Using Cd to do a repair.

I saw this was discussed somewhere cant seem to find it now.
Anyway I'm beginning to think I might need to try doing a repair by using my windows disk. Reasons too involved to explain but my questions are:
What specifically will happen if I try a repair, I assume I re-boot with the cd in or can I do it from within the O/S.
My first concern with trying it at all is that with my dual boot set-up I might break my working XP.
My 2nd concern is what happens to all my installed programs and settings. Data is safe as it's on another drive but a lot of my programs were bought online so I don't have physical disks of them.
I created a problem with registry by a fiddle I tried, it has not brought the system down but it's making some things inconvenient for me so does a repair also re-set registry to stock O/S settings.
Ian is hopefully looking at other fixes for me first but if I do need to try a repair I want to know what to expect.

I have used the Windows 7 Install DVD in the past to do a repair and didn't lose any programs. Settings went back to default but that's about it.

Mychael~

I JUST did this with my own system yesterday, due to a Windows Updates problem, and TrainableMan is correct, it will restore most/some things back to "default" . But your wont lose your programs.

All you do is simply pop the CD in when your system is running as normal, and select reun the "setup.exe" and install windows.

You then , when asked, select UPGRADE. and it will walk you through the motions.

I had done a google search for "Repair Installation of Windows 7" and there was 2 links for which i followed the instructions from .. on was from this particular forum found here. There is also another (slightly more detailed but the same info any way ) post on a diffrent forum (not sure if its ok to share the link since its from another forum so if you want it let me know or if im given permission from the mods here to share it I will) .

But you WILL have to re do all your windows updates. Including if you installed SP1 and or IE 9.

Hope that helps.
LoneWolf

Big help. Thanks Guys.

LoneWolfmage, bearing in my I have a dual boot system with both the O/S's on the same HDD but in their own respective partitions if I do this when loaded into Win7 do you think it will just repair that or will I need to be careful it does not try to overwrite my XP or it's bootloader?

If you can please pm me with the other link so I can get as much info as possible.

Thanks.

The Win 7 setup routine will detect the previous instalation and will give you the option to "Upgrade" but this will be in reality a repair operation leaving your XP intact.

BTW, it is not possible to upgrade directly from XP to 7.

Not trying to upgrade from XP to 7. Have both in their own partitions on single drive as a dual boot.
When I set up my dual boot I had to make sure I had XP on first then 7 so bootloaders did not get effected, hence my question about is it safe to do a repair.

Mychael..


As far as with a dual boot system.. im not exactly sure how that would go . as I don't do dual boot.

But yes I can supply the other link for you .. Check yor PM message box ..

Hope it helps.

~LoneWolf

Ta mate. Thanks for link.

Just reading through it, I see you cannot use an older copy then the system your running. My original install from my windows disk was home Premium and no SP1. I'm now on Proffesional via online upgrade and with SP1 so wonder how it will go.

Mychael~

Acctually you CAN use what you have available .. at least I was able to when I had the issue I was having .. Maybe I just got lucky.

Worse comes to worse you CAN uninstall SP1 and do the repair and then reinstall SP1 , it really doesnt take all that long to do (about 45 minutes for me)

Just remeber you WILL have to reinstall any Windows updates after the repair. and you MIGHT have to reinstall some of your programs, depending on what they are, for things to work correctly.

For instance, I had to reinstall my Printer(Kodak ESP3250) driver, and my sound card(Soundblaster extreme) driver,so far, for everything to work correctly.

Good Luck.
LoneWolf