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The Repair Install is a different creature from the original install. An original install does not care where you have your data placed. It will just create new folders which you then change to point to your original data folders on the separate drive. I have never had to do a repair install, so I did not realize the Repair required the folders to be in their original locations. That is yet another reason why a good, up to date image works best for me.

It might be worth opening an Elevated Command Prompt (type cmd in search, Right Click and choose Run As Admin) and typing “sfc /scannow” without the quotes. (notice the space between c and /)

Thanks to all for your help.
the bluescreenview report didn’t seem to implicate NIS in the “caused by” column

From my experience using Norton products several years ago, I will always suspect Symantec of causing these strange failures. On one machine only try to create a full system Image, then completely remove NIS (Norton Removal Tool). I would also look for leftover stuff from Norton, perhaps using CCleaner (both normal cleanup and Registry just looking for Norton stuff). Once you are certain NIS is gone, try adding one of the free AV/AM products available as a trial. I use AVG AV 2013 Pro. It’s free version uses the same engine. If this one machine starts to act normally, then you can be reasonably certain NIS was causing the problem. At that point you would have to choose which product to replace NIS with in your particular environment.

Yes, if you select the installation partition, even if you use the optional Format during the installation, only the partition you have chosen will be formatted and the installation will only affect that disk. I have a separate Data partition (have since Win XP) and until I upgraded Win 8 to Win 8.1 have always used the Clean Install with Format and have never touched my data.

Once you are finished with the reinstall, you will have to change the pointers in the OS to again point to the Data folders.

As always, make an Image before proceeding.

I would go into the Advanced Startup Options then use the Startup Settings. From here you can launch Safe Mode, or Safe mode with Command Prompt, or Launch Recovery Settings.

First, do not attempt a large upgrade (Win 8.1) on a system that is not pristine to start with. You are just asking for problems.

If you just removed your old HD, reinstall it. The OS should still be there. Clean it up and create an Image. The follow the excellent advice above, Install Win 8 using a clean (Custom) install possibly with a format included with the install. This will install a pristine copy of Win 8. Do ALL the upgrades, including any upgrades with your Metro apps. Now the Win 8.1 upgrade should work. Once the Win 8.1 OS is working correctly make a full system image of it. Install the SSD, then restore the Image of your Win 8.1 OS.

Any manually installed AV app will disable Windows Defender. This is done automatically by the system. Avast is a pretty highly rated AV app. I would keep it for a while and see how things go. You might also consider adding Maleware Bytes Anti-malware. The free edition includes only manual scanning. To include real time protection, the Pro edition would have to be purchased.

See if this articlemight help.

Mine showed an unsuccessful attempt from Italy. I have never been out of North America. Hmmm.

I have used Team Viewer from NY to Florida, but never tried across the Atlantic. Should work though. It is very easy to use. The remote PC would sign on, you sign on, she gives you her Partner ID number, choose connect to partner, she tells you her PW, you enter it and voila, you will be on her desktop, running her PC from within your PC.

Sorry about that. Try this site. I just checked and it does work if you use the Softpedia US site.

I have on occasion had to set up sharing on each PC. If you right click the folder you wish to share, click on the Share option and go from there.

If you Right Click in an open area directly above the Navigation Pane you will see the options.

35825-FileExplorer-Options

This seems to be the quickest way to accomplish this.

Just to clear things up a bit, I do move all moveable files to a separate partition. I have been doing this since Win XP. When I installed Win 7, I continued this. Win 8 was a Clean Install, but I immediately changed the pointers to the data folders on the Data Drive. When I moved to Win 8.1 I used the Upgrade route and had no problems.

The only consideration when moving from Win 7 to Win 8 was that I had to then change the pointers once again to the Data folders using the standard approved method. Once you have changed the pointers, you are once again using the Data Drive to store all your data. I still find this to be a way to keep my data safer. Some of us use this method, some don’t. There is no right or wrong in this issue. I have used it successfully since Win XP and continue to use it in Win 8.1.

In this way if I have to restore my OS from an Image, I do not have to then restore the data from a separate back up to be back where I was. I also back up all the data on the Data Drive separately from my Images. You can never be too careful.

I have to second Rui’s recommendation of using external media to at least hold second copies of your back ups. Having all backups on the same PC, even in different drives/partitions is asking for disaster. Just ask bbearren. When he had a house fore he lost everything, except I believe his backups that were stored on ext. media in protected storage, or off site, I’m not sure which.

We have been discussing these Start Menu replacements since well before Win 8 was officially released. We use both Classic Shell (wife’s PC) and Start8 (my PC) in out household. These are the first apps I install. It’s pretty easy to get around using them, but these just make things easier. My Sticky Thread on Taking the Scary out of Win 8was written before Win 8 was officially released and is still appropriate for the most part with Win 8.1.