Will installing windows 7 again delete my files?

3 thoughts on “Will installing windows 7 again delete my files?”

1. citypeek says:

   November 7, 2010 at 8:40 am

   Use a Linux Live CD before trying to fix windows 7. With the Linux Live CD you can get access to your harddisk, thereby bypassing windows 7 completely.

   Use Ubuntu Linux: http://www.ubuntu.com/
   Download it, burn it and boot it. You can access your harddisk now. Then backup the files you want to. (USB, external harddisk or whatever).

   Use someone else his/her computer to download the Live CD. There is tons of information about this subject on the internet.

   Good luck.

2. Blade Black says:

   November 7, 2010 at 8:40 am

   No, installing windows will not damage your files, because it just Modify system files, but in case of misuse, I recommend backup first. Hope this can help you! Good luck! 😉

3. arou42 says:

   November 7, 2010 at 8:40 am

   You will need to get hold of an install disk for your operating system (XP/Vista/Win 7), borrow one if possible, and boot with that (any one will do as long as it’s the same version eg:Home/Pro/Basic/Premium etc.).

   Note: To boot from your Windows CD/DVD, the BIOS settings on your computer must be configured to do this. On start up keep tapping either F1, F2, F10, (Be Aware that some manufacturers use F10 for system recovery!) Esc, or Del, to enter the BIOS set-up. Look for "Drive configuration", "Boot order" or similar and make the CD/DVD drive the first boot device. Save settings and exit.

   Insert the Windows CD/DVD into your CD/DVD drive, and then restart your computer.
   When you see the "Press any key to boot from CD" message, press a key to start the computer from the Windows CD/DVD.

   Click to select any options that are required to start the computer from the CD/DVD drive if you are prompted.
   When the "Welcome to Setup" screen appears, press ‘R’ to start the Recovery Console.

   If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the installation that you want to access from the Recovery Console.

   When you are prompted, type the Administrator password. If you don’t know the administrator password, there probably isn’t one so just press Enter/Return.
   At the command prompt (C:\>), type

   chkdsk /r

   (note the space between chkdsk and /r)
   and press Return/Enter.
   When the scan finishes, re-start.

   If that fails, try to start in SAFE* mode and click Start (then Run in XP) and type (in the search bar in Vista/Win 7)

   sfc /scannow

   (note the space between sfc and /scannow)
   (in the search bar in Vista/Win 7)
   and press Return/Enter.
   If asked to insert the Windows disk, do so.
   When the scan finishes, re-start.

   *Note: On start up (before Windows loads) keep tapping either F5 or F8 (be aware that some manufacturers use F8 for system recovery!) then use arrow keys to highlight ‘Safe Mode’ and hit Enter/Return, click on a user account, enter the password (if you don’t know it, there probably isn’t one so leave it blank) and hit enter/return.

   If you still get problems after the scan’s done, use ‘Repair’ again but this time type

   fixmbr

   and press Return/Enter.
   When the scan finishes, re-start.

   If you still have problems, start over and type the following pressing Enter/Return after each line…

   bcdedit /export C:\BCD_Backup

   ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old

   bootrec /rebuildbcd

   Restart the computer.

   If none of this works, reinstall the OS.
   © arou42

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