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JTG Systems
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JTG Systems
Monday to Friday, 12PM-6PM ¡ Bring your device and we'll take it from thereâno booking, no fuss.
577 Niagara Street
Welland, ON L3C 1L9
FREE diagnostic upon walk-in.
Check in at the front desk and we'll get started.
(905) 892-4555
FREE estimates - call us!
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Same-day repairs while you explore downtown Welland.
If your computer has become slow, unresponsive, or has become infected with a virus, you may need to reinstall the operating system. Reinstalling the operating system can be a complex process, but it can often help to improve the overall performance of your computer and remove any viruses or malware that may have infected your device.
There are many operating systems in the world, including Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Unix, and many others. This blog post will primarily focus on the process of reinstalling the Windows operating system. If you need assistance with reinstalling any other operating system, you can contact JTG Systems located at 577 Niagara Street in Welland, Ontario at (905) 892-4555.
Understanding when to reinstall your operating system is crucial for maintaining your computer's health. Several symptoms indicate it might be time for a fresh start:
Performance Issues: If your computer has become significantly slower over time, takes forever to boot up, or programs freeze frequently, a fresh OS installation can restore optimal performance. Years of accumulated software, temporary files, and registry errors bog down even powerful systems.
Persistent Malware: When antivirus software cannot completely remove viruses, trojans, or ransomware, reinstalling the OS ensures complete eradication. Some sophisticated malware embeds itself so deeply that only a clean installation can guarantee removal.
Corruption Errors: Blue screens of death (BSOD), frequent crashes, corrupted system files, or boot failures often stem from OS corruption. Reinstalling provides stable, uncorrupted system files.
Before Selling: Always reinstall before selling or donating a computer to protect your personal data and provide the new owner with a clean system.
Major Upgrades: When upgrading from an older OS version (like Windows 7 to Windows 11), a clean installation often performs better than an in-place upgrade.
Bloatware Removal: New computers often come loaded with unnecessary trial software. Reinstalling with a clean Windows image eliminates bloatware and improves performance.
Windows Operating Systems: The most common OS for personal computers, Windows currently offers Windows 10 and Windows 11 as primary versions. Windows is known for its broad software compatibility and gaming support. Most business applications are designed for Windows, making it the standard in professional environments.
macOS: Apple's operating system for Mac computers offers seamless integration with other Apple devices, excellent security, and creative professional tools. However, macOS can only be legally installed on Apple hardware, making reinstallation procedures different from Windows.
Linux Distributions: Free, open-source operating systems like Ubuntu, Mint, and Fedora offer excellent security, customization, and run well on older hardware. Linux is perfect for users comfortable with technology or those wanting to revive older computers without licensing costs.
Each OS requires specific reinstallation procedures. This guide focuses primarily on Windows, but JTG Systems provides expert assistance with all operating systems.
Before reinstalling your operating system, it's important to back up all of your important data. This includes your documents, photos, music, videos, and any other files that you want to keep. You can use an external hard drive, USB drive, or cloud storage solution to back up your data.
What to Back Up:
Backup Methods:
External Hard Drive: The most reliable option for large amounts of data. A 1TB external drive costs $50-$80 and can store complete system backups. Simply copy all important folders to the drive. External drives are reusable and provide permanent offline storage.
USB Flash Drive: Suitable for smaller backups (up to 256GB). USB drives are portable and inexpensive ($15-$40) but slower than external hard drives for large transfers.
Cloud Storage: Services like Google Drive (15GB free), Dropbox (2GB free), OneDrive (5GB free with Windows), and iCloud provide online backup accessible from any device. Paid plans offer more storage: 100GB typically costs $2-$3 monthly. Cloud backup protects against physical damage to your computer but requires internet connectivity.
Network Attached Storage (NAS): For advanced users, NAS devices provide permanent backup solutions accessible by multiple computers on your home network.
Backup Software Recommendations:
Professional backup software creates complete disk images, allowing you to restore not just files but your entire system configuration if needed.
After backing up, verify your data is safe:
Never proceed with OS reinstallation without confirming your backup is complete and accessible.
