Reinstalling Win7 -- A question or two

[Muse]

My Win7 Ultimate 64 bit laptop has been unable to digest updates for a few years now!!! Last night, the machine became unusable and I had to shut it down. Instead of shutting down, it started to install 152 Updates!!! I know from experience that beyond taking many hours to do that it will at the end say it failed to install them all and it will spend more hours reverting. Of course, I pressed and held the power button turning the machine off.

More than once in years past, I installed Microsoft's Windows Update repair utility, but it failed to fix the problem.

This morning I started the machine, "Normally," and here I am on it. My backup of the machine disappeared when the external HD failed, so I have to install from scratch.

I made an unusual install, originally, in that I didn't allow Win7 to create the usual 100MB service partition, I integrated that into the C: partition. I partitioned the HD into 2 partitions, so there is a D data partition. The HD is 640GB, 150GB for the C: OS/Apps partition, ~450GB for the D data partition.

Can I just insert the Win7 installation disk into the optical drive and have Windows installed on the C: partition? Or will Windows create a 100MB service partition, or will it insist on wiping the D data partition?

 

[sm625]

Can I just insert the Win7 installation disk into the optical drive and have Windows installed on the C: partition? Or will Windows create a 100MB service partition, or will it insist on wiping the D data partition?

I'm not 100% sure, but what I do know is that every time I've done a fresh install, it has always wiped out all of my partitions, and never even offered me a clear option to try and save them. But I never looked to hard for it since I always assumed it was going to wipe them out. I've also had problems when installing windows 7 onto a system with more than one HDD plugged in during installation. So I just make it a rule to always have just one drive during install, and always format it and wipe all its partitions.

 

[Dahak]

Can I just insert the Win7 installation disk into the optical drive and have Windows installed on the C: partition? Or will Windows create a 100MB service partition, or will it insist on wiping the D data partition?

Yes, it will only create the 100mb partition if the drive is empty.
The only concern I would have it may put the boot files on the D : drive stupidly.

 

[Dahak]

I'm not 100% sure, but what I do know is that every time I've done a fresh install ....

It should not do that, unless its a manufacturers (Dell, HP) dvd, or unless its modified in some way. The default way it it will show your drives and partitions and you can format or delete etc...

 

[Muse]

Yes, it will only create the 100mb partition if the drive is empty.
The only concern I would have it may put the boot files on the D : drive stupidly.

I'll give it a try, just to C:. However, I think I'll back up the D partition. It's no big deal, there's nothing on there of importance that isn't somewhere else or that I can't recreate, but there's just ~25GB of data on there, so it won't be hard to backup to an external drive before I reinstall Win7.

The machine is a Lenovo T61 laptop.

Why does the Universe go to all the bother of existing? - Stephen Hawking

I'm wondering what Hawking means by that. Does he have any answer? LOL

Of course, it's a wonderful question!

 

[VirtualLarry]

will it insist on wiping the D data partition?

It shouldn't, but I've had it do that. I would make sure that I had a backup of the data partition, just to be sure.

 

[Dahak]

I'm wondering what Hawking means by that. Does he have any answer? LOL

Of course, it's a wonderful question!

No idea, cant even remember where I got that quote from, might have been a PBS special or something, and I kinda liked it

 

[Muse]

It shouldn't, but I've had it do that. I would make sure that I had a backup of the data partition, just to be sure.

I will do that, it's under 30GB.

When I install from scratch: I don't know if there are any service packs on the installation disk. Will Windows Update automatically install the service packs or should I look for them? Do I just run Windows Update until it says I'm good or do I want to do that differently? Thanks!

No idea, cant even remember where I got that quote from, might have been a PBS special or something, and I kinda liked it

I thought about it a while, it really tickled me! Reminded me of something Alan Watts said about making living "worth the candle."

 

[Dahak]

I will do that, it's under 30GB.

When I install from scratch: I don't know if there are any service packs on the installation disk. Will Windows Update automatically install the service packs or should I look for them? Do I just run Windows Update until it says I'm good or do I want to do that differently? Thanks!I thought about it a while, it really tickled me! Reminded me of something Alan Watts said about making living "worth the candle."

To make it easier, if you do not have SP1 as part of the install disk I would do the following

Download the updates offline
1 - Install SP1
2 - Install IE 11
3 - Set windows updates to Never Check
4 - Have the computer offline
5 - Install the Servicing Stack Update KB3020369
6 - Install the Windows update client update - KB3138612 (March 2016)
7 - Then install the Convenience Rollup - KB3125574

 

[Muse]

To make it easier, if you do not have SP1 as part of the install disk I would do the following

Download the updates offline
1 - Install SP1
2 - Install IE 11
3 - Set windows updates to Never Check
4 - Have the computer offline
5 - Install the Servicing Stack Update KB3020369
6 - Install the Windows update client update - KB3138612 (March 2016)
7 - Then install the Convenience Rollup - KB3125574

Thanks. Looking at the disk, it apparently doesn't include SP1. It's a "PROMOTIONAL DISC: Not for resale." I got it as a door prize at an MS sponsored user group meeting some years ago. It's Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit DVD. Says it "includes Windows Anytime Upgrade." I have no idea what that is.

