Reinstall the OS to resolve constant freezing issues

PC keeps freezing.

Old DELL Vostro 200 / Windows 10 Home / 22H2 / 19045.3930

Office 2010 won't run, keeps saying it can't validate (or some such)

Have tried repair - pc freezes

Tried treinstalling Office 2010 with original key - pc froze.

SFC and DSIM found no problems.

So, can I do a repair of the OS without losing data and installed apps?

Don't have the Win 10 key (I know M$oft have it in electronic form) but when I open my M$oft account, I can't see it listed anywhere (never needed tore-install the OS so I don't know if this is "standard").

All this is fallout from the recent 'jiggling cursor problem' - which I found out was caused by a faulty wired USB mouse (and me swapping the motherboard over to the original before I discoverd the blame lay with the mouse).

Any advice / help / pointers all gratefully received.

Art

ArthurDent said:

...So, can I do a repair of the OS without losing data and installed apps?

An in-place repair upgrade should reinstall Windows keeping all your installed apps, user files, and most of your settings.

Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade

Bree said:

An in-place repair upgrade should reinstall Windows keeping all your installed apps, user files, and most of your settings.

Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade

Thanks Bree, thought so.

Thanks for the link.

Art

Didn't need a re-install of the OS.

I managed to "repair" Office by changing some compnents - specifically, removing One Note - which required me to put the license key back in.

Now working again.

Have to wait and see if the pc freezes agian - if it does, I'll look at the in-place repair again.

Art