[SOLVED] Windows Reinstall

[bplus410]

Hi,

Should lead off with I'm a novice at repairing PCs. Anyone willing to lend some input I really appreciate the patience & attempt to help!

Having an issue where games that run a moderate load consistently crash the game and occasionally crash the pc to BSOD.
2D games & general net browsing don't cause a crash.
Game error code is c0000005 or 0xc0000005 depending on where you look up the error code.
BSOD error code is 0x000000F4 with a long series of numbers in parenthesis.

Spent hours scouring the net attempting every suggested solution I can find & asking around in game forums to no avail.
The most recent point in the several day goose chase is running the "sfc scannow" from windows. It discovered issues (I think it was corrupt files) but was unable to repair them. EaseUS was suggested as a possible fix, but didn't seem to locate the corrupt files after running 2 different scans for over 10 hrs each.

Seems I'm at the point of likely having to reinstall windows. I'll spare you the long version of the story about the person I hired swap out GPU decided to develop a meth habit landing himself in jail for over a year while holding my pc hostage. Several months after getting out of jail decided to return it with the front of the case melted & telling me I'm lucky to even get it back. Apparently some people who develop meth habits also like downloading loads (dozens if not hundreds of hours) of porn along with multiple viruses/malware, transition a functioning pc into one regularly crashing to BSOD all while somehow swapping out a genuine version of win 7 for a hacked version?!? Yes, that's the short version of the story...

Worth mentioning I don't see restore points created before BSOD was an issue.
I would like to know what files (i.e. drivers etc..) are suggested to save to a USB drive before reinstalling windows? Provided that's the route I should go, would it be any risk to include wifi adapter driver in that save file before reinstalling?
I suspect it would be strongly suggested I pay to switch back to a genuine version of windows. Curious if anyone has any experience of buying Win keys from Kinguin.net?
This is mostly used for net browsing & gaming. Is Win 7 or 10 the better route?
Any pitfalls a first time Win installer should be aware of that might not be in a general win install youtube vid?

PC Spces
Win 7 64 bit (non genuine apparently)
I5 - 3570
GTX 1060 6 GB
16 GB RAM

Again any direction/input would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Darkbreeze]

My advice?

Buy genuine. Don't buy through "cheap keys" sites, or you'll likely end up with a license key that gets blacklisted later and becomes invalid.

I'd just go straight to Windows 10. Windows 7 is defunct and is not even supported anymore.

Get your license key, from wherever, and then follow my guide.

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

IF this was a prebuilt system at some point in the past, then it SHOULD have a valid Windows license attached to it. If you have access to that valid product key I can help you to get it genuinized and upgraded to Windows 10, for free, because the free upgrades to 10 still work and you can get there with any valid Windows 7 or 8 product key.

 

[bplus410]

Many thanks for the reply!

Really thorough guide you've set up! 10x better than any of the several youtube vids I've seen. Looks like it took you a lot of time. I'm sure I'll be utilizing this soon.

The pc is a custom build. When purchased (used) it had genuine version of Win 7, as far as my novice skills can tell any trace of that was scrubbed by the "repair" person who held the pc for a year & a half. I'm at a loss if there's any way to acquire the genuine key if I'm not holding the physical disc. With that & based on what you said I assume I'll have to resort to purchasing a key?

I like your advice about buying direct. If I were working I wouldn't bat an eye to spend $200 to do so. Unfortunately, my governor deemed my line of work "unessential" & it doesn't look like I'll be returning to work any time soon. If I were to buy a "discount" $30 Win 10 Pro key now & swap out later (in the event it was blacklisted) to one purchased directly from Microsoft I suspect it would simply require another reinstalling? Or, is there an inherent risk I'm not aware of?

Is it safe to assume the crash errors would likely go away with a clean install?

 

[USAFRet]

I like your advice about buying direct. If I were working I wouldn't bat an eye to spend $200 to do so. Unfortunately, my governor deemed my line of work "unessential" & it doesn't look like I'll be returning to work any time soon. If I were to buy a "discount" $30 Win 10 Pro key now & swap out later (in the event it was blacklisted) to one purchased directly from Microsoft I suspect it would simply require another reinstalling? Or, is there an inherent risk I'm not aware of?

Is it safe to assume the crash errors would likely go away with a clean install?

Don't buy a "discount" license key, if you're going to buy actual later.

Install it, and when it asks for the license key, skip that and proceed on.
It WILL install and run.
The only restrictions are a randomly appearing watermark at bottom right, and no customization of the Desktop or Taskbar.
Other than that, it runs just fine.

Buying the cheap license keys is simply encouraging the scammers/criminals to continue.
Don't give them the satisfaction and your money.

 

[Darkbreeze]

^^^That, is exactly right.

And, it shouldn't cost you anywhere near 200 bucks. 99-109 bucks, depending on where you get it and whether you opt for the DVD or USB version. Don't buy directly from Microsoft, it's stupid to pay 139-200 bucks for what you can get legitimately through retail channels for significantly less.

 

[bplus410]

Don't buy a "discount" license key, if you're going to buy actual later.

Install it, and when it asks for the license key, skip that and proceed on.
It WILL install and run.

For what it's worth, there are several reviews on Kinguin that claim to have no issues other than having to call for verification & I've seen a youtube vid of a pc builder who has used it several times without issue. I wanted to make sure I was more clear...I was considering buying from Kinguin & then buying direct from Microsoft only if the key became blacklisted.

