed programs. All you'll demand is a Windows install DVD and your Windows CD key. Hopefully you still have your key written down somewhere, but if you lot don't, you're not out of luck. You lot can use a programme like ProduKey, available for free, to quickly recover your Windows production primal from the registry.

Of import: Before continuing this procedure, note that it can crusade problems with your installed programs, so don't do information technology just for fun, and make sure to back up your important data and create a restore signal before continuing.

Step one: Exercise Some Prep Work

Before y'all tin get started, there'south one important consideration: You can't repair a Windows seven SP1 install with a pre-SP1 install disc. The ideal solution is to infringe a newer install disc with SP1 included (or download it, if you have access to a TechNet account), simply it's also possible to uninstall SP1. To do this, open up the Control Panel, select Uninstall a Program, and then choose the option to view updates (image below). You can correct-click the Service Pack update to uninstall it.

Step 2: Insert the Install Disc

We're once again using the Windows install disc, simply this time we're not going to kicking from it. Simply insert the disc, and when the autorun carte du jour pops upward, choose to run setup.exe. Once again, y'all'll discover yourself staring at the Windows 7 install screen. This fourth dimension, exercise click the Install now button (prototype beneath).

Step iii: Reinstall Windows

Finally, information technology'southward time to become downward to business concern. Afterward the installer gets past the Copying Temporary Files… screen, you'll be asked well-nigh getting updates for installation files. Go alee and do this, as long as your reckoner'southward network connexion is still working.

When the installer asks what sort of installation you'd like to perform (epitome beneath), ignore your natural instinct to choose Custom, and instead click Upgrade. Sure, you're not technically upgrading from 1 version of Windows to some other, simply nosotros do want to do the kind of nondestructive install that the update option performs. Think of it as upgrading from a broken version to a not-cleaved version, if yous must.

Later that, all that'south left is to sit through the usual Windows seven installation process, with its multiple reboots and endless progress bars. When it'southward washed, you'll have to reactivate Windows by entering the product key that y'all institute or wrote down earlier.

All that'southward left to practice is to let Windows install any security updates or service packs that it'southward missing, and reboot. All your system files should now be fully restored!

Alan has been writing about PC tech since earlier 3D graphics cards existed, and still vividly recalls having to fight with MS-DOS only to get games to load. He fondly remembers the killer combo of a Matrox Millenium and 3dfx Voodoo, and seeing Lara Croft in 3D for the first time. He'southward very glad hardware has avant-garde as much as it has though, and is specially happy when putting the latest M.2 NVMe SSDs, AMD processors, and laptops through their paces. He has a long-lasting Magic: The Gathering obsession just limits this to MTG Loonshit these days.

Source: https://www.pcgamer.com/how-to-repair-a-faulty-windows-installation-without-reformatting/

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