• Reinstall windows 7 without losing data. How to Reinstall Windows Without Losing Personal Data

    Let's consider rearranging Windows 7 while maintaining all data and settings, without losing data. This is not full installation systems with formatting hard drive, A Windows update 7 already installed system. With this installation method, all files and settings will remain intact and unchanged. This installation option is recommended only if all options for solving the problem with the OS have already been exhausted.

    Step 1 - Start installation.

    With the computer turned on and running, insert the installation disk into the drive, open it through Explorer (not through startup), to do this go to My computer right-click on the shortcut to our disk and select from the menu Open. In the folder with the disk we find and run SETUP.EXE, click Install.

    Note: setup.exe is better to run with compatibility windows vista sp2, otherwise the installer may complain that current version The OS is newer than the one the user wants to install and will stop updating.

    Let's go to Start - Control Panel and select the item Recovery. Click on Advanced recovery methods


    The system offers us 2 methods of system recovery:

    1 - Restoring the system from an image, if one was created using archiving
    2 - System relocation requiring installation disk
    If you run the update from the panel Backup and recovery, then Windows 7 will remind you that you need to back up your files before installation. After archiving, the system will reboot and you will boot from the installation disk.

    Step 2 - Install Windows 7 Updates

    During the installation process, there will be a dialog box asking you to install and download all available updates for Windows 7, if you have an Internet connection, then feel free to update the system.

    Step 3 - Selecting a Type Windows installations

    As soon as the system downloads and installs available updates, the computer will reboot and the installation process will begin. You will be able to choose 2 installation options.

    Update- installation on top of an already installed system, all data will be saved, as well as all installed programs. System parameters and services will be reset to the default state (restored to the standard form as with new installation Windows).
    Full installation- a completely clean installation followed by formatting the disk or installation on another disk partition. With this reinstallation method, data may be LOST, including all programs.
    I recommend choosing the first option.

    As you can see, when updating the system, the data and file transfer tool is used.

    During the transfer process, files will be saved user files, all folders in the profile (audio recordings, videos, images, etc.), user accounts and settings, program settings, favorites with your IE bookmarks, contacts and messages.

    The transfer process takes time relative to the size of the files stored on the computer. All data will be transferred to the partition where the OS is installed. After installation, temporary files will be deleted. After all procedures, you will be offered standard mode enter your key licensed Windows 7, set language settings and so on. At the end we get updates and a fully restored copy of Windows 7 with your accounts and installed programs.

    If you decide to reinstall Windows 7 due to problems in the OS, then I recommend that you still make a full backup copy of your precious data to another hard section disk (or on external media) and install the entire system from scratch. This will save you from the problems of old Windows.

    Reinstallation (update) of Windows 7 is performed on top of the installed one operating system no formatting system partition. This saves user files and settings, as well as installed programs and their settings.

    Attention! To reinstall the operating system, you must log in to it. You will need:

    • installation disk
    • product key
    • free space on the system partition (no less than it occupies Users folder at its root)

    You can start reinstalling Windows 7 either directly from the installation disk or from a control panel item Backup and recovery. At the bottom of the main window you need to click the link Restore system parameters or computer, then - Advanced recovery methods. These methods are:

    • restoring the system from an image previously created using the backup function
    • reinstalling the system, and it immediately indicates that an installation disk is required

    Restoring the system from a pre-created image is described in the article Restoring data from backups and shadow copies in Windows 7. And here we will talk about reinstalling the system - graphically Windows interface this process is called updating. The new Windows 7 is installed on top of the current OS from the installation disk without formatting the system partition. As a rule, this method is recommended in cases where all other options for solving the problem have been exhausted, although this is quite acceptable solution from a technical point of view.

    If you run the update from a Control Panel item Backup and recovery, Windows 7 will carefully remind you that you need to back up your files before installation and will immediately prompt you to do so. This good idea, and you shouldn’t give it up. Upon completion of archiving, or if you refuse it, you will be prompted to insert the installation disk into the drive and reboot.

