Windows Reinstall Ottawa

When a reinstall is the right fix

• Windows crashes, freezes or shows error screens repeatedly
• The computer won't start Windows after a failed update
• System files are corrupted and the built-in repair tools haven't helped
• An infection has done enough damage that cleaning it out isn't enough
• Years of installed and uninstalled software have left the system unstable

When it isn't

A reinstall fixes software. It won't fix hardware, and doing one on top of a hardware fault just delays the real repair. Before we reinstall anything, we check the drive's health: installing Windows on a failing hard drive is wasted work, and the drive should be replaced first, ideally with an SSD. If the problem is an infection and Windows itself is intact, virus removal may save you the reinstall. If the computer is just slow, system optimization is often the better first step.

What the reinstall involves

1. A check of the drive and the hardware, so we know the reinstall will hold.
2. Backup of your files, with your permission, before anything is erased.
3. A clean installation of Windows.
4. Drivers and Windows updates installed and checked.
5. Antivirus or internet security software installed to prevent new infections.
6. Your files restored to the new installation.

Before you bring it in

Make a list of the programs you use and gather the logins and licence keys for anything you paid for, since programs are installed again from scratch. If you can still get into Windows, note where you keep files outside the usual Documents, Desktop and Pictures folders, so nothing gets missed in the backup.

Afterward is the right time to set up a regular data backup, so the next problem doesn't put your files at risk.