Inplace repair or Clean install? Registry or hardware issues

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[Deo]

Will an in-place repair actually repair registry in both Admin & User? Or need Clean install?

I plan on doing this in upcoming week due to ongoing glitches since last Feb, and registry remnants from uninstalled programs, & ongoing User/Admin issues.

Trying to rule out hardware/virus as well, simply to be cautious, but not if unnecessary (nothing ever detected by my corp. a/v thus far; yet not all of a/v components are updating since Aug, sending alarm bells to me. The core & running components HAVE updated. Ran into this in April 22 win updates too, needed pkg reinstall. All is well.)

From MS site & Ten Forums site, it says ‘current version must be equal or above’ the win 10 version’. I just upgraded to 22H2 on Feb 4. via enablement pkg kb5015684. Would uninstalling this via control panel bring me back to 21H2?

Is the turn around time for reverting back to 21H2, even with an iso of 21H2 on desktop, out of the question at this point? Not sure if in place repair with iso 21H2 or complete reinstall with a ‘new’ 22H2 d/load the way to go as it’s not without hiccups.  Or if I create a bootable Rufus usb from 21H2 iso the way to go?

Dell Optiplex Usff 9020. Nfts/uefi, no bitlocker. Samsung ssd. Win 10 Pro.  Ready for landfill I hope not, I know it is also unfortunately Patch Tues, and all eyes will be on that.

• This topic was modified 2 years, 4 months ago by Deo.
• This topic was modified 2 years, 4 months ago by Deo.

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I’ve had repair installs fix a bunch of things but I wouldn’t depend on that if you think you have a virus. Most Dell’s have a hardware diagnostic you can run from the F-12 menu on boot. Run that, memtest and a hdd diag to rule out hardware then give more info of what is occurring and maybe give a better idea for troubleshooting.

Make sure you have updated BIOS and drivers. I haven’t had any machines (over 100) having issues with 22H2.

Also if you haven’t cleaned the dust bunnies in some time don’t forget that!

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Deo

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Repair install won’t remove old registry settings for 3rd party apps.
It will fix some Windows specific registry entries.

cheers, Paul

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Deo

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TY, sorry for delay. Virus ruled out. Seems issues/anolomalies have occured since I used enablement pkg vs upgrading to 22H2 vs going through WU. ie group policies templates et al as mentioned in this thread.

My concern with “inplace reinstall” is what exactly will go missing, esp if I do it offline?  i.e. local account, ‘winshowhide‘ (can you install offline?), GP edit settings (esp ‘notify “2” & ‘do not install drivers’). I know I’ll have to comb thru tons of other GP & every MS settings, I do every month, so what other settings do I have to write down. It’s been a year and the new O/S negates many and adds more to lock down? Get rid of/turn off M/store auto etc. I follow PKCano’s advice astutely, bang on. Is it still relevant with 22H2? Sign out of Apple Itunes backups etc., what else?

Do I have to have Dell’s old drivers on a thumb drive to install so I get internet connection? Order? Dell site chipset, display adapter, audio, etc. or use Dell Command update? In a nut shell, will Dell site with tag and old drivers work & be safe?

I know this falls under many categories in AW realm. Been following you all along, to great success for years, and things have now become more complex for even the now moderately astute user, let alone advanced to keep track of in the forum. You mods are all fabulous.

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What I do is create a drive image, download the latest ISO, and install the latest drivers from Dell. I don’t use their command update and the order I use for install is: BIOS (if I want it), SATA driver, Chipset drivers, IME, Memory Card Reader app/drivers, Video, Audio, LAN, WLAN/Bluetooth. I always save the downloaded drivers for future use if needed.

I then perform a very thorough cleanup with disk cleanup and temp file cleaners getting rid of all old windows updates, temp files etc. IF (and that’s a big IF) I plan on cleaning the registry of old entries I’d do it now but I rarely do that!

After reboots I do sfc /scannow, DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth if needed, chkdsk c: /f,  and optimize the drive

Once satisfied I’m clean and ready, I disable as many programs from running as possible, esp a/v malware, backup programs etc. After a good clean reboot I let the system settle down, then mount the ISO and run setup, choose upgrade and keep files and settings.

After complete and reboots I run sfc/scannow, re-enable my programs, check my tweaks/settings, and then go online and check for updates. I don’t remove the store, I just disable it from auto-updating on most systems.

HTH Good luck!

2 users thanked author for this post.

TechTango, Deo

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Repair install keeps the drivers and hopefully, software settings.

As always, make an image backup before attempting any sort of reinstall. (Use one of the free 3rd party backup products as they make it easy to recover files later.)

cheers, Paul

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Deo

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About to finally attempt the repair install (been away offsite, apologies for delay).

Couple of quick queries:

1. Will my PC name/identifiers change? I ask as I wonder if I will have to deauthorize any program dependent on it’s current ie Itunes, Imazing (allowed only 2 “devices”), Macrium Free

2. I have the iso d/loaded on desktop from March. Considering there is a new iso out there which includes the latest May updates, and from what I’ve read, the Secure Boot BlackLotus “fix”, and not cleared as a “go” from this site, I don’t wish to inherit new issues. I’m running UEFI/gpt, TPM 1.2. I also use Macrium Reflect 8 free, and see rather troubling issues there re: recovery usb both PE/RE. I will post in new topic.

I’ve also just had an issue ‘clearing the queue’ (knowledge base 2000013) where restarts post disabling windows update via services.msc does not hold upon restart (after creating a ‘test’ admin acct , as per my post #2552598 ) Again, I’ll post that seperately when I am up and running. (Winshowhide).

I have April updates installed only. Currently PC is ‘operating’ even with glitches. Should I hold off repair install until Secure boot sorted by Win? With Macrium still unable to sort it’s rescue usb issues? Yes, wish was able to do it in Feb, long before. Life/death often gets in way. Appreciate f/back!

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When using AKB2000013 to clear the WU queue, scroll down and use @Matador ‘s method. It is much easier than the original method that was developed before more experimenting was done.

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Deo

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Install using the March ISO and worry about those issues later. You will have an image backup so you can always revert.
One problem at a time.

cheers, Paul

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Checked the ‘build’ of the 22H2 iso on Desktop that I downloaded via MCT (Media Creation Tool) in April 2023 (via mount and dism commands in elevated command prompt). See screenshot showing build 19041?

Properties of the iso “date created” via r/click:

Winver shows I am on a later build 19045

Don’t understand the discrepancy? An in-place repair install requires the iso to be “same or newer build” as per Susan’s link to the Ten Forums. (Glad I didn’t blindly plunge forward)

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Deo wrote:

See screenshot showing build 19041?

All build are 19041 as there is no difference from versions 2004, 2009…21H1, 22H2…

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