Fresh Install or Image?

[irishfan89]

So recently strange things started to happen on my PC. Internet connectivity issues, freezing and lagging, etc...
I though it was a virus so I spent hours trying to clean it up. I still get some random things going wrong (HDMI handshaking where video no sound after monitor off, freezing, and sluggishness).
I was thinking about just saying screw it and reformatting hard drives and re-installing windows 7 when I remembered right after the first time I installed (well second tried to install comodo and completely crashed my fresh installl system) I made a backup Image.
So..what exactly is a system image. Should I use this to try to fix problems and if so how, or just do fresh install.

I really do not care about losing data or saved games or anything like that. I was thinking about getting another hdd anyway and maybe Raid 0, but right Now I just want my PC back to normal whether its a virus issue or drivers or bad programs I do not know, hoping to figure out by process of elimination.

Thanks for the help and I am clearly not a programmer so please dumb down the jargin for me-Thanks!

 

[alishathomaz]

I would recommend a fresh install if their is no issue. Also use Antivirus to protect PC from virus.

 

[Hawkeye22]

The image is just a backup - a snapshot of the system at the time the image was made. If you weren't having problems when you made the image, then restoring it shouldn't be a problem.

If you want to eliminate the odds of it being a bad install, then reinstall from scratch.

 

[mobrocket]

I would do a fresh install if you do'nt care about back ups and the bunch.
and remember to do a full windows update after the install before u start putting everything on there again

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

Clean install would be the way to proceed.

 

[daship]

As long as the image was good is basically just a good as a fresh install.

 

[nebun]

if your image is fresh and untouch, go with it....if not then do a custom fresh install....the reason for a fresh image is because you don't have to worry about reinstalling the correct drivers and software

 

[nebun]

you can always remove stuff you don't want or need after the image process is complete....like i said, if you want a pain free process just go with the image...hope this helps

 

[lewza]

I agree with Nebun.

Will have drivers / updates / software ready to go then saves a lot of time and hassle.

 

[JDFan]

Depends on at what point you made the Image ---

If you did a fresh install and then made the image - the result would be the same

If you did a fresh install - updated windows - installed all device drivers and updated - and then made the image - then using the image is faster and better than a fresh install

If you made the image after using the system for a while and already had a lot of unneeded stuff installed and running so that the image includes alot of useless junk - then a fresh clean install would be best.

So really depends on the image and the state of the system when that image was created !!

 

[irishfan89]

Yea I think I am going to do fresh install. I think the problems might come a from a driver issue as I installed a bunch right before the problems...process of elimination.
Thanks guys1

 

[irishfan89]

Best answer selected by irishfan89.