Windows 7 Reformat & Reinstall Win7

[tonyd48]

Running Win7 on a hard drive installed 4 months ago. Left my Win7 upgrade disc with vendor and they loaded. Getting BSod 2 - 3 times a day. Had tech at work (he's a Linux freak and did it begrudgingly) check hard ware and all seems acceptable. Ran 'verifier' for drivers and reboot freezes stating "have a bad driver". Turn off 'verifier' and boots and runs until next BSoD. Lasts about 4 - 5 hrs 'tween BSoD. Figure easier to just reformat the hard drive and start with a clean install. Can't go back to the hard drive vendor since warranty only covers hardware and not software and it's 7 days before system even gets to the bench. Have Win7 upgrade disc and Win7 Recovery Disc only. Once I format will the 'recovery disc' be enough to get me started and convince the system to let me load using the Win7 upgrade? Do not have original recovery discs created at computer purchase 10/2008 (Vista and moved to 7beta as soon as it was released). Since I'm not real certain if the Win7 recovery disc is even the correct one, how do I go about creating a new recovery disc if the recovery disc will be enough to get upgrade going.

Any assistance appreciated; thanks.
System: Intel Core2 Duo P7350 @ 2GHz
4 gb ram
64bit

 

[Saltgrass]

I can't move the thread, but you need to be in the BSOD fourm. They will ask you several things, one is to attach a copy of the mini-dump file. If you don't know how, check the stickys at the front of that forum.

Until them, check the event viewer to see if it is showing any messages that might suggest a problem around the time of the BSODs.

 

[tonyd48]

TY Saltgrass; I'll look over there as well. Right now just want to reformat and get back up and running.

 

[Saltgrass]

If you think the install is bad, you can do a repair install over your current install. If you do not mind loosing your current setup, go ahead and reformat, but you might try a repair install first.

 

[tonyd48]

Been there, done that, lasted about 4 - 5 hrs and BSoD. I've been browsing the bsod forum, taken the screen shots of CPU-z & RAMMon and will give it a whirl over in that forum. Still haven't found out: 1) how to create a recovery disc and 2) if that will allow reloading the upgrade version I have once I reformat, any input on that question? Thnx

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

Here's information on installing Windows 7 from upgrade material.

Clean Install Windows 7 - Windows 7 Forums

Because you already have Windows 7 installed it will accept that as verification and will use the upgrade material to do a new install, just as it would if you were upgrading from Vista.

Mike

 

[tonyd48]

Thnx, Mike. If I read it correctly I'll be booting from the Win7 upgrade disc and that will automatically reformat the hard drive before install hopefully removing the corrupt files/drivers/whatevers that are causing the BSoD. This is a different procedure than XP etc where I had to first do the reformat, then install all the way back to a 'original' full version (say 2000 or ME) and then install the upgrade once the system verified I was a legit licensed owner. Have I got that correct?

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

That's right If you follow the instructions it will remove the old installation and replace it not retaining any of your old setting etc.
You will should end up with a clean Windows install and will have to reinstall all your software drivers etc.

Because you already have a licensed copy installed it will accept that as proof of ownership.

The fact is that if you have a blank hard drive you can install Windows 7 on it from the backup disk by first installing it,
then telling it not to register the product when it asks, (it gives you 30 days),

Next you start the process again, the second time through you tell it to register the product and it accepts the first install as proof of prior ownership and lets you register.

The general opinion is that Microsoft designed it this way on purpose to leave this back door to installing from the backup media.

Mike

 

[tonyd48]

Great, got a how-to link for creating a recovery/backup disc?

 

[MikeHawthorne]

First make a system recovery disk...

Link Removed - Invalid URL

Then do the backup.

Link Removed

 

[tonyd48]

Done, have back ups and BSoD post created a bunch of feedback about drivers needing to be updated. Did so last night and no BSoD since. I think I'm good, appreciate your input, have backup discs and notes for future reference
Thanks again.