So, you're saying I should, I think, download all this stuff, I assume I can do that even before reinstalling Win7 on this machine, I'll just download from another machine, assuming I'll be able to do that. I don't have another Win7 Ultimate 64bit machine.

So, I download all that stuff. Can have it on an external HD. Install Win7 on this machine, then turn off internet and install all the updates from the external HD. Is this what you mean?

Or should I download all this stuff right now using the Win7 Ultimate 64bit machine, BEFORE reinstalling Win7, but just store it on the external HD where it can't be wiped when I reinstall?

I think the first thing I'm going to do is make an ISO of this installation disk, I don't think I have a copy. I'll store the ISO on my NAS for safekeeping.

 

[Dahak]

You can download before or after the install it should not matter.
and just save them to an external hdd/flashdrive.

 

[Muse]

You can download before or after the install it should not matter.
and just save them to an external hdd/flashdrive.

Thanks, I'll do that right now. I've backed up the data to external HD, that's where I'll save the downloads. I'll install Win7 and updates tomorrow morning. Went to save ISO of install disk, found that I'd done that in February!

 

[Muse]

A search reveals that there is a SP2 for Windows 7. Where in this scenario do I deal with that? Wouldn't that include SP1?

Going to MS's Service Pack and Update Center it says the free upgrade to Win10 lasts until July 29. Should I do that instead?

 

[Muse]

Having a tough time finding windows6.1-KB976932-X64.exe, which I believe is the SP1 I want. I keep getting this:

7601.17514.101119-1850_Update_Sp_Wave1-GRMSP1.1_DVD.iso
1.9 GB


Windows_Win7SP1.7601.17514.101119-1850.AMD64CHK.Symbols.msi
262.7 MB


Windows_Win7SP1.7601.17514.101119-1850.AMD64FRE.Symbols.msi
287.8 MB


Windows_Win7SP1.7601.17514.101119-1850.IA64CHK.Symbols.msi
241.8 MB


Windows_Win7SP1.7601.17514.101119-1850.IA64FRE.Symbols.msi
193.4 MB


Windows_Win7SP1.7601.17514.101119-1850.X86CHK.Symbols.msi
294.5 MB

I don't think I want any of those... At MS's site, those are the offered files. I could go elsewhere, download.com and such but figure I'm safer downloading from MS, but I don't see it there.

 

[bruceb]

I got that same promo disc for Windows 7 Ultimate at the launch event in Philadelphia .. it has not been used yet. I have since ordered and now have the SP1 CD from Microsoft for WIndows 7 ... Also got Office 2007 Ultimate when Microsoft still had Club Bing game site. The Windows 7 has both 32 bit and 64 bit install DVDs in it's case.

 

[postmortemIA]

Having a tough time finding windows6.1-KB976932-X64.exe, which I believe is the SP1 I want. I keep getting this:

I don't think I want any of those... At MS's site, those are the offered files. I could go elsewhere, download.com and such but figure I'm safer downloading from MS, but I don't see it there.

these look like developers files.

you're not going to fix anything by reinstalling windows. There's problem how Win 7 works with updates - the more are released, the slower it gets. Reinstall will get you stuck in exact same spot: waiting for updates + high CPU utilization.

And it gets slow again when there are new updates released, every Tuesday.

Honestly, only sane thing to do is install Windows 10 whether you like it or not. Same thing happened with XP. Updates made it slow to the crawl near end of its life.

 

[VirtualLarry]

these look like developers files.

you're not going to fix anything by reinstalling windows. There's problem how Win 7 works with updates - the more are released, the slower it gets. Reinstall will get you stuck in exact same spot: waiting for updates + high CPU utilization.

And it gets slow again when there are new updates released, every Tuesday.

Honestly, only sane thing to do is install Windows 10 whether you like it or not. Same thing happened with XP. Updates made it slow to the crawl near end of its life.

Funny how coincidental the timing of Windows Update "going slow", seems to always happen when MS is pushing for upgrades to a new version of Windows... almost just like it was planned that way...

 

[Dahak]

https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/download/details.aspx?id=5842
is the link for SP1, when you click on download it will give you an option on what files to download you would only need windows6.1-KB976932-X64.exe for 64bit or windows6.1-KB976932-X86.exe for 32bit

Also should have mentioned that the Convenience update can only be downloaded through internet explorer at catalog.update.microsoft.com

 

[Muse]

https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/download/details.aspx?id=5842
is the link for SP1, when you click on download it will give you an option on what files to download you would only need windows6.1-KB976932-X64.exe for 64bit or windows6.1-KB976932-X86.exe for 32bit

Also should have mentioned that the Convenience update can only be downloaded through internet explorer at catalog.update.microsoft.com

Thank you! :thumbsup:

I figure to do this, I could change my mind, I'm just getting on this now, but I did some research some months ago, didn't act:

0. Download all that stuff you enumerated
1. Install Win7 Ultimate 64 bit from my DVD
2. Do the installs you indicated starting with SP1
3. Maybe install a thing or two, maybe not, but then make an image of the machine
4. Install Windows 10.

