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Started By
Message
Spinoff thread - Should I reinstall Windows 7?
Posted on 7/20/14 at 9:14 pm
Posted on 7/20/14 at 9:14 pm
I've had my XPS for a little over 2 years now and it is getting slower and slower and freezing up on me lately. I have an Toshiba 1TB external that has all my files updated to today. Is there a better way to do this without having to erase all the things I have downloaded (programs, etc) or is it just better to start over?
I just found my Reinstallation DVD and Drivers and Utilities DVD. Do I have to have my Product Key since I have the disk and I will be going over an old version of W7? The last 5 letters/numbers are so faded on back of my PC it's hard to read
. I tried downloading a product key finder off cnet and it gave me a 25 digit key that is completely different than the first 20 digits I can read 
Do I need the Drivers disk or will W7 install the drivers needed? If I need to use Drivers disk, will it walk me through which ones I actually need to install or do I install everything?
Finally, once I am back up and running, I will create a system image this time. Do I do that just with Windows or should I go ahead and download all the programs I want/need first and then create image? Is it ok to put that image on the Toshiba HDD?
TIA
I just found my Reinstallation DVD and Drivers and Utilities DVD. Do I have to have my Product Key since I have the disk and I will be going over an old version of W7? The last 5 letters/numbers are so faded on back of my PC it's hard to read
. I tried downloading a product key finder off cnet and it gave me a 25 digit key that is completely different than the first 20 digits I can read Do I need the Drivers disk or will W7 install the drivers needed? If I need to use Drivers disk, will it walk me through which ones I actually need to install or do I install everything?
Finally, once I am back up and running, I will create a system image this time. Do I do that just with Windows or should I go ahead and download all the programs I want/need first and then create image? Is it ok to put that image on the Toshiba HDD?
TIA
This post was edited on 7/20/14 at 9:45 pm
5
Posted on 7/20/14 at 9:23 pm to Sho Nuff
Anything other than Windows 8 It's so 
Posted on 7/20/14 at 9:34 pm to AtlantaLSUfan
Or maybe you're dumb?
Windows 8 is better than 7.
Windows 8 is better than 7.
Posted on 7/20/14 at 10:04 pm to Sho Nuff
quote:
Is there a better way to do this without having to erase all the things I have downloaded (programs, etc) or is it just better to start over?
It's always a good idea to have a complete disaster recovery plan that you practice every few months on a clean drive.
It takes some upfront work and planning but once this is done it is easy to recover from a total drive failure or massive virus attack.
Posted on 7/20/14 at 10:10 pm to bluebarracuda
quote:
Windows 8 is better than 7.
Oh, here we go...
Posted on 7/20/14 at 10:39 pm to brucevilanch
I miss you
Posted on 7/20/14 at 11:01 pm to bluebarracuda
I'm too busy to do anything these days.
Posted on 7/20/14 at 11:10 pm to brucevilanch
I'm rocking that oneplus one now 
soooo good
soooo good
Posted on 7/20/14 at 11:14 pm to brucevilanch
The frick you gots to do?
Posted on 7/20/14 at 11:27 pm to ILikeLSUToo
two jobs plus school.
Posted on 7/20/14 at 11:36 pm to Sho Nuff
There is really no "easy" way to reinstall Windows if thats what you want to do.
As for your computer slowing and freezing up, try these things if you havent:
1) Run CCleaner
2) Defragment Hard Drive
3) Check what programs you have booting on startup and running in background
4) Full virus scan
I don't know how much difference this makes with computers being slow or freezing, but my laptop also gets a ton of dust inside and it causes my computer to run hotter than usual.
So periodically I have to use compressed air to remove the dust.
If you do have to reinstall, I would put a version of W7 on your computer (assuming its a laptop) without the manufacturer's bloatware on it.
As for your computer slowing and freezing up, try these things if you havent:
1) Run CCleaner
2) Defragment Hard Drive
3) Check what programs you have booting on startup and running in background
4) Full virus scan
I don't know how much difference this makes with computers being slow or freezing, but my laptop also gets a ton of dust inside and it causes my computer to run hotter than usual.
