Windows fully updated while retaining key information.

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CaptKrazy
Member

234

06-25-2016, 11:09 PM

#1

I’m not very familiar with software and storage these days. I’ve built my own systems and fixed many problems before, but this one feels overwhelming. My Windows 7 Home Premium keeps failing updates—never installs important patches and just reverts to an older version. Recently I got stuck trying to restore from a system restore while the computer was turning on, and it’s taking a lot of time to get back up. I’m tired of troubleshooting and just want a clean start. My Windows 10 copy isn’t working either because I need to update it to claim my free version through the taskbar prompt. I’m thinking about reformatting everything, but I don’t want to lose my Steam library or games since my internet connection in Australia is slow. I have both an SSD and a HDD, so should I leave the HDD unplugged during the process? I’d probably wipe most of it except for the files I really need, and maybe do that again because I’ve had it since 2013. I’m planning to switch to Windows 8 soon, so could there be any compatibility issues? This is really confusing—I’d appreciate any advice. Thanks, Cody

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atahann
Junior Member

17

07-05-2016, 08:37 PM

#2

Sure, just save all your data to the HDD you want to keep. Then unplug it and reinstall Windows. Once you're back in Windows, put the HDD back in (while it's off).

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ItsTalaGaming
Member

236

07-06-2016, 04:44 AM

#3

When the PC uses Windows 7, compatibility problems should be minimal

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EliteChicagoan
Member

228

07-06-2016, 04:53 AM

#4

I’d create a backup just in case things fail. Save crucial files and photos to Dropbox on an external hard drive. As long as the drive isn’t connected, everything should stay safe.

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PixelpigLeo06
Member

60

07-06-2016, 06:38 AM

#5

Thanks a lot! I'll try it out when I'm away from home so it can work independently without you waiting around.