Fix problems that block programs from being installed or removed

Note: Use these steps for Windows programs. If you’re having problems with an app you got from Microsoft Store, go to Fix problems with apps from Microsoft Store.

The Program Install and Uninstall troubleshooter helps you automatically repair issues when you’re blocked from installing or removing programs. It also fixes corrupted registry keys.

First, you’ll need to download the troubleshooter.

If you see the File Download box when you start downloading, select Run or Open.

The troubleshooter provides steps for you to follow. If a program isn’t listed in the uninstall options, you’ll be asked for that program’s product code. To access the code, you’ll need a tool for reading MSI files—which is typically available to IT professionals. You’ll find the product code in the property table of the MSI file.

What it fixes

The troubleshooter helps fix problems that:

Corrupt registry keys on 64-bit operating systems.

Corrupt registry keys that control the update data.

Prevent new programs from being installed.

Prevent existing programs from being completely uninstalled or updated.

Block you from uninstalling a program through Add or Remove Programs (or Programs and Features) in Control Panel.

If you’re trying to remove malware, you can use Windows Security (or another antivirus tool), or you can use the Windows Malicious Software Removal tool.

How to Reinstall Windows 10 without Losing Data (3 Ways)?

Sometimes, you may need to reinstall Windows 10 to solve system issues. This guide will show you how to reinstall Windows 10 without losing data step by step.

By AOMEI / Last Updated March 2, 2021

Case: Reinstall Windows 10 without losing data

Hi there. I have an issue with my laptop and I was told to resolve that issue, I’d need to reinstall Windows 10. I don’t recall where I put my CD, but I have my product key. My question is, if I reinstall Windows 10, will it delete the data on my laptop or do I have to back it all up into a hard drive?»

How does reinstalling Windows 10 work, will it erase your data?

When you’ve tried many solutions to fix system errors and none of them actually works, it may be the time to reinstall Windows 10 and get all problems sorted out. But does this process delete your important data? Can you reinstall Windows 10 without any data loss?

Well, it depends on the approach you take:

By using Repair Install, you can choose to reinstall Windows 10 while keeping all personal files, apps and settings, keeping personal files only, or keeping nothing.
By using Reset This PC, you can do a fresh install to reset Windows 10 and keep personal files, or remove everything.
By using installation disk to perform a clean install, your data won’t be delete, but will be moved to Windows.old folder in the root directory of C: drive after installing.

In short, you definitely can, and have different methods to reinstall Windows 10 without losing data.В

If you are pretty sure that all your files and applications are in good conditions and have no thing to do with the problem you are facing, then you can choose a way to reinstall Windows 10 without losing files and programs.В

To do that, Windows will scan your C: drive and place all your personal data aside. And when the installation is complete, Windows will put these files and settings back.

If you are using a genuine Windows 10, Windows 10 will automatically get activated after the reinstallation.

Quick navigation for Windows 10 reinstallation:

Method 1: Repair install Windows 10 without losing any dataВ

If your Windows 10 can boot and you believe all the installed programs are fine, then you can use this method to reinstall Windows 10 without losing files and programs. If one or more of your program are damaged, you’d better keep personal files only.

1. Download the latest Windows 10 installation ISO file. You can also use Windows Media Creation tool to create an installation ISO.

2. Double click to mount the ISO file (for Windows 7, you need to use other tools to mount it). At the root directory, double-click to run the Setup.exe file.

3. When the Windows 10 Setup is ready, you can whether to download updates or not based on your needs.

4. In the screen, click «Change what to keep«.

5. From there. You can select «Keep personal files, apps, and Windows settings» or «Keep personal files only«.

6. Click Next to install Windows 10.

This may take a while because it will spend extra time scanning your hard drive and moving files. If you just want to keep your files where they are, then try the next method.

Method 2: Fresh install Windows 10 without losing personal files

Windows 10 provides the feature «Reset this PC» to help you solve system problems by reinstalling Windows 10. During the process, you can choose whether to keep your personal files or not.

To use the feature, you can go to Settings > Update&Security > Recovery > Reset this PC, then you will have two options, «Keep my files» and «Remove everything«, select one of them and follow the on-screen instruction.

You can also reset Windows 10 from command line. The process are shown below:

1. Type “cmd” in the search box and press Enter.

2. In the listed results, right click on the Command Prompt and select «Run as Administrator«.

3. Type “systemreset” (without quotes) in the command prompt window and press Enter. If you need to reinstall Windows 10 and install new updates, you can run command “systemreset -cleanpc”.

If your system cannot boot, you can boot into recovery mode and from there, you can reset your PC. You can boot your PC from a recovery drive to reset your Windows 10.

Method 3: Clean install Windows 10 without losing data

If you prefer installing Windows 10 without losing data from USB drive or installation disc, you can choose to upgrade Windows 10 using this method. Before you do, you need to make sure your C: drive has more than 16GB of free space.

1. Insert your installation disc and boot from it. If you do not have one, you can download the Windows Media Creation tool to create one.

