Windows Repair problem

Question

My motherboard stopped working so I bought the closest model I could find still for sale (previous board was Gigabyte H87M-D3H, new one is H97M-D3H)  I reinstalled all three SATA HDDs (SSD with OS on it and two others), the BD player and DVD drive.  I started it up, it told me that due to a hardware change I needed to repair windows.  I put my Windows 7 Professional 64 bit disc into the drive and restarted.  When I click on the repair option after booting from the disc, I receive the message, "The version of System Recovery Options is not compatible with the version of windows you are trying to repair.  Try using a recovery disc that is compatible with this version of windows."  

After reading other posts on this site and others, I disabled the other drives in the bios.  That didn't work so I physically unplugged all the drives except for the windows drive and one dvd drive.  Still I received the same error.  I rearranged the SATA plugs so the boot drive with the DVD was earlier on the SATA order, then I reversed it; same error message.  I changed the type from UEFI to P0 and back again; same error message.  I then tried all of the above with a windows 7 Home Premium disc in case I made a mistake on version but had the same error.  Finally, I downloaded a Windows 7 Professional and Home Premium ISOs w/ SP 1 from Microsoft and tried again with each of them.  Still, I receive the same message.  

I would really like to not have to completely reinstall windows but I'm getting to the point where I see no other option.  Can anyone please help?

Answer 1

Thank you.  I verified the OS as W7x64.  I went through those additional links you posted and am running into the same error. The error occurrs right as I click "repair your computer" so I'm unable to access any of the menu items in most of these guides.  Since I posted, I also downloaded and tried to use Paragon Adaptive Restore.  It allowed me to install the new drivers for my board but when I restart it gives me the same hardware error.  When I go back to the W7x64 disc and try to get to "repair your computer," the same error.  In Paragon, it recognizes that I have W7x64 installed on the SSD and allows me to run their corrective tools but again.  While it says the tool was successful, booting will still not work, listing the same error I got initially.  

I got it to work finally.  While entering the setup utility, I hit f8 which took me to the windows boot menu.  I selected safe mode with command prompt.  It took me into the same menu when booting from a windows disc.  I clicked repair and received the above error.  When I let it boot regularly from the disc, I clicked "repair" and it immediately brought me to the place I needed to be, automatically repaired my startup issue, and booted into Windows.  How this worked still does not make sense to me...but it did.

Thanks to those of you who helped.

Answer 2

I doubt you have any other choice. 

A couple of tips if you are going to do that:

Windows update seems to take many, many hours after a reinstall.  This procedure will fix that problem.

Windows Update fix (new)

The following procedure applies in the case of install (re-install) of Windows 7.  It does not apply to usual, normal updating.

I am afraid you are going have to do the re-install again.  Not a terrible penalty to pay.  Usually takes way less than an hour.  Then, immediately proceed with the following procedure.   It is strange, but it really does work and a lot of people have proven it.

NEVER install anything but Windows Updates until your system is up to date.

1. BEFORE you start the re-install, download (32 or 64 bit) KB3083710 and KB3102810 in advance, and store on a USB stick
2. Start and complete the re-install of Windows 7 SP1
3. Immediately after install is complete (while the system is rebooting), disconnect the computer from the Internet.
4. Manually install KB3083710 and restart.
5. Manually install KB3102810 and restart.
6. Restore the Internet connection and launch Windows Update as normal.
7. After a few minutes, you should have plenty of updates to download and install.

Clean Install tip

After Windows 7, system drivers and all updates are installed and any stable applications like Microsoft Office are installed and updated, and before any data or dynamic applications are installed such as antivirus software, create a system image.  It will take 3 or 6 DVD ***+***Rs (not -Rs) and about an hour.  When you are done you will have a very nice bit of insurance.  Should you ever again need to re-build a corrupted system or replace a hard drive, you will have a precise duplicate of your system as it was at time you made this image.  You can restore that image to a hard drive in about 20 minutes.  Creation of System Image is found in your menu under Maintenance, Backup and Restore. 

Another great feature about using the image is that you do not need an install disk or a product key to do the re-install the next time.

I emphasize the need for PLUS R DVD blanks.  Do not use the more common MINUS R DVD blanks.

Answer 3

Hi,

Thank you for contacting Microsoft Community.

I’m sorry for the inconvenience.

I understand that you are unable to repair the operating system.

I will certainly help you with this.

This error may occur if you use the 32-bit version of the Windows installation disc to run the Complete PC Restore program on a computer that is running the 64-bit version of Windows. By default, the 64-bit operating system is selected in the list of installed operating systems.

You need to check that the version of operating system you have on computer is the same on the disc.

Refer the below links and check if it helps:

Go through the suggestion given by TrekDozer replied on March 12, 2012:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/how-to-repair-windows-7/084c4844-c8fc-4786-8c46-f603fd17f31e?auth=1

Repair & recovery

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-IN/windows/repair-recovery-help#repair-recovery-help=windows-7&v1h=win8tab1

I hope this helps. Please let us know the results. Feel free to write us back for any further assistance with Windows, we’ll be glad to assist you.