Sorry for my lack of understanding...by "Install it" did you mean use the anytime upgrade from Win 7 to Win 10 without buying a key, provided I'm content with a non genuine version?

I apologize if I seem dense, this is a bit overwhelming when my knowledge is starting from little more than zero.

Thank you for the input!

 

[USAFRet]

"several reviews on Kinguin "
Written by the seller himself. Kinguin does not sell anything, it is simply a marketplace.

With a seriously discounted product, you have to ask...how is this possible?
MS does not sell these things at that level of discount.

One guy selling a license key he no longer needs for $30 is one thing.
But when someone has 1,000 of them at that price, you have to ask...from where?

Licensed software is no different than actual hardware.
If you saw a listing for 32GB DDR4 RAM for $30...you'd run away laughing, knowing it was a scam. Licensed software is no different.


Now...for the "install".
Given the backstory of your system, that absolutely needs a full wipe and reinstall. Too many shady fingers have touched it.
No matter which OS you're installing. And NO, not any 'upgrade'.

Full wipe and install of something.

From the whole backstory on that system, $100 for a new valid Windows license is a cheap way to proceed troublefree.

 

[The_Prophecy]

We're well aware of the "totally legit" reviews on Kinguin. I also wouldn't be dumb enough to post a video of myself using grey market keys on Youtube. What Darkbreeze and USAFRet are getting at, is why spend the money on a pseudo-legit key that will eventually be blacklisted, only to have to turn around and spend the money on a fully legit one that you were going to end up getting anyway? Seems like a good way to lose $40 or whatever sellers on Kinguin are charging.

 

[Darkbreeze]

For what it's worth, there are several reviews on Kinguin that claim to have no issues other than having to call for verification & I've seen a youtube vid of a pc builder who has used it several times without issue. I wanted to make sure I was more clear...I was considering buying from Kinguin & then buying direct from Microsoft only if the key became blacklisted.

Sorry for my lack of understanding...by "Install it" did you mean use the anytime upgrade from Win 7 to Win 10 without buying a key, provided I'm content with a non genuine version?

I apologize if I seem dense, this is a bit overwhelming when my knowledge is starting from little more than zero.

Thank you for the input!

That's true. But what you don't see is that in half those cases, two, three months, a year later, the next time they go to reinstall it or even in some cases just out of the blue, poof, not genuine. It can take time for Microsoft to account for products that have "fallen out the back of the truck" or "disappeared off the loading docks" to organized criminals or even just jack asses who work for companies and they try to come up on some extra cash by selling unused corporate licenses that later on are reported and in both cases black listed.

Plus, even in those cases where it doesn't get black listed, IN NEARLY EVERY SINGLE CASE you are supporting criminal activity because Microsoft does NOT have valid partnerships with ANYBODY that is selling discounted licenses. NOBODY. Not one single seller under any umbrella. I have gotten that, twice, directly from the horses mouth at Microsoft both from US and Southeast Asia corporate office liaisons. It's possible to find somebody who has purchased a license and never used it, so they are selling it to recoup their money, but that is the 1% of those digital licenses being sold.

The rest are stolen in bulk and sold for cheap. So, if you want to support that kind of activity that's your call, but you are rolling the dice on not having a problem later AND either way you are 99% likely to be supporting the kind of activity that causes Microsoft and other software manufacturers to charge more than what's reasonable in order to justify the cost of paying developers to create and support that software in the first place.

I fully understand the desire, and the need, to save money where you can, especially when you've already been "had" by a disreputable builder or technician, but the Windows license and the power supply are the two main things you want to not skimp or cheap out when it comes to getting something legitimate and of good quality.

 

[USAFRet]

Money laundering.
Obtain 100 stolen credit card numbers. How to translate that into actual cash?
You can't buy physical goods. Too much space, and a physical address to track you.

Digital goods.
Buy 100 licenses from "some IT guy" who happens to have a stack of corporate licenses.
He obtained them for free, sold for $2 ea. $200 charge on a stolen credit card.
The possessor of the stolen credit credit card then sells them to a reseller for $3 each. $300 on a different stolen card.
This reseller then puts them on Kinguin for $30 ea. $30,000 cash money in his soon to be closed paypal.

This is for cheap game licenses, but exactly the same:
http://www.polygon.com/2015/2/9/800...ose-mysteriously-cheap-gray-market-game-codes

 

[bplus410]

No problem admitting I'm inexperienced & a total idiot when it comes to pcs. Didn't realize the likelihood 3rd party sites are selling stolen merchandise. At first I looked up the price of Win 10 pro for $200 & considered it might be a $30 to roll the dice when I have zero income to get me out of a jam doesn't sound so bad. Worse case scenario is paying $200 later (when I have income) & a couple hours to reinstall. It seems the consensus is overwhelming that it's highly probable stolen merch, which I don't support. Thank you for all of the feedback & guiding an idiot in the right direction.

 

[Darkbreeze]

You don't need windows 10 "Pro". You just need Home. I can't think of a single reason why any non-Power user would need the Pro version. There is VERY little different between them aside from Bitlocker support and a few other minor differences that are mainly only beneficial to enterprise users unless you feel that the ability to completely disable Windows updates like you can in the Pro version is worth an extra 90 dollars. I don't think it is, but then again, I also know that the ability to pause updates indefinitely is also likely unknown to most people as well.

Besides which, staying up to date is a very good idea for any non enterprise users not running mission critical operations on older or proprietary software that might be broken by an update too.