Windows 10 allows you to create a recovery drive that you can use to reinstall the operating system or troubleshoot any issues with your device. To create a recovery drive, follow these steps:
Creating a proper recovery drive requires understanding some technical specifications:
USB Drive Requirements:
What Recovery Drives Include:
Recovery Drive vs Installation Media: A recovery drive includes troubleshooting tools along with Windows installation files, while standard installation media only includes the OS installer. Recovery drives can fix boot problems without full reinstallation.
Official Microsoft Method: Download the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft's website (www.microsoft.com/software-download). This free tool creates bootable USB drives or ISO files for Windows 10 and Windows 11.
System Requirements for Installation Media:
License Key Considerations:
Windows requires a valid product key for installation. Your key is usually:
If you previously had activated Windows on your computer, reinstalling typically auto-activates using the digital license. However, keep your product key recorded as backup.
Once you have created a recovery drive, you can use it to boot your computer and reinstall the operating system. Follow these steps:
Different computer manufacturers use different keys to access boot menus and BIOS settings:
The correct key usually appears briefly on screen during startup. If you miss it, restart and watch carefully for "Press [key] for Boot Menu" messages.
Modern computers use UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) instead of older BIOS systems. When creating installation media, ensure it matches your system's boot mode:
UEFI Mode: Newer, supports drives larger than 2TB, faster boot times, more secure. Most computers from 2012 onward use UEFI.
Legacy/BIOS Mode: Older standard, required for some old software, limited to 2TB drives. Computers before 2012 typically use legacy boot.
Installing Windows in the wrong boot mode can cause boot failures. Check your BIOS/UEFI settings before installation and ensure the USB is created in the matching mode.
If you don't have a recovery drive, you can still reinstall Windows from the internet. Follow these steps:
Clean Installation: Completely erases your hard drive and installs a fresh copy of Windows. This is the recommended method for maximum performance and complete malware removal.
Advantages of Clean Install:
Disadvantages of Clean Install:
Upgrade Installation: Attempts to preserve your files, programs, and settings while updating Windows. This is faster but less thorough.
Advantages of Upgrade Install:
Disadvantages of Upgrade Install:
For troubleshooting serious issues, always choose clean installation. For simple OS version updates on a healthy system, upgrade installation may suffice.
Once you've booted from installation media, follow this detailed walkthrough:
Step 1: Language and Region Selection
Choose your language, time/currency format, and keyboard layout. Most users select English (United States) for all three.
Step 2: Install Now
Click "Install Now" button. Avoid "Repair your computer" unless troubleshooting before reinstallation.
Step 3: Product Key Entry
Enter your Windows product key, or click "I don't have a product key" if Windows was previously activated (it will reactivate automatically after installation).
Step 4: Select Windows Edition
Choose the edition matching your license (Home, Pro, Education). If unsure, check your current Windows version before starting.
Step 5: Accept License Terms
Read and accept Microsoft's software license terms to proceed.
Step 6: Installation Type
Select "Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)" for clean installation. The "Upgrade" option only appears when running installation from within Windows.
Step 7: Partition Management
This critical step determines where Windows installs:
WARNING: Deleting partitions erases ALL data. Ensure backups are complete before proceeding.
Step 8: Installation Progress
Windows copies files and installs features. This takes 20-45 minutes depending on computer speed. Your computer will restart several times automatically.
Step 9: Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE)
After installation, configure initial settings:
Step 10: Finalizing Setup
Windows prepares your desktop, installs default apps, and completes configuration. This takes 5-15 minutes.
After successfully installing Windows, several critical tasks ensure your system is fully functional and secure:
Immediately check for Windows updates: Settings â Update & Security â Windows Update â Check for updates. Install all available updates, including optional driver updates. This process may require multiple restarts and take 1-2 hours but is crucial for security and stability.
Drivers are software that allows Windows to communicate with hardware components. Many install automatically through Windows Update, but some require manual installation:
Critical Drivers:
Finding Drivers:
Driver Update Tools: Programs like Driver Booster, Driver Easy, or Snappy Driver Installer can automate driver updates, but download from reputable sources only.
