Clean Install of Windows - Advice Please!

hitman

hitman

hitman

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So after having big problems with my desktop I need to carry out a clean install of windows 7.
At the moment I can't access my desktop at all.
All of my program files are on my SSD , my docs on a mechanical hard drive.
I intend to make a note of the programs installed and then install windows 7 via the CD drive. I will need to disconnect my mech hard drive and set the bios to boot from the CD drive. Before doing this should I format the SSD to remove all data?
Is it just a question of then installing all my other programmes on the SSD via the CD drive?
I'm unable to make a copy of the drivers as I can't access the desktop but should be able to download these after installing windows.
Do I have everything covered,? Is there anything I've missed?
There is a thought that at this point I get a larger SSD to install the operating system on - if I do this will I be able to use my current copy of windows 7 - will I run into a licensing issues?

Any help/advice would be great.
 
Hi hitman

Is the Win 7 disc you are using the same install disc you used on the present installation?
If it is you could try a repair install of Win 7 which would leave all your files intact.
See here for instructions, conditions for a repair install and advice on how to do it.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html
You will need to go into bios and set your CD drive as first option.

Martin23
 
Martin23 said:
Hi hitman

Is the Win 7 disc you are using the same install disc you used on the present installation?
If it is you could try a repair install of Win 7 which would leave all your files intact.
See here for instructions, conditions for a repair install and advice on how to do it.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html
You will need to go into bios and set your CD drive as first option.

Martin23
Click to expand...

Yes, it's the same disc. I also tried a repair install and it didn't fix the problem..
 
If there is room on the SSD you can put a fresh install on the drive and it will move all your old files into a folder called "Old Windows" so you can get anything you need to back.

There is no need to physically disconnect drives just set boot order in the BIOS
 
Gav_881 said:
If there is room on the SSD you can put a fresh install on the drive and it will move all your old files into a folder called "Old Windows" so you can get anything you need to back.

There is no need to physically disconnect drives just set boot order in the BIOS
Click to expand...

I'm unable to access my SSD because of problems described in one of my previous threads here:

"Windows Explorer Has Stopped Working" - Any Solutions - Please help if you can!
For sometime I've been unable to use my desktop because the above message keeps appearing on screen on boot up. This is then followed by a message: " C:\Program Files (x86)\ Java\ jre\ldin\client\jvm.dll is either not designed to run on windows or it contains an error. Try installing the program again using the original installation media or contact your system administrator or the software vendor for support".

The system is frozen and while I have briefly looked for solutions i've taken to using my laptop instead.

I've decided to take today to resolve the problem and will ultimately do a fresh install but am not sure I will be able to save all my docs (most are backed up) so would like to avoid this.

Any solutions to the above problem or advice would be gratefully received.

Cheers
Click to expand...

I realise you don't have to disconnect the mech hard drive when carrying out a fresh install but thought it might be an idea to protect all my docs which are on there.
 
hitman said:
I realise you don't have to disconnect the mech hard drive when carrying out a fresh install but thought it might be an idea to protect all my docs which are on there.
Click to expand...

Shouldn't have to remove it to help prevent something like that. The only way it would wipe those files is if you tell the install to wipe it, which if you know what drive you're putting windows on, it's pretty amazing feat of strength to do.

It seems though that you have all the basis covered for the install. Make sure you know what drive you're installing on, format it from the windows setup screen and select that drive. Driver wise, the main one you should always make sure you have is your ethernet/wireless driver. If you have this, it doesn't matter how many others you're missing, you can always get on the net and grab them.
 
Driver wise, the main one you should always make sure you have is your ethernet/wireless driver. If you have this, it doesn't matter how many others you're missing, you can always get on the net and grab them.
Click to expand...

That's what I thought but where do I find this because as I said I can't access my desktop (although do have working laptop).
 
The main question would be, are you running a NIC or just running off the built in LAN port on your motherboard? If it's an NIC, you'll have to identify the make and model of it. Typically just a quick google of the make and model will return the driver results you'll need. Pretty much the same process for if you're using the motherboards inbuilt port. Find the make/model of motherboard that is in the computer, google it and there the drivers will be. As per usual make sure you get them from a reputable source like the manufacturers website.
 
Well, this didn't go very well.
Installed windows and then ran up against a problem and had to validate it over the phone - first mistake!
I should have waited and tested windows on the system. After installing Office the system crashed.
I'm having problems getting the sound card and graphics rivers to install and work.
At the same time would you believe, my laptop crashed - when I returned home both machines had crashed and all my data had gone on my laptop. Luckily a system retsore worked!
I think I'm going to have to change the SSD in my desktop and to be fair Microsoft did say that might be the problem. The thing is if I do get a new SSD I think I'll run into problems with the licence if I try to use this copy of Windows again.
Now looking at a solutin for back up and whether to go with a 4TB external hard drive or to set up a NAS drive - any thoughts?
At the moment I've installed the ATI graphics driver again but am getting the message "No AMD graphics driver is installed..."
 
hitman said:
Well, this didn't go very well.
Installed windows and then ran up against a problem and had to validate it over the phone - first mistake!
I should have waited and tested windows on the system. After installing Office the system crashed.
I'm having problems getting the sound card and graphics rivers to install and work.
At the same time would you believe, my laptop crashed - when I returned home both machines had crashed and all my data had gone on my laptop. Luckily a system retsore worked!
I think I'm going to have to change the SSD in my desktop and to be fair Microsoft did say that might be the problem. The thing is if I do get a new SSD I think I'll run into problems with the licence if I try to use this copy of Windows again.
Now looking at a solutin for back up and whether to go with a 4TB external hard drive or to set up a NAS drive - any thoughts?
At the moment I've installed the ATI graphics driver again but am getting the message "No AMD graphics driver is installed..."
Click to expand...

Sorry about the late reply mate.

Bad times in getting that running. Don't see how the SSD would cause so many issues with windows 7 as I run a 256gb 840 EVO drive in mine with the same OS and its running as smooth as butter.
Providing you don't run into another instance where you can't auto licence the OS again,another drive would work fine without any more licencing issues unless you have to do it manually offline again.

As for the NAS box, if you've got old computer hardware you'd best to setup a freenas box with the old hardware. You'll get a load more expansion slots for drives and it'll be fairly speedy compared to the NAS bays you can buy online.
 
This settled down in the end.
Uninstalled the drivers for both sound card and graphics card.
Re-installed and everything seems fine now.
definitely going to look at a NAS drive and will check out a freenas box as suggested.
Cheers for the help/advice.
 
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