    However, you can start the update in another way - just insert the installation disk and run setup.exe, and then in the window that opens, click the button Install.

    In this case, Windows 7 will prompt you to download latest updates- It is logical to install an updated system. Of course, an Internet connection is required.

    If you choose to download the updates, the download progress will be displayed in the next window.

    Once the updates are downloaded, the system will reboot and the installation process will begin. Having accepted license agreement, you can select its type.

    • Update- this is an installation on top existing system. This saves user settings and files, as well as installed programs. All system parameters (for example, service configuration) are reset - returned to standard, as with a new installation of Windows.
    • Full installation- this is a clean installation with formatting of the system partition, or installation on another partition of the hard drive.

    The upgrade uses Data Transfer Tool.

    It saves:

    • user files and folders
    • audio files, images and video files
    • user accounts and settings
    • program parameters
    • Internet settings and files in your Favorites folder
    • email settings
    • contacts and messages

    All files are saved to the same partition where the operating system is installed. During the reinstallation, a series of folders are created, in one of which Easy Transfer places these files. The figure below shows how user profiles are migrated.

    Then all this data is restored to the installed system, and the temporary folders are deleted. But before you see the desktop, you will need to go through standard process setting up user settings, called OOBE (Out of Box Experience) - enter the product key, set language and regional settings, etc. Upon completion of the update, you will have a completely restored system that has saved your files, user preferences and settings of installed programs.

    Problem. How to reinstall Windows 10 without losing files?

    My performance is 64-bit Windows systems 10 is just pathetic. It freezes, crashes, displays errors or sometimes displays BSOD. I'm tired of this and will think about reinstalling Windows. However, I'm a little lazy to create backup data, so I would like to know if it is possible to restore or reinstall Windows 10 without losing data?

    Any version of Windows OS becomes sluggish and may start performing poorly due to many reasons. Slowdowns, freezes, unresponsiveness and similar problems usually start to occur due to age and heavy use of the PC. However, the same symptoms can occur due to viral or harmful infections.

    Another common Windows problem is BSOD, which translates to “Blue Screen of Death”. Experiencing BSOD is not a pleasant experience as users risk losing all their unsaved data. These system stops usually occur due to driver issues, boot configuration data corruption, registry issues, viral infection and other serious problems.

    Users are offered blue screen, which specifies a description of the error and a specific code. Since this is a system shutdown, users have no choice but to restart their machine. In some Windows cases can automatically correct errors within the system and recover completely. Some of these errors have comprehensive fixes, while others can hardly be fixed manually, so reinstalling or rebooting Windows is considered the only solution that can be done at home before taking the PC to professional IT professionals.

    The main reason why people decide to endure slow PC, errors, BSOD and other problems is the predetermination of personal data stored on it. In other words, have Windows users No backup copies data, so they don't want to delete the information stored on the device.

    Fortunately, you do not need to delete all files to reinstall Windows 10. This step can be completed without affecting personal data such as photos, documents, videos, music, etc. Because Windows version 10 is the most common these days, in this post we will explain how reinstall Windows 10 without deleting personal data or reboot Windows using Windows Recovery Environment.

    Reinstalling Windows 10 without deleting data

    NOTE. This method is only applicable to Windows 10 OS, which is bootable. If you can't boot your computer, you'll have to reinstall Windows from scratch.

    Reset Windows 10 without losing data

    ADVICE. Disconnect all USB devices before continuing.

    You can try resetting Windows without reinstalling it and improving your PC's performance:


    On Windows 10 Creators Update Another system update function has appeared. Now you can reinstall Windows 10 while preserving your personal data - everything happens automatically, and in the end we get clean version systems.

    IN Creators versions Update implemented new feature“Start Again”, which allows you to automatically reinstall Windows 10 while maintaining personal data (documents, photos, videos, etc.). The operating system will not only be completely cleaned of unnecessary programs and reinstalled, but in addition we still get completely updated version Windows 10. How to reinstall Windows 10 without losing your license and personal data using the built-in Start Again tool?