I figure I need to do a bunch of research particularly on Windows 10 because I saw a veritable storm of criticism about it. People were saying you should disable some things and/or not install others or else the OS was very intrusive and objectionable in some ways.

I have another Windows 7 laptop (Lenovo T60), which is running Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit. I figure I should image it and then similarly upgrade that machine to Windows 10 ahead of the July 29 deadline.

I also have another Lenovo T60 that's running XP. I use it to make timed recordings off FM radio. Maybe I can leave it using XP, but figure maybe I should upgrade the OS. Suggestions? I could get Win7 for it somehow and upgrade to Win10 before July29.

 

[Muse]

these look like developers files.

you're not going to fix anything by reinstalling windows. There's problem how Win 7 works with updates - the more are released, the slower it gets. Reinstall will get you stuck in exact same spot: waiting for updates + high CPU utilization.

Yes, I saw elsewhere that those are developers versions. Don't know why MS has them offered there, it's nutty.

Well, this machine isn't just slow updating, it has another problem. There are two KB in particular that it always fails to install and it always rolls back all the updates that it's digested. I'm through trying. I figure I'll stick with Win10 as long as my critical apps work. I'm contemplating installing Win10 32 bit on this machine because one app I use frequently won't run in 64 bit. I just use that app on my Win7 32bit or XP machines, but it would be nice if I could use it on this machine too. It's not important, but if there's no good reason to want 64bit Windows on this machine, why not just run 32bit? I didn't have the choice when I installed Win7 on it because the promotional disk only included the 64 bit version.

I have a Win10 installation disk I made from an ISO I downloaded from MS probably over 6 months ago. I wonder if I can use that or if I should install a different way. I know think some things probably changed including the use of keys.

 

[Muse]

I'm downloading SP1, both versions, 64bit and 32bit, because I'm not sure which version I'm going to install on this machine. The downloads are in progress, they are going to a 2TB USB external HD.

I see what my problem was. Those developers files were in a dropdown list and I didn't notice that. They appeared to be all that was offered, but pulling the slider down I saw the other files. I then clicked the checkboxes for both the 64bit and 32bit versions and began the downloads.

Also should have mentioned that the Convenience update can only be downloaded through internet explorer at catalog.update.microsoft.com

Have downloaded all your suggested files except the Convenience update. So, I went to open IE on this machine (my default browser is Pale Moon) and lo and behold, it was unable to connect to any websites. It couldn't figure out what was wrong. So, I figured why not install the IE11 download I just made? I started that and after around 5 minutes was informed that it failed to completely install, which is no surprise to me, this machine being in it's sad state! If figure I can use one of my other machines to make the Convenience update download! Or, I could wait until reinstalling Windows 7.

 

[Muse]

Also should have mentioned that the Convenience update can only be downloaded through internet explorer at catalog.update.microsoft.com

I did this on one of my other machines (Win7 32bit HE), and I was prompted to install the catalog update applet, which I agreed to. Then it wanted me to search for something and I searched for Convenience update, but get this:

We did not find any results for "convenience update "

Edit: Or did you just mean the installation of the the catalog update feature itself, being http://catalog.update.microsoft.com/v7/site/home.aspx ???

 

[bigman86]

Copy all your important data to a backup device and reinstall the OS. If you need Windows 7 Ultimate get it from Windows Page using the product key or from windows 7 download where you get a direct link to download it.

 

[Muse]

Copy all your important data to a backup device and reinstall the OS. If you need Windows 7 Ultimate get it from Windows Page using the product key or from windows 7 download where you get a direct link to download it.

I have the Win7 Ultimate installation DVD. It does not have SP1 on it. I have downloaded SP1, and some other updates. This is all documented in this thread in posts I made earlier today.

 

[Dahak]

I did this on one of my other machines (Win7 32bit HE), and I was prompted to install the catalog update applet, which I agreed to. Then it wanted me to search for something and I searched for Convenience update, but get this:

We did not find any results for "convenience update "

Edit: Or did you just mean the installation of the the catalog update feature itself, being http://catalog.update.microsoft.com/v7/site/home.aspx ???

Sorry, should have mention it too, just have to put the number for the convenience update unto the search field at that site so, 3125574 and it should show 3 options, one for 64-bit(AMD64) one for 32 bit and one for Itanium

the term Convenience update is an unofficial term for it and its just easier to say then KB3125574 all the time

And yes you can download it after or on another machine