How To Reinstall Windows 7 Easily (Step-by-step guide)
Posted December 18, 2009 – 7:29 pm in: Windows 7 GuidesMicrosoft’s latest iteration of Windows, Windows 7, is undoubtfully the best operating system because of its improved UI, features and overall performance.
One of the lesser known features of Windows 7 is its Advanced recovery methods. With the advanced recovery feature one can easily reinstall Windows 7 without much hassle.
You can reinstall Windows 7 either from a recovery image provided by your computer manufacturer, or from your original Windows 7 installation disc or Windows 7 USB flash drive.
In this guide, we will show you how to reinstall Windows 7:
1. Open Start menu, type in Recovery in the search box and then hit enter to launch Recovery window.
2.Click Advanced Recovery methods to open Windows 7’s advanced recovery methods.
3. In the Advanced Recovery window, you will see two options:
# Use a system image you created earlier to recover your computer: If you have created a system image, you can use it to replace everything on your computer, including Windows, programs, and all your files, with the information saved on the system image.
# Reinstall Windows (requires Windows installation disc): This option will reinstall Windows on your computer. Afterward, you can restore your files from a backup. Any programs you have installed will need to be reinstalled using the original installation discs or files. Existing might remain in the Windows.old folder on your hard disk after the reinstall completes.
4. Click Reinstall Windows option to start the reinstallation procedure. You will be asked to backup your files in the next step. Click Backup now option to backup your files such as document, pictures and music to a USB, DVD or external hard disk.
Click Skip and then click Restart button to restart your PC to start the reinstall process.
Note: When you use this method (Reinstall Windows), the existing Windows installation will be moved to the Windows.old directory. You can retrieve data from that location after the restore completes. Any programs you have installed will need to be reinstalled.
5. Once you hit the restart button, wait for a few minutes to see the following screen. Select your keyboard input method and click Next.
6. In following screen, you will be prompted with reinstall Windows 7 confirmation box. Click Yes to proceed to the next step.
7. Now insert your Windows 7 installation disc and then click Yes to see the Windows 7 installing screen. From here onwards, you need to follow the simple onscreen procedure to complete the reinstallation procedure (you can refer our Windows 7 installation procedure).
8. Windows will take a few minutes to show the below screen, where you need to enter a username to your account.
9. Click Next to see the set password box. If you like to set a password for your account, type and then retype the password in respective boxes. Click Next to continue.
10. In this screen, click Use recommend settings and then select your time zone and again click next button to select your network type from available Home, Word or Public network.
11. You are almost done! You have successfully reinstalled Windows 7. You might see the Restore my files box on the desktop. Click Restore my files button if you have done a backup in the step 5.
12. Finally, you might want to delete the Windows.old folder during the reinstallation process by Windows to move your old installation files. Refer our how to safely delete Windows.old folder in Windows 7 guide to free up a few GBs of your hard disk space.
13. Install all your software and drivers.
14. Enjoy Windows 7!
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42 Comments
“is undoubtfully the best operating system because of its improved UI, features and overall performance.”
WRONG! widnows 7 may be the best WINDOWS operating system, but OS X and Linux kick windows but!
Ok, this is great if windows boots up…what if it won’t even boot up as in my case?
If you can’t boot into Windows, refer this: http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-easily-repair-windows-7-boot-problems-using-startup-repair/
Whenever I try to do this i get an error that says:”The unattend answer file contains an invalid product key. Either remove the invalid key or provide a valid product key in the unattend answer file to proceed with Windows installation.” What do I do because i don’t know how to do what it’s telling me to do?
Thanks! And at ananymous learn how to spell *Anonymous, windows, and butt*
hmmm thank you but… i dont have original windows 7 in CD… i mean i dont even have Windows 7 in CD.. help please can i reinstall without CD ? and make sure i will backup my data back.. Thank YOU!
What if I did not get the Install CD for my windows 7? How do I burn an install CD?
Are you stupid? I want to get rid of windows 7 and install from scratch, not use that worthless recover
Put your Windows 7 disc in the computer, switch off and back on again. I think it’s “advanced”, its been a long time since I installed it, but it will give you the option to format the hard drive and reinstall a fresh copy.