2. When it loads, select the language and keyboard, then click «Next«.

3. Click «Install Now«.

4. Type your product key or skip it.

5. Select the installation type «Custom«.

6. At the following screen, just select the C: drive and click Next to proceed. Then, wait patiently until the installation complete 100%.

As long as you do not format the C: drive in the Setup, you will not lose your data, but they are moved to another location. After the installation, you can find a folder Windows.old in the root directory of C: drive. All your files are saved there.

After copy all your needed files out from Windows.old folder, you can use Disk Cleanup to delete the Windows.old folder to free up disk space.

Reinstall Windows 10 isn’t always a perfect solution

Though there are several methods to choose, they all have some shortcomings in practical use. For example, the first method will keep your programs, but won’t fix problems caused by them. And the other two methods can only keep your files, so you have to spend time and effort reinstalling these apps. That’s why I say reinstallation is not a perfect way.

To avoid such trouble, you can use a free backup software to create a system image in case of possible system issues. For simplicity and effectiveness, I strongly recommend youВ AOMEI Backupper Standard to protect your Windows 10 PC.

It enables you to backup file, partition, system or even the whole disk in a simple manner.

It can save you from manual operation with the scheduled backup on daily, weekly, monthly, etc.

With theВ incremental/differential backupВ mode, you don’t need to worry about cumulative backups filling up the space.

Also, you can change the compression level, split backup images, choose backup mode, etc. as you like.

Backup system in case you need to restore Windows 10 without data loss

If you want to fix the computer without losing any important files, apps and settings, restoring system to an earlier normal state is the safer way than reinstalling from scratch.В

To simplify the process, you could set up a scheduled backup to make it run automatically. Thus when any error arises, you can easily restore Windows 10 to the latest normal state without losing data.

1. Download and install this free backup software.

2. On the main page, click the «Backup» tab and then choose «System Backup«. If you want to backup entire disk, you can choose «Disk Backup» as instead.

3. Select a destination location to receive the backup image. You can backup to any location (folder) that Windows detects, including external hard drive, NAS network location, local storage, etc.

4. In the next screen, click «Schedule» to configure scheduled backup settings if needed. After that, click «Start Backup» to start the operation.

Note: System backup in AOMEI Backupper Standard can satisfy almost users’ need. But if you have advanced needs like below, higher editions like Professional may serve you better.
• Enable encryption for backup: This feature is useful for users who store sensitive data or business data on their computer to prevent unauthorized access.
• USB Plug in:В This feature is designed for users who frequently use USB storage device, and make the backup task more convenient. Once you create a schedule backup with «USB Plug in», AOMEI Backupper will automatically start backup when USB connected to your computer.
• Scheme: This is a indispensable feature is for all users who don’t want to miss any changes, but worry about disk space issue. It can delete old backups automatically when backup versions reaches the specified number.

In a short time, the backup will be created. With a backup, whenever you have problems with your system, you can easily restore from the backup. Even when your PC fails to boot, you can restore from bootable CD. AOMEI Backupper also enables you to create a specialized recovery environment for backup/restore without booting Windows. Just go to Tools > Recovery Environment to enable it.

Wrapping things up

To reinstall Windows 10 without losing data is surely possibly using these three methods mentioned above, and it can fix system issues that your computer may have. But, honestly, it’s not perfect. And it is obvious that restoring from a backup is easier and more convenient to solve Windows issues.

The basic version AOMEI Backupper Standard is enough to prevent unexpected disaster, such as, system crash, disk failure, virus, fire etc. But if you want more advanced features, such as, USB plug in, incremental and differential backup, universal restore, you need to upgrade from the basic version.В

If you want to protect unlimited computers within your company, AOMEI Backupper TechnicianВ is worth a shot. The inbuilt AOMEI Image Deploy tool allow users to deploy/restore system image file on server-side computer to multiple client-side computers over network.

Troubleshoot problems updating Windows 10

In Windows 10, you decide when and how to get the latest updates to keep your device running smoothly and securely. This article will help you answer questions and troubleshoot common problems with your Windows 10 update.

If you’re looking for info on how to activate Windows 10 or to verify that your installation of Windows 10 is activated, see Activate Windows 10.

Have issues installing Windows updates? Start here.

Your device may not be able to update to the latest version of Windows 10 for a few reasons. The following tips can help you pinpoint the issue affecting your device.

Before you begin, make sure your device is plugged into a power source and connected to the internet. Then, try the steps listed below to get your PC to update.

Some updates require administrator access. If your account doesn’t have administrator access, see Create a local user or administrator account in Windows 10. Or if someone else at home or in your office has an administrator account on your device, try asking them to install the updates.

Before trying any of the solutions below, make sure you back up your personal files. You can use File History to back up your files to another drive, or insert a USB drive and use File Explorer to drag and copy important files to the USB drive. If you’re signing into Windows with a Microsoft account, your system settings will be automatically restored after updating, once you’re connected to the internet.

You can also back up your files with OneDrive. For more info, go to Back up your Documents, Pictures, and Desktop folders with OneDrive.

