When you experience any issue with your computer, reinstalling the windows operating system should solve almost all the problems. One of the easiest way to fix any software problem is to reinstall the operating system. You should also reinstall the operating system before getting rid of the old one. From this article you’ll know ‘How to reinstall operating system’ depending on your operating system. There’re a number of ways of reinstalling the windows operating system.
How to reinstall the operating system?
1. Keep copies: Before reinstalling the windows operating system, you should keep it in mind that reinstalling it will erase all of your data including your files, folders, images, installed programs and also the configured settings on your computer. In windows 8, if you use the refresh feature, all your personal data can be kept. So before reinstalling the windows-
- Make sure to keep backup copies of all your personal folders. Here one thing you need to remember is that you have to keep up-to-date backup copies as the drive can fail any time. At the time of reinstalling it, you’ve only got the backup copies of your files and folders. Outdated files may fall anytime.
- Ensure programs are backed up on their own. Such as- you’ve signed in to Chrome with your Google account and then enable the browser sync feature. This ensures all the bookmarks and other viewed sites will be accessible afterward.
- Using a feature called steam cloud, you can make sure all the games (if you tend to play lots of games on your computer) are syncing their saves. Otherwise you have to do so.
- Make a list of the important installed programs, just in case you tend to forget things. You can also have a printed copy of the list of programs. Before reinstalling the windows just check the list.
2. Get the product key: It need to be made sure that you’ve the product key before continuing the reinstallation. Without the product key you can’t reinstall the windows. You may find product key in three places-
- Store In the software: At the time of windows installation, the windows stores it’s product key in the registry. The product key can be extracted and re-entered at the time of reinstalling the operating system. So at the beginning of the reinstalling process grab the product key from the operating system and grab and conduct the Windows reinstalling process. Otherwise it will be deleted if you format the hard drive.
- Print on a sticker: A system called “System Locked-preinstallation” or SLP can be used to store the product key in the registry. The one-key viewer application may display a different key which won’t match with the actual product key requirement of your computer. The actual key situated in the power supply of the PC. It’s a common feature for windows 7.
- PC’s UEFI Firmware or BIOS: Windows 8 and 10 uses a new method to store the product key. The new version of Windows PC store it’s product key in the UEFI firmware or BIOS of the computer. A good thing about this is- there’s no need of finding or knowing the location of this. As your windows will automatically install the same edition of windows without even entering the product key. All of it will happen automatically.
3. Download drivers beforehand: From the manufacturer’s website, if you need to consider the hardware drivers downloaded before reinstalling windows. Currently, if you’re using an older version of windows for example- Windows 7. On the other hand Windows 10 contains more integrated drivers and it’ll automatically acquire more hardware devices up-to-date and running.it actually saves a lot of time. Here the computer should have WI-FI connection or internet connection to do so. But in case of having no internet you can download the drivers beforehand or download them from another PC and transfer those to an offline computer through a USB drive.
4. Reinstall the windows: After making copies of all the personal files of your computer in a USB drive or in another computer. Follow the steps discussed below-
- Go to the start.
- Turn off your computer.
- If you use Windows 7 or want to install a different Windows then you should enter a USB drive or disc drive to install it.
- Now start your computer and go to the start menu.
- Choose restart to restart your computer.
If you use Windows 8 or 10 and don’t want to change it. Then directly choose restart without any hesitation.
- You have to press the designated key or a combination of keys as directed. Remember you only have a few seconds to press the keys which will interrupt the setup process and enter into the BIOS screen.
- Now try to find an option named something like ‘First Boot Device’ or ‘Boot Sequence’. Through your keyboard press the arrow keys and choose the required fields and press enter. (Remember you need to choose advanced options or other submenu to find it).
- As a result, from the screen, select CD ROM/DVD. After that press Esc key. Keep pressing until you come back to the main BIOS screen.
- You’ll see some instructions on screen. Follow the instructions to save the new settings for your computer. The computer will restart from the CD/DVD drive.
- Now the windows installation CD needs to be inserted into the drive to restart your computer. Here Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 may come differently on the startup screen. The procedure we’ve discussed mostly goes with Windows 7. Windows XP and Vista come in slightly different but mostly similar ways.
- You can reformat your hard drive to begin a clean installation.
- From the startup screen, choose the install now option.
- Now accept all the terms and conditions and select next to go to another screen.
- Select the custom option. If you get the chance for choose a partition, go for the larger partition for windows installation and select next.
- From the next screen, click on the advanced options to expand it. Follow the instructions given on screen to reformat your drive. And install windows.
- Enter a set of 25 letters of the product key and follow the other instructions to complete the install.
You’re done with the reinstalling procedure. Hopefully this article on “How to reinstall the operating system?” should help you on installing windows for any operating system.