Good way to get Windows 10 to scan/fix corrupted system files

leftisthominid

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Jan 7, 2014
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I was upgrading from Windows 8.1 to 10 earlier today, and my power went out for two or three minutes during the upgrade. It reverted back to Windows 8.1, and at some point deleted my system restore points. I then went ahead a retried the upgrade. Windows 10 seems to be working now, but I want to make sure there isn't any damage in the background. I am running an sfc /scannow right now on my desktop (typing from laptop).

Is there anything else I should do?
 
Solution
You can do an in-place upgrade.

1) Insert W10 media with system running Windows 10 already (link to make is at the END if you need it)
2) run the "setup.exe" program on it

3) when prompted have it KEEP your programs and data (unless you decide to do a clean install in which case I'd BOOT to the media and DELETE everything off the Windows partition)
4) finish. I can't remember if it prompts for a key but if it does just SKIP that.

Basically this does a re-install of the core files.

Other:
Once you're happy it's running well you should:
a) right-click C-drive and do a cleanup of the system files (properties-> disk cleanup-> cleanup system files) and delete the "OLD" Windows 8 folder etc to save a lot of space (there's a backup in case...
You can do an in-place upgrade.

1) Insert W10 media with system running Windows 10 already (link to make is at the END if you need it)
2) run the "setup.exe" program on it

3) when prompted have it KEEP your programs and data (unless you decide to do a clean install in which case I'd BOOT to the media and DELETE everything off the Windows partition)
4) finish. I can't remember if it prompts for a key but if it does just SKIP that.

Basically this does a re-install of the core files.

Other:
Once you're happy it's running well you should:
a) right-click C-drive and do a cleanup of the system files (properties-> disk cleanup-> cleanup system files) and delete the "OLD" Windows 8 folder etc to save a lot of space (there's a backup in case you want to rollback to W8.1)

then
b) make a backup Image if you have a spare drive using Acronis True Image or similar

Other:
If you decide on a clean W10 install, you'd navigate to the MS media creation tool, download, run it then burn a DVD or USB as applicable. Then go into the BIOS and boot to it, delete partition data and continue (no need to enter key)
https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/software-download/windows10
 
Solution

leftisthominid

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Jan 7, 2014
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I already got Windows 10 successfully installed as an in-place upgrade from Windows 8.1

sfc /scannow didn't find anything. I haven't noticed anything amiss (albeit it has only been upgraded for a couple hours now). Should I really go about with reinstalling Windows 10? (I've already made the Windows 10 installation DVD as a back-up)
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


I did exactly this on one of my systems last night. "Keep Everything".
Worked perfectly. Everything is just as it was, just a refreshed OS.
And no, it does not ask for a license key.
 
For you Win 10'ers... son just upgraded to win 10 ... all seems fine for a week but now it's killing him, he can't get work done, gaming steenks. He's considering reinstalling Win 7 and his 2nd SSD and using it to get work done. Questions:

1. He did a fresh install of Win10, he's well within the 30 day roll back period but ya can't roll back a fresh install. Can he just reinstall Win7 as long as 30 days ain't up ?

2. Any possibility of keeping the Win 10 on the existing SSD install as is and putting Win 7 on the 2nd until he can get Win10 reasonably functioning again ?

Note.. he's started heping me building PCs about 16 years ago ... lately, he does more builds than I do.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


What is his Win 10 doing/not doing?
Possibly a clean install of that. A simple Upgrade often, but not always, brings issues.

He can roll back to 7 within the 30 days.

But all of my personal systems that went from 7 or 8.1 to 10...zero issues.
I even did a reinstall of 10 on one of them last night, just to go through the process. "Keep Everything" did exactly that.
 

Pramethius

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Nov 2, 2016
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If he did a clean install of Windows 10? Then no you will not be able to roll back, You can only role back if Windows 10 CD was run from your Windows 7 Desktop, For only then it will offer the roll back option, but if he has his CD key for Windows 7 he can wipe an do a fresh install of Windows 7, make sure as to make a back up CD before any Windows Installation's, an said drivers for this older machine, for you may lose a critical driver or more!