There may come a day when you have serious thoughts about reinstalling your dinged up perhaps malware infected Windows 7, but would like to be able to do so without any changes being made to your current data, settings and preferences to include installed programs and drivers

Last week I discussed using Windows 7's Control Panel ‘Create a system image’ which if kept current is a far more convenient way to restore your system than having to reinstall your Windows, programs, hardware, their updates and all your backed up ‘irreplaceable stuff’ should your hard disk fail or your operating system become so corrupted it cannot be repaired.

However there may come a day when you have serious thoughts about reinstalling your dinged up perhaps malware infected Windows 7, but would like to be able to do so without any changes being made to your current data, settings and preferences to include installed programs and drivers.

Well guess what? For some of you it can be done.

For many of you however it cannot be done as you do not have a Windows installation DVD.

Why don’t you have an installation DVD? Because rather than providing a separate Windows installation DVD your computer manufacturer includes Windows 7 as part of a system image located in a hard drive partition or included on a recovery DVD.

Whether a computer manufacturer provides access to a recovery image located on your hard drive should your Windows become corrupted beyond repair or a recovery DVD or a way for your to create a recovery DVD to be used should your hard drive fail, the restore will be to the manufacture’s original settings. Your current settings, programs, personal preferences and ‘Irreplaceable Stuff’ will be deleted.

All will not be lost if you have your program CD\DVD’s and\or an off computer backup of your downloaded program setup files. But alas should you not have a recent backup of your ‘Irreplaceable Stuff’, as Willie Nelson sang - turn out the lights, the party’s over.

However if you’re fortunate enough to be the proud owner of a Windows 7 installation DVD and an installed bootable Windows 7, you have all you need to repair Windows without wiping out your installed programs, personal settings and ‘Irreplaceable Stuff’.

Note: If you do not have an installation DVD for your edition of Windows 7, it’s okay to borrow one. The important thing is you’re currently running a genuine copy of Windows 7 and a have a valid serial number.

Next week I’ll discuss how to repair your Window 7 using a Windows installation DVD.

In the meantime a thought. If you have a tendency to abuse your Windows and might want to periodically repair it, think about investing in a Windows 7 installation DVD.

Here’s wishing you a Good Boot.