How-to Repair a Windows Installation

Sometimes troubleshooting problems with your PC can lead you down a path of no return. For example, your Windows installation could have contracted a virus from the internet, the virus could have re-written Windows system files such as .dll’s, this type of virus could leave your system virtually inoperable.

So, how do you get all the Windows system files back to original state, without having to restore from backup? You simply use the Windows system disk and repair the OS. The Windows system disk should have shipped with your computer, and it may be labeled Windows XP Re-Installation CD.

Steps to Repair your Windows Installation:

1. Insert your Windows system disk into your optical drive. (cd/dvd)
2. Reboot your system.
3. When the system begins to start back up, force it to boot from your optical drive. The option to select a boot device will typically flash on the screen for a few seconds before Windows starts. (i.e. Press F12 or F10 key to select boot device.)
4. Once you have selected it to boot from your optical drive, the screen will turn blue and your system will prepare itself for a windows installation.
5. The next message you will see is the “Welcome to set-up” screen that will list the following options:
• To set-up Windows now press Enter
• To repair a Windows installation using recovery console, press R
• To quit set-up without repairing Windows, press F3

6. You want to press Enter to run Windows set-up. (Do NOT press R)
7. Accept the License agreement by pressing F8.
8. The next screen will list the Windows installations currently installed on your computer, you should only have one, but if not, simply choose the one you want to repair and press R. If Repair is not one of the options, you should END the set-up process.
9. Set-up will now start copying system files to the Windows installation you chose.
10. After the file copy is done, your system will reboot and continue with the installation screen. (You do NOT have to do anything.)
11. When the installation is complete the system will reboot for the final time. You can now take the Windows installation CD out of your optical drive, and Windows will boot normally.

This process will repair a Windows installation by replacing Windows system files to there original state. This is not a “fix-all” solution and in many cases should be treated as a last resort before attempting a complete Windows re-installation. A repair can assist you by helping you bring your machine back to life after a virus or program has damaged basic Windows functions, it will not rid you of your virus problem.

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