Question Basic OS Questions

[TheFlash1300]

Hello. Yesterday, I made a clean install of my Windows 10. When the laptop booted after the clean install was completed, I left it for several minutes until Windows 10 set itself up. I turned on the Task Manager, so I can see what processes are occurring.

The "Windows Module Installer Worker" was working for a long time, during which the internet connection crashed several times. I had to turn the connection on, manually, several times.

My question is, is the fact the internet connection crashed during the work of the Module Installer, a problem? If this Worker requires an internet connection, so it can download and install things, would that mean that due to the internet crashes, the Worker was unable to install all features and functions, meaning that my Windows 10 is now problematic and not all functions work properly, because there are functions that weren't installed properly, and now the laptop could run into an error at any moment, if the Windows 10 calls the function(s) that must be there but it isn't because it wasn't installed?

 

[TheFlash1300]

Hello. Recently, i made a clean install of Windows 10. Now, I think that the clean install didn't happen properly, and there may be software defects and errors in my Windows 10, due to stuff not being installed properly by the installer.

How can i scan the OS, so i can see if there are any errors? Is there any built-in feature that will allow me to check for errors?

NOTE: I want to scan for software problems, not for hardware problems. The hardware is 100% ok. My fears are about the software.

I don't want to make more clean installs, because they drain the health of my SSD.

 

[Colif]

right click start button
choose powershell (admin)
copy/paste this command into window:
Repair-WindowsImage -Online -RestoreHealth
and press enter
Then type SFC /scannow
and press enter
Restart PC if SFC fixes any files as some fixes require a restart to be implemented
First command repairs the files SFC uses to clean files, and SFC fixes system files
SFC = System File Checker. First command runs DISM - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/what-is-dism?view=windows-11

 

[Colif]

i think the worker only installs patches once they are completed, not as it gets them. That would be the logical approach.
Depending on patch type, it runs before and after patches are installed. Feature updates require more time to install.

its job is to check for updates and install them so i can't find the order it does them in, I think it probably downloads them before installing so any interrupted in download process probably need to restart when reconnected again.

 

[Lafong]

My fears are about the software.

I don't want to make more clean installs, because they drain the health of my SSD.

What is the source of your fears?

The health effects of new installations on an SSD are miniscule or less.

 

[TheFlash1300]

right click start button
choose powershell (admin)
copy/paste this command into window:
Repair-WindowsImage -Online -RestoreHealth
and press enter
Then type SFC /scannow
and press enter
Restart PC if SFC fixes any files as some fixes require a restart to be implemented
First command repairs the files SFC uses to clean files, and SFC fixes system files
SFC = System File Checker. First command runs DISM - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/what-is-dism?view=windows-11

Thanks. I will use the option. But, firstly, I want to ask, will the option reset information or delete files from the SSD? Does the option lead to resetting, do I have to make a backup, before I use the option?

 

[TheFlash1300]

What is the source of your fears?

The health effects of new installations on an SSD are miniscule or less.

I have explained the problem I believe exists: https://forums.tomshardware.com/thr...r-worker-need-an-internet-connection.3763478/

 

[Colif]

System file checker only looks at windows, as does the other command. They are to fix problems that might be caused by your other threads operations. it doesn't touch any other files.

 

[TheFlash1300]

Hello. When i press the Windows button + R, and type "ChkDsk", there is a window that blinks for less than 0.5 of the second, and nothing happens (the window comes and disappears for less than 0.5 of the second). How to fix this problem? I want to run the ChkDsk utility so I can see if there are bad sectors on my SSD.

 

[lvt]

From Windows Explorer, you can right-click on your SSD then Properties, then Tool and click Check button.

 

[lvt]

To run CHKDSK manually, you can type CMD in the search box, select Run as Administrator, after that you can use the CHKDSK command.

 

[lvt]

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.19044.1706]
(c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>chkdsk
The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is WIN10_x64.

WARNING! /F parameter not specified.
Running CHKDSK in read-only mode.

Stage 1: Examining basic file system structure ...
762880 file records processed.
File verification completed.
Phase duration (File record verification): 16.50 seconds.
15686 large file records processed.
Phase duration (Orphan file record recovery): 0.00 milliseconds.
0 bad file records processed.
Phase duration (Bad file record checking): 0.75 milliseconds.

Stage 2: Examining file name linkage ...
9298 reparse records processed.
1180334 index entries processed.
Index verification completed.
Phase duration (Index verification): 43.79 seconds.
0 unindexed files scanned.
Phase duration (Orphan reconnection): 8.83 seconds.
0 unindexed files recovered to lost and found.
Phase duration (Orphan recovery to lost and found): 0.59 milliseconds.
9298 reparse records processed.
Phase duration (Reparse point and Object ID verification): 71.13 milliseconds.