So periodically I have to use compressed air to remove the dust.
If you do have to reinstall, I would put a version of W7 on your computer (assuming its a laptop) without the manufacturer's bloatware on it.
Posted on 7/20/14 at 11:54 pm to boXerrumble
quote:
boXerrumble
It only took 9 responses to get someone to try to help
quote:
1) Run CCleaner
2) Defragment Hard Drive
3) Check what programs you have booting on startup and running in background
4) Full virus scan
Did it all.
quote:
If you do have to reinstall, I would put a version of W7 on your computer (assuming its a laptop) without the manufacturer's bloatware on it.
I have a disk so I guess it probably has bloatware. Maybe not.
I just ran Dell diagnostics and it told me my hard drive has issues. I'll buy a new HD and I guess have to reinstall W7 anyway
Posted on 7/21/14 at 12:26 am to Sho Nuff
I bought a MacBook Air 4 years ago in 2010. It still boots up in 14 seconds, shuts down in 4 seconds and in general runs as fast as the day I got it. That was my first Mac and it made me swear off Windows laptops for personal use forever. You want a maintenance free computer without the headache of running anti-virus programs, defragging etc., give the Mac a try. I have a work laptop that runs Windows 7 on a SSD. But I still don't find it as snappy as my Air at home for some reason, but it works much better than Windows on a spinning HDD, that's for sure. There is a reason the MacBook Air is considered the best overall laptop for the average user by most tech sites.
ETA: If you don't do anything else, consider this one thing - upgrade your Dell with an SSD. It is the best bang for buck upgrade you can do for your computer. You'll thank me.
ETA: If you don't do anything else, consider this one thing - upgrade your Dell with an SSD. It is the best bang for buck upgrade you can do for your computer. You'll thank me.
This post was edited on 7/21/14 at 12:31 am
Posted on 7/21/14 at 12:28 am to stendulkar
Posted on 7/21/14 at 12:29 am to brucevilanch
And the tech board is now better than our PC thread 
This post was edited on 7/21/14 at 12:31 am
Posted on 7/21/14 at 10:37 am to Sho Nuff
quote:
Did it all.
Did you msconfig it?
How much RAM are you running?
Between those two things alone, you can typically make a computer run like new.
Posted on 7/21/14 at 10:41 am to stendulkar
quote:
You want a maintenance free computer without the headache of running anti-virus programs, defragging etc., give the Mac a try.
Defragging isn't unique to windows. You should do it in OSX as well. OSX is nowhere near as maintenance free as people seem to claim on this site. The software updates are much more intrusive than in windows and little things require attention all the time. And, for kicks, I had an Apple HDD fail on me fairly recently, and reinstalling is absolutely no different than when there's a Windows failure.
All in all, the two OS are much more similar than people give them credit for. Paying for premium-level stuff and comparing it to entry-level stuff is close to 90% of it.
ETA- Apple doesn't make HDDs. I should have said "HDD in my MacBook"
This post was edited on 7/21/14 at 10:43 am
Posted on 7/21/14 at 10:47 am to Hopeful Doc
Only thing I have against MACs is pricing really. Buying a windows laptop, or building your own desktop is much more cost effective than going with a MAC.
Posted on 7/21/14 at 10:53 am to boXerrumble
Agreed. They supposedly have pretty good support, but I've never required it. They do a good job of closing the system so only their products can run their OS effectively and it gives them the freedom to integrate things a little more easily. I prefer the system that lets me do all the same things at about half the cost with a minimal time input. I also don't particularly agree with the "they're so much prettier" groups (exception goes to the old Mac Pros...those cases were badass).
But with regards to maintenance, I don't know how the idea that Macs don't get viruses or need to be defragged comes from.
But with regards to maintenance, I don't know how the idea that Macs don't get viruses or need to be defragged comes from.
Posted on 7/21/14 at 11:05 am to Hopeful Doc
quote:
But with regards to maintenance, I don't know how the idea that Macs don't get viruses or need to be defragged comes from.
People like catchy phrases.
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