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I need advice. My installation of Windows 7 (I am using on an old laptop) was recently corrupted, so much so that I can't properly boot anymore (it keeps saying that some windows required files are corrupted or damaged). I tried to do a system repair and a sfc /scannow multiple times (5+ system repairs and 3+ sfc /scannow) just to try and boot it but to no avail. (The files that were broken just cycles on and on). I really want to do a Repair Install as to save what system settings I can from the old installation as much as possible, and I am thinking of creating another installation on an unallocated partition on my hard drive so that I can boot from there. The question is, can I do a Repair Installation on the original partion (meaning the C:) from the new installation (using the unallocated partition). Or if anyone can give me other tips, advice, or even commands and programs I could use to help.

Thank you!

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First, the fact that such a catastrophic error has occurred should be very worrying as regarding possible hardware problems. So what I suggest is to check the S.M.A.R.T. parameters of the disk (I recommend Speccy).

I would suggest to create a Windows 7 boot of the same Windows 7 level (SP1?) and try to use its "Repair" function. It often manages to repair many boot problems. This presupposes that while booting it you will be given the choice of selecting this installation - if this does not happen then all is lost.

If you manage to boot into the Command Prompt of the damaged installation from the boot media, you may do sfc /cleannow (this has to be done from inside the installation).

If nothing works, then reinstallation is the only option left.

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  • Will I be able to a repair install from another partition/installation of windows 7? i.e. I have two partitions with windows 7 in each of them (C: and D:) and one is broken (C:) and cannot be booted into, can I boot into D: and run Repair Install from it to repair the installation at C:?
    – DepChemical
    Commented Oct 2, 2018 at 16:36
  • Do you have a bootable installation of Windows 7 on each partition?
    – harrymc
    Commented Oct 2, 2018 at 16:39
  • No only one is bootable and the other is broken,
    – DepChemical
    Commented Oct 2, 2018 at 16:40
  • I misunderstood you : From the fact that you did chkdsk on the disk I though that you had a way of booting into it, because Repair Install requires boot. I will delete my answer if I can't come up with a better answer. In the meantime, get the S.M.A.R.T. data and report in your post on any parameters that Speccy doesn't like.
    – harrymc
    Commented Oct 2, 2018 at 16:43
  • Well that sucks, I guess I just have to do a windows reinstall then
    – DepChemical
    Commented Oct 2, 2018 at 17:22

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