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Fresh install into restore while keeping programs on another disk.

3565 Views 13 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  spunk.funk, 
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A while back I accidentally uninstalled Windows Media Player from my Windows 7. Yeah, sure, no big deal. Download it again! There are none! Go Microsoft! Or even better, crawdad, you can go turn it on again in the features menu! Wrong. It says it can't run or be updated due to it being registered newer than the older program.

So, I gave up. Here lately I've decided I need to reinstall Windows 7 (for A LOT of reasons, namely lack of space). But, what I want to do is increase the drive size. I have another partition which is a good 10 times the size (yes, I wasn't thinking when I made the w7 partition), but the problem is I can't just back up the big partition and erase it because I install ALL programs to that other drive. This other drive also has an operating system on it. Vista.

So I'm curious; how on Earth can I reinstall Windows 7, while restoring the one I have now, but keeping these programs on it and not corrupting ALL OF THEM. I have games installed that take longer to download than the time it'll take hell to freeze over.

tl:dr
I need to reinstall windows 7 (restoring the one I have, after), but keeping programs on a seperate partition with an operating system on it from being destroyed, thus keeping programs intact.

I am just assuming there is no way to do it and I should quit while I'm ahead. Drive letters won't match for programs thus rendering them unusable. Sigh.
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jcgriff2
Apps must be reinstalled after OS reinstall.

Do you have Windows 7 OEM (came installed on system) or full retail version?

If OEM, OS reinstall would leave HDD as it was when the system was new, partitions and all.

If full retail, wipe the HDD with KillDisk, install Windows 7, then use "shrink" feature in Disk Management to create partitions, if you wish.

Format HDD - sysnative.com - MVP

Partition or Volume - Shrink - Windows 7

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

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Mass Genre Labeling of Music Files

Now, right off the bat I want to make something clear. I feel that this forum doesn't really support asking for software (at least in the sense that I'm asking, of course) but I'm here and I know that you guys might know it if it exists. If the thread is deemed worthy of deletion immediately, so be it, I surrender.

BUT.
I have a lot of music. Plain and simple. Mp3 tagging software is abundant beyond belief and I'm sure plenty work! But I'm not looking for mp3 tagging. I'm looking for some kind of software that will tag LARGE quantities of music (eg: scan them, search the internet, slap a label on) for genre.
I want to be able to look through music by mood, you know?

I have heard of separating music by folders and such, but I have only the slightest hint of how to auto-tag like that, and I still wouldn't have most of the music tagged and moving 300 albums by hand isn't worth it.

any thoughts? and it can't be WMP, because mine is BROKE. Beyond repair as far as I'm concerned.

tl;dr I have lots of music and need the genre tags changed in large quantities at a time, automatically. Or some sort of genre classification scheme.
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C
Well the whole thing is I didn't want to have to wipe the WHOLE thing.
I'm really only concerned with the games that I own digital copies of and the fact that my internet is not (by far) the fastest thing. Pretty slow, to be honest.

Maybe I could make a file on an external harddrive containing all my setup files for programs I want...
I dunno though.
Such a hassle. ):
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spunk.funk
Yes, copy all of your Setup.exe files for programs and games you downloaded and save them to an External Drive, along with pictures, music, documents etc. basically the Libraries folders. Incidentally, when you Uninstall Windows Media Player, it really just rolls back to the previous version (ex) if you have WiMP 11 and Uninstall it, it will leave you with WiMP 10. If you download WiMP 11 it will update to the newest version.
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C
I wouldn't need to redownload all the files right? Just install them and let it find them and what not. I know you can do that a lot of the time with things. Occasionally it doesn't though...
still going to be a lot of work to find the setup files for things that matter. haha! I'm so lazy.

But the whole problem with WMP is that I had 12, it got uninstalled so downgraded to 11, but it still is registered as 12 so it won't update. It just errors.

Thank you by the way spunk.
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spunk.funk
Run the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility. This should cleanup the WiMP uninstall. Then download 12 again.
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You know, I just read a f"microsoft answers" post about how they removed that utility because it occasionally damaged something while repairing.
Your link, I have no idea where it takes me ;)

I did find it and run it though, and actually, it doesn't even see the windows media player installation. So, -shrug-.

-dies-
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C
I will quote you the exact error it gives me when I run the WMP setup:
"There is a more recent version of WMP (12.0.7.16667) already installed on your computer. It is not possible to use an older installation package (12.0.7600.16385) to install files or to repair your current version of the player"
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spunk.funk
Microsoft took this off the market because occasionally you have to repair Office after running it. The link just takes you to the Microsoft download site. Nothing malicious, I'm just here to help.
Try this: How To Uninstall Windows Media Player 12 on Windows 7?
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TheGift73
Re: Mass Genre Labeling of Music Files

Hi CoronaryCrawdad, TSF does try to help out in most situations, software included as a lot of people are after certain media players (eg VLC) to help them out or view certain media with various codecs, or other programs for different reasons as some people may have used it in the past and can give more information on it; however, if P2P or evidence of piracy is involved, then we won't be able to assist.

Have you tried Media Monkey? Another one to try is Mp3tag
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jcgriff2
2 threads merged.
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The Gift:
I downloaded media monkey and added the library and I have to admit, I kinda like it so far.
Not a clue of what all it can do but it seems they thought about what people want when making it.

And thank you again spunk. I bet that would work, if it wasn't for mediamonkey making me not worry about it anymore :3
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spunk.funk
In Media Monkey you can Auto-tag your files from the web. It does a pretty good job. And it organizes your files pretty nicely.
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