Windows 7 Reinstall windows 7 or uninstall programs

[Greg Bentkowski]

Which is better for the computer to get some life back into it. Should I reinstall windows 7 and start over and add the programs that I want or is it safe to uninstall the programs that I no longer use. Its been a while since I have had a fresh windows. The reason for this is that the PC has been running sluggish at times. I thought maybe it was my internet securities. Maybe it does have some impact. I am also getting a Com Surrogate every now nad then that is related to the RPCRT4.dll file. Any recommendations or suggestions. Thank you.

 

[Pauli]

Quite often it will be faster to reinstall Windows, than to keep fighting the windmills of problems, like RPCRT4.dll... not that simple, no definitely clear answers. By the time you get unused programs uninstalled, you would already have reinstalled the whole OS, with a newly partitioned disk etc. = a somewhat clear table.

It could be a matter of codecs, but who knows. You could uninstall all extra codec packs you have, return to Windows basics. Or, you could pick a restore point from before you remember to have got the problems. That'll take 15 minutes, you might try it.

If you decide to reinstall, or even otherwise, it wouldn't be a bad move to have your disk partitioned in at least two, one C for Windows and crucial programs, the other for your own files - that way you don't risk your own files when you reinstall Windows. Do not name any partitions D, because that may cause trouble with games or something playing CDs or DVDs. But the names of disks can be changed afterwards.

Windows does have problems with partitions. I would recommend AOMEI http://www.aomeitech.com/aomei-partition-assistant.html or GParted http://gparted.org/

Since there may be lots of questions, I stop here. Most of the people here know a lot more than I.

 

[Greg Bentkowski]

Thank you for the response. If I do a restore do my files get affected by the turn back point.

 

[patcooke]

You need to be clear on the difference between two similar and often confused terms. A restore takes your system back to an earlier point in time. Your installed programs, system settings, updates etc will all be taken back to how they were at the earlier date and time. Nothing else is changed and will have little impact on sluggish systems.

The other term is system recovery. This is where you run a complete overwriting of the operating system which is set back to the state in which you bought it. Everything else is wiped - all applications, system updates, user settings etc. This gives you a completely clean slate from which to start again. But remember - it also wipes any user data store on the system drive - documents, images - everything so you would need to save them on some external media beforehand - and make sure you don't forget anything - it can be difficult/impossible to get files back after a recovery install. You would of course have to reinstall all your apps.

A third option is to get a copy of ccleaner - free download and removes a lot of junk files and registry entries from your system. You should also run a defrag to help tidy things up.

 

[Greg Bentkowski]

I think I am on a collision course with the recovery. I have had no luck fixing the rcprt4.dll surroggate issue. I uninstalled bitdefender hoping that was it and nope. I am doijnd a restore as we type going back about 2 weeks. If not I lose. I get to recover my pc. I'm tired of windows explorer hanging and freezing every time I want a file.

 

[patcooke]

It's a common problem spending hours and hours trying to correct a problem only, at the end of it all, to accept defeat and run a system recovery. If you take that route it may be worth looking at something like Acronis True Image to make a complete image of your system after recovery and reinstalling all your applications. This you can save for the future so if your need to run a recovery again the Acronis image will allow to to fully recover your entire system drive including any updates, installed apps in just 20 minutes or so instead of the many hours needed for a system recovery and reinstalling all apps etc.

 

[Saltgrass]

Could you tell us the exact error message you are getting about rpcrt4.dll?

Have you tried running a System File Check ?