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[forsaken1111]

If the thing isn't working at all and you need to be able to boot it to get a few files, you could make a bootable usb drive with windows on it. That would let you run virus scans and whatnot as well if you want to try to repair.

[i2amroy]

If you absolutely can't get the drive working well then I'd say pull any important files from it, wipe it, and then reinstall windows. Just be careful not to take any viruses with you when you go, and it would probably be a good idea to run everything you take with you over with a good virus scanner just in case.

Elsewise if your problem is simply that you have so many viruses that you can't run the virus scanner software, I strongly suggest that you try running a bootable version of Linux (or windows if you absolutely have to, but Linux will be better as it won't automatically run any viruses it encounters). Instructions for this can be found easily over google if you have another computer handy at the time, and then you can use the bootable version to run all of the various virus scanners on your drive to clean it up for you.

Side note:
The second point is actually one of the things I love best about having a dual boot mac/windows computer. In the event that either side gets a virus, or even crashes completely, I can still access the second side to help run clean up and repair on the broken side. It's saved me a few times already, and was well worth the amount of time and effort I had to pour into the dang thing to get it to work with dual boot in the first place.

[Thief^]

If you don't have the recovery discs, you can still burn a copy of the right version of Windows and use it. Yes, I know that's technically pirating, but it's something you actually have a license for, so I don't care much about that, and it's not like Windows install discs are hard to come by anyhow.

Microsoft don't copy-protect their disks for a reason. They are one of the few software companies that understand it's the license, not the disk, that is important.

Downloading a new disk (being careful you don't get one pre-infected with viruses) or borrowing a friends is fine as long as you use your own license key. Which should be on a sticker attached to the case, so you don't lose it.

[G-Flex]

One potential problem with that: If you have an OEM license and a retail disc, it'll wind up being a retail install so activation might not quite work. Microsoft offers a tool to correct it, though, so it's not a big deal: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/help/genuine/product-key

[Iosyn]

Documents and things. the reinstall will put everything the computer needs to work on there; but documents and other important things to you (photos etc) will need to be backed up before they're wiped with everything else.

I should note that this is not necessarily true. If you install Windows from scratch, you may very well lose plenty of drivers your hardware uses/needs, and finding them again can be a hassle. Just keep that in mind.

Yeah, this happened to me once. Did a fresh install and what happens?
Can't connect to the internet to install fresh drivers for connecting to the internet. /RoyalFacepalm.

Had to use some real roundabout way to go download XP service pack 3. Had to go to a friend's place, kidnap his computer, download SP3 and burn it. and I had to take my own CDRW because he didn't have one. I was there on their living room floor taking their computer to bits, but they still tolerate me.
So nice to have good friends.