Make your PC as good as new! Part 1
jjones | Guides | 31/10/2008 15:58pm
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Whether you ask online or talk to a friend you’re sure to hear the same recommendation: “I think you should reinstall Windows.” If your problems seem to be Windows-related – blue-screen crashes, say, or long start-up or shut-down times – then that would seem to make sense, but be careful. While reinstalling Windows can often make your PC faster and more stable again, it can also be a very lengthy process that (if you’re not careful) could introduce more problems than it solves. Reinstalling isn’t a step to take lightly, then, and there are several ideas that you might like to try first.
If Windows has started behaving oddly only very recently, for instance, then using System Restore to undo recent Registry and driver changes might make all the difference (right-click Computer and select Properties > System Protection > System Restore).
The System File Checker will replace corrupted or missing system files for you. Click Start, type ‘cmd.exe’ in the Search box, right-click on the Command Prompt link and select Run as administrator. Then type ‘sfc /scannow’ (without the quote marks) press Enter, and the checker will check and repair your system files.
Of course it’s also possible that your problems are due to application or driver issues, and aren’t anything to do with Windows at all. If this makes sense then try uninstalling suspect programs or hardware, and then check to see if your problems go away.
If your issues persist regardless, though, then reinstalling Windows may well be the best solution. But don’t rush into it – there’s plenty of work to be done before you start.
Preparations
Preparing to reinstall Windows is a little like packing to go on holiday. There’s nothing difficult involved, but you do have a lot to remember, and it only takes a single mistake (forgetting your passport, say) to ruin everything. So it’s important to take the process seriously, just to avoid the chance of any mishaps later.
If you’re going to reinstall Windows over itself, for instance, as opposed to doing a complete format and reinstall, then in theory you shouldn’t lose any data. But it’s unwise to rely on that, and I’d recommend you always back up anything important before starting the reinstallation process. Windows Easy Transfer is a great program to use for this as it will back up Windows and application settings as well as emails and the files that you specify (see Save your settings, below). It’s often a good idea to back up the most vital files manually, too, just as a protection against disaster (backing up to a faulty DVD, say).
Think about all your applications, as well. Again, if you’re performing an upgrade reinstallation instead of reformatting then they shouldn’t be affected, but you can’t say that for sure. Do you have all your original installation files or discs, and any registration code that might be necessary to reinstall them?
Hardware can be a particular problem. If you reformat and reinstall Windows Vista then it’s probably not going to have the best or most up-to-date driver for your graphics or sound card, for example. Dig out your driver discs and files, then put them on a DVD for easy reinstallation later.
If you have a pre-Service Pack 1 Windows Vista DVD then think about all the Windows updates you’ll have to download: it was heading for 200MB when we last checked, a major problem if you’ve a dial-up internet connection. Minimise the pain by either grabbing an SP1 DVD from somewhere (Scan sells them for 59p at snipurl.com/34b1m) or getting a broadband-enabled friend to download the standalone version for you (www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/quick-start/sp1.aspx).
No disc?
Once everything else is ready you can reach for your Windows DVD, ready to begin the reinstallation process. You’ll probably need your product key, too. This is comprised of five sets of five letters and numbers, and is usually to be found on a sticker somewhere on your computer, or sometimes on the DVD case or manual. But if you can’t locate yours, you can still find it out. If you bought a boxed copy of Windows Vista and registered it when you installed it originally, then you just need to contact Microsoft and they can tell you your key. If you bought a computer with Windows Vista pre-installed, you’ll need to contact the manufacturer.
You don’t have a Windows DVD? That’s not uncommon, especially with laptops. The manufacturer usually creates a hidden partition on the hard drive containing your system files, and provides a way to reinstall from there. We can’t tell you exactly how to reinstall if you don’t have a Windows DVD – every manufacturer uses their own system –
but a good place to start looking is on your PC’s initial boot screen. HP laptops, for example, typically ask you to press F11 for something called ‘System Recovery’. Choose the latter option, follow the instructions and you’ll be able to restore your PC to its original factory condition. This means removing all your data and installed applications, of course, so be really, really, really sure that you’ve backed everything up first. If you can’t find anything, then check out the computer’s manual for more advice. You should also find plenty of help at the Support section of your system manufacturer’s web site.
Once you’re ready to reinstall, you need to make a choice, as there are two types of Windows reinstall that you might be able to perform. The first is an upgrade, which essentially means you reinstall Windows Vista over its existing files. This has a big advantage in that it won’t delete your existing applications or data, so you won’t need to reinstall them and the process also less likely to be effective at cleaning
and speeding up your PC, as any application problems won’t be fixed.
Your second option is to perform a clean reinstall, or what’s called a ‘custom’ installation by the Windows Vista set-up program. This wipes the system partition, the drive containing your Windows folder, erasing it and any applications stored there, then creates a fresh new Windows Vista installation. This is a hassle as it means you lose everything, so there’s a huge back-up job to carry out first, then you’ll have to reinstall all your applications. On the other hand it will fix both corrupt Windows and application installations, so clean reinstalls will always deliver the best troubleshooting results.
If you’re going to reinstall Windows then our advice would be to take the second option, do a clean custom reinstallation and give yourself the best chance of resolving all your issues. But if you really don’t have the time then you can always try an upgrade installation first. It’ll be much quicker, and you can always go for a clean reinstall later if it doesn’t work. Either way, once you’ve decided (and have backed up your data) then you can now begin the reinstallation process. See our Reinstall Windows Vista guide for full instructions.
Reconfigure your PC
Reinstalling Windows means losing key settings, and this may prevent your hardware, network and internet access from working as they did. This will compromise anything else you try and do, and so always address these problems first.
If a particular device isn’t working then Device Manager (click Start, type ‘devmgmt.msc’ and press Enter) can tell you more. Look for devices highlighted with a yellow exclamation mark, then double-click them for information. Usually it’ll be a driver issue of some kind, and you can address this by selecting the Driver tab, clicking Update Driver and pointing Windows at the driver you saved when preparing the reinstallation. If that doesn’t help then select the General tab and click the Check for solutions button for more specific advice.
Once your hardware is working properly then you can start restoring everything else. Reinstall your applications from their original discs and files if necessary, then use Windows Easy Transfer (or whatever back-up program you chose) to restore your Windows settings and data files.
And finally, the reinstallation is complete. If you still have the same problems now then it’s probably due to a software conflict (uninstall apps until things get better) or hardware problems (faulty memory or a hard drive, say). But that’s rare, and most people will find their PC is faster to boot and shut down, quicker in operation and a lot more stable: you’ve restored your system to the clean and speedy PC it used to be.
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