Windows 7 Re-install--Will Upgrade Option Clean Registry, Fix Previous Registry Issues?

Question

I'm currently running Win7 and due to issues I'm having with Update and Backup I'm convinced I'm having registry issues that I don't want to/am unable to deal with--without getting into the specifics of those, suffice it to say at this point it seems much easier to simply re-install Win7 and start fresh. I have all my files already backed up on an external drive and have the original Win7 install disk.

My question is: going from Win7 to Win7, if I use the Upgrade install option (as opposed to Custom), will this really give me a clean re-install, i.e., create a fresh registry (and presumably resolve the system issues I've been having)?

Simply asking because as I understand it, Upgrade will retain all your programs and files, whereas with Custom I'd have to re-install all my programs, which I'd like to avoid if at all possible. Just want to confirm that Upgrade will give me a truly fresh system install.

Thanks!

Answer 1

i.e., create a fresh registry

No. An upgrade install tries to preserve as much from the existing system as possible. Do a clean install instead.

Answer 2

If you just updrade your operating System it will not affect any of your programs or data. It will only upgrade windows system files. So if you're having issues with windows you can simply upgrade your repair your windows.

But if you're facing using in performance of windows may be virus or spyware or some manually changes affected then I would suggest make a frest windows installation and re-install programs and restore data

Answer 3

All an in-place reinstall will do is replace system files and repair a few key parts of the registry that are either new in 7 or need to change in an upgrade. That's it. Basically, in-place reinstall will only help if you have system file checker complaining that it can't fix a corrupted system file, and even that's a stretch sometimes. It bought me an extra couple months when I didn't have time to do a clean reinstall.