Can I perform a Windows 7 non destructive System Repair without the Disks, my OS is on a partition on my HP HDD?

I own an HP G-62 laptop. My Windows 7 OS is on the Recovery partition, D. I have no Win 7 Disks.

I am wanting to perform a non destructive repair of the system files without losing my data or having to go through the whole routine of reinstalling Windows, Programs, Files, Pics, Music, etc...

Can I perform a Repair on my main, C, drive without the disks, and from the partition? So far all the help I have found refers to using the original Win & OS disks....

Thanks,

Mike0921

Mike

Posted 2012-04-08T17:16:50.177

Reputation: 27

Answers

You can create a windows 7 system repair disc through your installed Win 7 OS.

To create a system repair disc

Open Backup and Restore by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Backup and Restore.

In the left pane, click Create a system repair disc, and then follow the steps. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

After which, use the repair disc to repair your Win 7 installation.

Source: Microsoft KB

caliban

Posted 2012-04-08T17:16:50.177

Reputation: 18 979

I had come across doing that but couldn't find info on whether it would perform the "non-destructive" option saving my current data. I just need to repair some corrupted files in the system the easiest way... avoiding the rebuilding of the laptop... Thanks for your help... – Mike – 2012-04-08T18:21:53.340

if you choose the Repair option, it is non-destructive. Of course, ALWAYS backup your data first before doing anything. – caliban – 2012-04-09T01:57:53.123

If your Windows is non-operational right now, take out the hard disk and plug it into a USB enclosure to access the data. – caliban – 2012-04-09T01:58:25.870

System repair disk is non destructive when running the System, File Checker, what you want to do is run SFC from the command prompt tool.

Once booted from the SRD it loads the Windows Recovery Environment, choose the command prompt, then use this command to check system file integrity and replace any that are corrupt or the wrong size.

sfc /scannow /offbootdir=d:\ /offwindir=d:\windows

Source of Information

If this does not get it operational, you will have to reinstall using HP recovery, using a regular Windows 7 install disc to do a repair install will damage the partition structure and cause HP restore to become inoperable from the hard drive, and possibly cause other HP diagnostics to become inoperable from the hard drive also.

If you get Windows loading properly, make your HP recovery discs.

Moab

Posted 2012-04-08T17:16:50.177

Reputation: 54 203