Stage 3: Examining security descriptors ...
Security descriptor verification completed.
Phase duration (Security descriptor verification): 121.38 milliseconds.
208728 data files processed.
Phase duration (Data attribute verification): 0.40 milliseconds.
CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal...
41023840 USN bytes processed.
Usn Journal verification completed.
Phase duration (USN journal verification): 387.32 milliseconds.

Windows has scanned the file system and found no problems.
No further action is required.

250059063 KB total disk space.
48322020 KB in 536759 files.
364384 KB in 208729 indexes.
0 KB in bad sectors.
885835 KB in use by the system.
65536 KB occupied by the log file.
200486824 KB available on disk.

4096 bytes in each allocation unit.
62514765 total allocation units on disk.
50121706 allocation units available on disk.
Total duration: 1.16 minutes (69754 ms).

C:\Windows\system32>

 

[TheFlash1300]

To run CHKDSK manually, you can type CMD in the search box, select Run as Administrator, after that you can use the CHKDSK command.

Thanks.

 

[TheFlash1300]

Hello. What is the best way to make a clean install of Windows 10? Usually, I do it this way: Settings -> Update & Security -> Recovery -> Get Started

Is this the correct way? I saw this thread: https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq/windows-10-clean-install-tutorial.3170366/

And, now I'm wondering which method is better - the method I use or the method described in the thread I showed above?

 

[kerberos_20]

clean install would be to download windows from microsoft with media creation tool, that will make you bootable install usb medium, backup any content from your OS drive you want to keep somewhere, boot from usb win installation, wipe your old windows drive (delete partitions), then continue with windows installation

 

[TheFlash1300]

clean install would be to download windows from microsoft with media creation tool, that will make you bootable install usb medium, backup any content from your OS drive you want to keep somewhere, boot from usb win installation, wipe your old windows drive (delete partitions), then continue with windows installation

Doesn't the method I use do the same - delete the old Windows, and install new Windows?

I don't need a USB backup. I simply want to ake a clean install that erases all the information from the SSD, and then installs Windows 10 again.

 

[SkyNetRising]

I simply want to ake a clean install that erases all the information from the SSD, and then installs Windows 10 again.

Then do it the way, it is described in the tutorial.

 

[TheFlash1300]

Then do it the way, it is described in the tutorial.

Okay. But what is the difference between the method I use and the method described in the tutorial?

 

[faalin]

The method you use does not fully wipe the entire drive, as its still using a partition on the drive to reinstall windows. If for some reason you have any virus or malware it could hide there and come back when you load into windows.

Doing a full drive wipe and then install from another media source will ensure that the drive is clean and you know you have a fresh copy of windows.

 

[USAFRet]

Doesn't the method I use do the same - delete the old Windows, and install new Windows?

I don't need a USB backup. I simply want to ake a clean install that erases all the information from the SSD, and then installs Windows 10 again.

A "recovery" or "reset" is not the same as a full clean install.

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[Colif]

if you run chkdsk on C: manually it will show 2 paragraphs after you run it. Agree to run at restart and then restart PC to let it run.

chkdsk C: /f is about all you need on an ssd. /r won't do anything since ssd don't have sectors to fix.

I ran chkdsk c: /f /r on a 1tb hard drive with only 70gb used and it still took 2 hours.

 

[TheFlash1300]

Take Windows 7 for an example. If you install this unsupported OS on a computer, and you connect the computer to the internet, but you don't use the browser, can the computer still get viruses? Can infections happen when the computer is connected to the internet, but you don't visit any website and you don't download any files and applications? For an infection to happen is internet surfing necessary, or can infection happen even when the computer is just connected to the internet, but you don't visit any sites and you don't download any files?

 

[rgd1101]

can the computer still get viruses?

yup. if you connect to the internet. the internet is also connected to you. there are people out there scan for all ip

 

[TheFlash1300]

yup. if you connect to the internet. the internet is also connected to you. there are people out there scan for all ip

If you don't browse the internet, there won't be traffic coming in and out of your computer, meaning there won't be any files penetrating your system. If no files penetrate the system, how can a virus penetrate the system? Aren't viruses just codes in files, meaning there must be an exchange of files between the attacker and the system in order for the system to be infected?

 

[rgd1101]

if you on a unsupported os. there might be security issue that let attacker do stuff on the pc.
it is a two way street. your pc is going to process the incoming traffic.
use something like glasswire to look at that. not sure if the buildin firewall tell you anything