    What is the Start Again feature?

    The Start Again feature was introduced in Windows 10 Creators Update and is a additional option updates. It has more capabilities than the "Return the computer to initial state" It does the following:

    • allows you to completely reinstall the Windows 10 operating system from scratch;
    • installs all available updates during reinstallation;
    • saves personal data of user directories Documents, Music, Images, Videos;
    • deletes everything third party programs(in the end you will get a clean OS without unnecessary add-ons);
    • produces automatic setup account the user to the state that was before the reinstallation;
    • automatically activates the license for Windows 10.

    Before you reinstall Windows 10 on your computer using this tool, once again pay attention to the following.

    The only thing that is saved is your personal data from libraries of documents, images, videos and downloaded files. Everything else is deleted, as you can freely call this option of installing “from scratch” with saving only the most important data for the user.

    The advantage of the Start Again application is that during reinstallation the latest current version Windows 10. Thanks to this, the problem with downloading and installation completely disappears large quantity updates.

    Which is very convenient, especially for users who use laptops - before this there were several useful solutions reinstall the system on the PC from the Recovery section. You can restore the OS from this partition using a recovery disk. But, as you know, the recorded installation on disk becomes outdated after a while and we had to install a lot of updates. Now this need disappears, since the Start Again application not only allows you to reinstall the OS from scratch, but also automatically updates it.

    In addition, the function deletes everything from the laptop unnecessary additions, which were added by the manufacturer for advertising purposes, that is, so-called bloatware (for example, an ineffective pre-installed antivirus software etc.).

    Reinstalling Windows 10 while saving data using the “Start over” function

    Let's go directly to how to reinstall Windows 10 using this tool. To do this, open the Start menu and go to Settings (the gear icon on the left side of the panel). Then go to the “Update and Security” - “Recovery” tab.

    The tab will display the already familiar functions of restoring and returning the computer to its original state through a reset. But we are interested in the option to start over. Find the item " Additional options recovery."

    Directly below it is a link that says “Learn how to start over with clean install Windows". Click this link and you will be asked if you want to launch the Security Center app. Windows Defender" Confirm your login to the application.

    A window with a “Start Again” option will appear. When you click on the “Get Started” button, the reinstallation process will begin. Everything will be done automatically; no disk or Windows installer 10 – it is built into the system.

    Instructions

    There are two types of Windows XP system recovery. The first type includes changing the configuration of the boot sector, and the second includes returning the system to a certain control point. If Windows gives you an error during startup, use the first type listed.

    Paste boot disk into the drive. Turn on your laptop or desktop computer. Open menu quick launch and select boot from DVD drive. Wait while Windows Setup starts.

    Press the R key to open the System Recovery Console. Choose from available options the required copy Windows by clicking the corresponding number. Will be launched after some time command line.

    Type fixboot and press Enter. Confirm the launch of this function by entering the letter Y. Wait until the utility completes. Enter the fixmbr command and confirm the procedure again. Restart your computer by entering exit into the recovery console.

    If you want to perform a system rollback, boot the system in safe mode. To do this, wait until the OS selection window appears and press the F8 key. Select "Safe" Windows mode».

    Go to the Start menu and open the All Programs folder. Select the “Standard” subfolder and open the “ System utilities" Click on the “System Restore” icon. Select the "Restore your computer to a previous state" option.

    Go to the list of active control points. Choose the one that was created later than the others. Make sure that the recovery process will not affect important programs. All user files will be preserved during recovery.

    Video on the topic

    Sources:

    The main problem when reinstalling operating systems is the loss of some data. Sometimes this information is extremely important for the user, and its disappearance is completely undesirable. If hard drive divided into several sections, most often all data is deleted from the area containing the previous operating system. There are several options to save your data.

    You will need

    Instructions

    Install new Windows XP over the old one. When installing, do not format the partition on which the system was installed. Then copy all the necessary data to the second partition. Installing an operating system over an old one is highly undesirable for stable operation systems. Therefore, you will need to format this partition and Windows on it again.

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