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Steps to use... for a Windows 7 PC that doesn't boot.

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(@dperecky)
New Member Registered
Joined: 4 weeks ago
Posts: 2
Topic starter  

Total newbie here....  Looking at how to download Windows 7 drivers onto a PC that doesn't boot.

Once upon a time, I had a Windows 7 laptop that booted and worked fine. After trying to install some Linux distros alongside it, somehow Windows 7 got corrupted and will not boot. The PC is dead in the water, except for the Hirens thumbdrive loaded and bootable via Ventoy.

I have a Win 10 laptop that I can use to download drivers onto... but won't that just download Win 10 pertinent drivers?

Would like to download all Windows 7 drivers into an external HD...   How do I do this? Will these also download the boot Windows 7 drivers that need to go into the System Reserved partition (MBR disk being used)?

How do I apply these downloaded Windows 7 drivers into a disabled Windows 7 PC?

What am I missing?

Thank You.


   
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Glenn
(@glenn)
Member Admin
Joined: 8 years ago
Posts: 1903
 

You attempted to set up a dual-boot windows / linux and it all went south and now nothing works.  If this is the situation then drivers are not your problem. Your problem is removing the dual boot setup leaving the existing windows in place and booting.

Assuming you can boot from an external drive then that is the key to undoing the dual boot and resetting the boot manager and mbr.

What you want to type into search is something like "how to remove dual boot and keep windows". Because windows is not booting, you'll need to have a bootable windows usb drive that will give you the tools to repair the boot manager and mbr.

Good luck!


   
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(@dperecky)
New Member Registered
Joined: 4 weeks ago
Posts: 2
Topic starter  

True...  Windows 7 will not boot now. I prefer to keep the installed version, as the installed version has different installed programs already.

When I partitioned for Linux... apparently I wiped out the System Reserved partition... which is used for MBR disks for booting Windows. I didn't know about it, as it is a hidden, separate system partition.

I tried the regular restore boot to Win 7 installation techniques... It's better, but still won't boot.

Looks like a reinstall of Win 7 is next, from the .iso files.

Thanks.


   
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