Reinstalling Win 7 to fix it:

1

I have several major driver problems that over the past weeks and months are insurmountable, and there is precedent for them on web message boards over the past year: no sound available anywhere in Windows (and accompanied by lurching, low framerates on YouTube vids), and more recently a BSOD that hits after a few minutes of usage (less so when in Safe Mode).

I want to reinstall Windows 7 and hope that fixes the problems. The pre-setup statement in so many words says that data files will be unaffected. But my question is this: If I have a lot of other programs and dirs sitting immediately inside the C: drive like Eclipse, Boost, CGAL, MinGW, etc., will the Windows 7 reinstall wipe those directories out?

user33666

Posted 2010-10-12T18:50:28.790

Reputation: 357

Answers

3

If you are even getting BSODs in Safe Mode, it could be hardware failure and not just drivers (as Safe Mode does not touch/use custom drivers).

However, if you do an upgrade installation, it will leave your files and programs untouched. It will simply reinstall Windows system files over the top of your current installation.

William Hilsum

Posted 2010-10-12T18:50:28.790

Reputation: 111 572

I'm pretty sure it isn't hardware, since I'm getting the exact same sound failure/staggered framerates after changing out the notebook system board, and the BSOD happens only with one particular HD containing the OS in question, although I certainly wouldn't rule out the SSD HD hardware. The BSOD, though, only started a few days ago (around the time of a Windows Update, but I have no idea how coincident). Thanks for your reply. – user33666 – 2010-10-12T19:12:17.897

@user33666 what are the contents of the BSOD? – William Hilsum – 2010-10-12T19:49:17.360

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Not if you do a system upgrade...You could get a fresh operating system by "upgrading" Windows 7 to Windows 7...This way, you can keep all of your programs, documents, videos, pictures and other data, etc...

EDIT: Yes, It is possible to upgrade the same OS over again. I went partway through the Upgrade process to make sure, and yes, it looks like it could work...

studiohack

Posted 2010-10-12T18:50:28.790

Reputation: 13 125

1I really appreciate both of your answers. I'm planning on giving it a try after this Malwarebytes scan finishes. I'm writing this during it. – user33666 – 2010-10-12T19:14:40.810

hope it works out... :) – studiohack – 2010-10-12T19:16:07.240

Asked: 2010-10-12T18:50:28.790

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