HELP PLEASE. I’m stuck. Not sure what happened or how but friend put system into recovery mode. The screen stayed totally black and finally a box popped up that said “Install Windows” on top left of box and the rest reads computer restarted unexepectedly or encountered Unexpected error. And some other shit about restart computer and restart the installationq
On windows 7, press the on button, then press f8 and hold it till you hear a beeping sound. in the window that pops up type in your pass word, or if you dont have one click the tab and click you computer name that you gave it. Click advanced recovery mode and that should start the process. It takes about an hour to reinstall the OS.
Do i have to have the Windows & disc?
Milan, you need a Windows 7 disc.
computer repeatedly says there is no disk in my drive as it gets to abut 5% Expanding windows point… is so tiresome.
My Sister Forgot Her Account Password! So Now We Cant Log On ! What Do We Do??
@ Erick
Try this guide: http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-bypass-windows-7-logon-password-in-three-steps/
Windows 7 cautions about data which isn’t backed up may be deleted… is this a “just in case things go wrong” thing, or does this method actually wipe my drive?
i have a little problem..but,its not about recovery or reinstall..just i want to ask,what should i do if my window on and off very slow and not normal shutdown?
do my files in D and E will be deleted?
Windows will move all the files in the current Windows drive (usually it’s “C”) to a new folder called winold in the same drive. Files in the other drives will not be deleted.
I upgraded Vista O.S. with Windows 7 Professional. My registry is now corrupted and I want to do a clean (re)install. Can I use my upgrade Windows 7 Professional CD for this?
Win 7 update for service pack 1 constantly fails due to “error: error_sharing_violation (0×80070020)”. All steps to fix do not work and told to reinstall Win 7. Question: why can’t the sharing violation be fixed directly?
Thanks,
jimlestax
reinstalled windows 7 pro and cannot remember all of my password wat can i do ??
Without disc can i reinstall windows 7?
CATCH 22
Have dell with german language windows 7. have lost password so cannot enter windows. Want to reinstall with english windows 7-cant do one without the other !!
Help GREATLY appreciated
Continuing with #3.
What if the so-called “repair” fails?
what can i do if the system produce an error message as bootmgr missing,& after clicking windows 7 install now, driver not found
Thanks. Awesome Description
I can’t install win XP from boot after installing win 7..
I try to install from win 7′s explorer, i open setup.exe, but “instal windows” button is not available..
Need somebody help, quickly !
We’re a bunch of volunteers and opening a brand new scheme in our community. Your web site provided us with helpful information to work on. You have performed a formidable activity and our entire neighborhood can be grateful to you.
USELESS info
If windows wont boot as in a bad virus damaged the mbr and it fixboot/mbr wont make it boot you cant reload windows and you cant boot windows. You are FORCED to erase everything and start over. There is NO reinstall over an existing copy choice. The “repair” existing copy fails.
All data is —>GONE
Well, a while ago did the first couple of steps, until the restart of the computer, and as of now its in an all black screen and at the bottom it says “windows is loading files…” Is this normal , and how long should it be before the next step pops up :0
if i use this method.can i reinsall my windows7?
I want to reinstall my system. My memmory has divided. I want to know after reinsatal my drive F also formated.
installed win 7 used pc twice now it squeals wen pc turned on only way i can stop it disable sound.
What can I do if I don’t have a dvd drive…Would I have to buy one just to re install windows 7…I was able to get it on here from a download so where could I go to get them to re install
Good Day do you have a complete instructions on how to install it, because I am new here and I wanted to have some complete instructions or idea to help me so that I can learn and possible I can handle and doing installation with my own PC please help me! thanks…
I have a Windows 7 Upgrade disc (from Vista). Can I still perform a reinstall on the same drive as windows7.old?
will my pc be virus-free after re-installation of W-7?
ok so i read somewhere that when u watch explicit videos u will need to reformat ur hdd and start over.Everything is fine but its just slower ram, disc space and virus and registry clean i went to safe mode and ran antiviruses.I was thinking of downloading windows 8 or doing this but is the same as reformating my hdd or a memory wipe
Quick show of hands… How many people have ever had the need to reinstall windows over the top of itself while it actually still worked?
This information isn’t worth the price of beans.
Tell us how to reinstall Windows over the top of itself if you can’t boot and if FixMBR, FixBoot RebuildBDC don’t work…..
Check and re-install or update your sound drivers