Make sure that your device has enough space. Your device requires at least 16 GB of free space to upgrade a 32-bit OS, or 20 GB for a 64-bit OS. If your device has a small hard drive, you may need to insert a USB drive to update it.

If your PC is running low on storage, try the techniques at Free up drive space in Windows 10.

Many updates require you to restart your device. Save your work and close all open applications. Then, select Start > Power , and select either Update and restart or Update and shut down.

Even if you have downloaded some updates, there may be more available. After trying the preceding steps, run Windows Update again by selecting Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates. Download and install any new updates.

Remove any external storage devices and drives, docks, and other hardware plugged into your device that aren’t needed for basic functionality. Then try to run updates again and see if this resolved your issue. If it didn’t, continue to the next tip.

If you’ve added hardware to your device, check for third-party driver updates and installation instructions on the hardware manufacturer’s website. Update any drivers, then try to run updates again and see if this resolved your issue. If it didn’t, continue to the next tip.

In the search box on the taskbar, type device manager, then select Device Manager from the list of results.

In the window that appears, look for any device with a yellow exclamation mark next to it. (You may have to select each category to view the list of devices.) Select the device name.

Select Action, and then choose either Update driver or Uninstall to correct the errors.

Common troubleshooting questions

If you are receiving an error message with a specific error code, try running the Windows Update Troubleshooter. If that doesn’t resolve the issue, see Fix Windows Update errors and follow the instructions to help resolve common update issues.

The time required to download and install updates depends on connection speed, network settings, and the size of the update. If the installation remains stuck at the same percentage, try checking for updates again or running the Windows Update Troubleshooter.

To check for updates, select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates.

To get help, in the search box on the task bar, type get help, then select Get Help from the list of results. To leave feedback if you run into further problems, in the search box on the taskbar, type feedback hub, then select Feedback Hub from the list of results.

Windows 10 is the most secure Windows ever, and we recommend you stay updated to protect your PC from security risks and to keep it running smoothly. However, you can temporarily pause updates as well as schedule a restart to install updates at a time that’s convenient for you.
Learn how to temporarily pause updates
Find out how to schedule a restart to install updates at a convenient time

You will only receive a notification when it’s time to restart your computer to apply the installed updates.

If you need to know where you left off in your work after an update, use Timeline to jump back in.

To get started with Timeline, select Task View on the taskbar, or press the Windows logo key +Tab and select the activity you want to resume.

Monthly quality updates on Windows 10 are quite small and have a minimal impact on data usage. Feature updates typically happen twice per year, and you can control when to install them. They require more data but are less frequent.

If you’re on a metered connection, some updates for Windows won’t be installed automatically. Metered connections in Windows 10

Your computer might be slow for a number of reasons, but updating to the latest version of Windows 10 can improve its performance. For help with a slow computer, see Tips to improve PC performance in Windows 10.

If you’re having trouble finding your files after an upgrade, see Find lost files after the upgrade to Windows 10 for other things to try.

Warning: Microsoft only recommends trying the procedures in this section if you’re comfortable working in the command line. These procedures require administrator permissions on your device.

In the search box on the taskbar, type command prompt, then select Run as administrator from the list of options. Select Yes. Next, in the window that appears, type the following commands one at a time, including the spaces as shown. After you type each command, press Enter. Then let each command complete before you type the next command.

net stop wuauserv

ren %systemroot%\softwaredistribution softwaredistribution.bak

ren %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 catroot2.bak

net start wuauserv

After all these commands are completed, close the Command Prompt window and restart your computer.

In some instances, third-party antivirus or security software can cause errors when you try to update to the latest version of Windows 10. You can temporarily uninstall this software, update your PC, and then reinstall the software after your device is up to date. We recommend using third-party antivirus or security software that’s compatible with the latest version of Windows 10. You can check compatibility by visiting the software manufacturer’s website.

Note: Before uninstalling software, make sure you know how to reinstall your programs and that you have any necessary product keys.

In the search box on the taskbar, type command prompt, and then select Run as administrator from the list of options. Select Yes. In the window that appears, type the following command, including the space as shown:
chkdsk/f C:
and then press Enter. Repairs will automatically start on your hard drive, and you’ll be asked to restart your device.

A clean restart starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. This helps eliminate software conflicts that occur when you install a program or an update that may cause issues updating your PC.
Learn how to do a clean restart

In the search box on the taskbar, type command prompt, then select Run as administrator from the list of options.

In the window that appears, type this command including spaces as shown:
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

Press Enter. When the command operation has run successfully, you’ll see a confirmation message from Command Prompt that says, “The restore operation completed successfully” or “The operation completed successfully”.
Note: If you don’t see a confirmation message, retype the command and try again.

Next, type this command, including the space as shown:
sfc /scannow

Press Enter. Wait until the sfc scan verification reaches 100% completion, and then close Command Prompt.

Try running the Windows Update again.

Go to the software download page and select Download tool now to download the clean installation tool. Make sure to carefully read the notes on the software download page before using the tool.

Still stuck?

Contact Microsoft support if you continue to have problems with your Windows updates.