After drivers, install essential programs:
Security Software:
Web Browsers:
Productivity Software:
Media Players:
Utilities:
Verify Windows activation: Settings â Update & Security â Activation. If showing "Windows is not activated":
Copy backed-up files back to appropriate locations:
Reinstall any programs you previously used (do not copy program files from backup - always reinstall properly).
For Mac users, the reinstallation process differs significantly:
Accessing macOS Recovery:
Recovery Mode Options:
Erasing Mac for Clean Install:
Internet Recovery: If regular recovery mode fails, use Internet Recovery (Command + Option + R) to download macOS from Apple's servers.
Linux offers free, open-source alternatives to Windows and macOS:
Popular Distributions for Beginners:
Creating Linux Installation Media:
Installation Process:
Linux is excellent for reviving old computers, offers superior security, and is completely free with no licensing costs.
Problem: Computer won't boot from USB drive
Solution: Check BIOS/UEFI boot order (USB drive should be first), disable Secure Boot temporarily, ensure USB was created correctly, try different USB port (USB 2.0 ports sometimes work better than 3.0).
Problem: "No bootable device found" error
Solution: Recreation installation media, verify ISO file integrity, check if BIOS detects USB drive, try legacy boot mode if UEFI fails.
Problem: Installation freezes or blue screens during setup
Solution: Test RAM using Windows Memory Diagnostic, check hard drive health with manufacturer tools, ensure BIOS is updated, disconnect unnecessary peripherals during installation.
Problem: Product key won't activate
Solution: Verify key matches Windows edition, ensure internet connection, wait 24 hours for automatic activation, contact Microsoft support with proof of purchase, check if key was used on another PC.
Problem: Drivers not installing correctly
Solution: Download drivers from manufacturer website (not generic sources), install chipset drivers first before other hardware drivers, disable antivirus temporarily during driver installation, use compatibility mode for older drivers.
Problem: Cannot delete partitions during installation
Solution: Use diskpart command line tool to clean drive, disable encryption in BIOS, disconnect other drives to avoid confusion, use Linux live USB to wipe drive if Windows tools fail.
Problem: Installation is extremely slow
Solution: Disconnect from internet during installation (connect afterward for updates), use USB 3.0 port and USB 3.0 drive, ensure hard drive is healthy (not failing), check if USB drive is reliable (cheap USB drives often cause slow installations).
Maximize your freshly installed Windows performance with these optimizations:
Many programs automatically start with Windows, slowing boot times:
Windows animations consume resources on slower computers:
Automatically clean temporary files:
Advanced users can disable unneeded Windows services to free resources. However, disable services carefully as some are essential for system function.
If using traditional hard drive (not SSD):
Note: Do NOT defragment SSDs - Windows optimizes them differently using TRIM commands.
While this guide enables many users to reinstall their operating system independently, professional assistance is recommended for:
Professional services ensure data safety, proper licensing, driver installation, and configuration of complex systems.
JTG Systems offers comprehensive operating system reinstallation services for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Our services include:
Before any work begins, technicians create complete backups of your data using professional tools, ensuring nothing is lost during reinstallation.
Certified technicians handle the entire installation process, ensuring proper configuration, driver installation, and optimization for your specific hardware.
We reinstall your essential programs, configure email accounts, restore browser bookmarks and settings, and ensure your computer is ready to use immediately.
All hardware drivers are updated to latest stable versions from manufacturer sources, ensuring optimal performance and compatibility.
Windows Defender or preferred antivirus software is configured, firewall settings optimized, and Windows updates installed for complete security.
Your personal files, documents, photos, and media are restored to proper locations with verified integrity.
System is optimized for maximum performance through startup program management, visual effects adjustment, and unnecessary service removal.
Student and senior discounts apply to all services (15% off). Free diagnostic determines exact requirements and pricing before work begins.
DIY Costs:
Total DIY Cost: $60-$100 (plus significant time investment and risk)
Professional Service at JTG Systems:
Total Professional Cost: $129-$179 (less with discount) with peace of mind and guaranteed results
For users unfamiliar with technical processes, the nominal additional cost of professional service provides substantial value through time savings, risk elimination, and superior results.
Extend the time between OS reinstallations with regular maintenance:
Michael R., Small Business Owner: \"My computer became completely unusable with viruses. JTG Systems backed up all my business files, reinstalled Windows, and had everything running perfectly in 24 hours. The technician even showed me how to avoid infections in the future. Worth every penny.\"
Patricia L., Senior Citizen: \"I thought I'd lost all my photos when my computer wouldn't start. JTG Systems recovered everything and gave me a fresh Windows installation. With my senior discount, it was very affordable. They also took time to explain what happened and how to prevent it. Excellent service.\"
Kevin T., College Student: \"My laptop was taking 10 minutes to boot and constantly freezing. JTG Systems reinstalled Windows with my student discount, and now it boots in 30 seconds! They also installed my software and transferred all my class files. Super fast service during exam week.\"
Amanda S., Graphic Designer: \"I needed macOS reinstalled on my MacBook Pro but didn't want to risk my design projects. JTG Systems handled everything professionally, backed up my Adobe suite settings, and had me up and running in a day. They even updated my drivers and optimized performance. Highly recommend.\"
JTG Systems serves the entire Niagara region including:
Conveniently located at 577 Niagara Street in Welland with free parking. In-shop service, mail-in service, and on-site service available (additional fees for on-site).
JTG Systems provides comprehensive warranties on all OS reinstallation services:
90-Day Labor Warranty: If issues related to the OS installation occur within 90 days, repairs are performed free of charge.
Data Backup Guarantee: We guarantee safe backup of your data during the reinstallation process. In the unlikely event of data loss, we provide free data recovery services.
Installation Quality Guarantee: Your operating system is installed with proper drivers, updates, and configurations. If you experience installation-related problems, we resolve them at no charge.
Software Installation Verification: All requested software is tested to ensure proper function before returning your computer.
Warranties apply equally to all customers regardless of discount status.
Reinstalling the operating system on your computer can be a complex process, but it can often help to improve the overall performance of your device and remove any viruses or malware that may have infected it. If you need assistance with reinstalling your operating system or have any other computer-related issues, you can contact JTG Systems located at 577 Niagara Street in Welland, Ontario at (905) 892-4555.
Q: Will reinstalling the operating system delete all of my files?
A: Yes, reinstalling the operating system will delete all of your files. It's important to back up all of your important data before reinstalling the operating system.
Q: Do I need a recovery drive to reinstall the operating system?
A: No, you can also create a bootable USB drive or DVD with the Windows installation files and use that to reinstall the operating system.
Q: How long does it take to reinstall the operating system?
A: The time it takes to reinstall the operating system will vary depending on the speed of your computer and the size of your hard drive. It can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours.
Q: Will I need to buy a new Windows license?
A: Usually no. If Windows was previously activated on your computer, it typically reactivates automatically after reinstallation using the digital license tied to your hardware.
Q: Can I upgrade to a newer version of Windows during reinstallation?
A: You can upgrade, but you'll need a valid license for the new version. Windows 10 and 11 licenses must be purchased separately unless you qualify for free upgrade programs.
Q: Is it safe to reinstall Windows myself?
A: Yes, if you follow instructions carefully and have backed up your data. However, professional service eliminates risks and saves time, especially for valuable or complex systems.
Q: How often should I reinstall my operating system?
A: With proper maintenance, modern operating systems rarely need reinstallation. Most users only reinstall when experiencing persistent problems, major slowdowns, or severe malware infections. Good maintenance practices can extend time between reinstallations to 3-5 years or more.
Q: What if I don't have my product key?
A: Modern Windows installations typically use digital licenses tied to your motherboard. Reinstalling on the same hardware usually activates automatically without entering a key. For OEM computers (Dell, HP, etc.), the key is stored in BIOS.
Q: Can JTG Systems help if I've already attempted reinstallation and have problems?
A: Absolutely. We troubleshoot failed installations, recover data from partially reinstalled systems, and complete proper installations regardless of the current state of your computer.