Windows 10 Repair Tool?

Hello All,

Windows 7 had a repair tool which could be used by placing the Windows 7 CD in the CD player and running a repair. At least that is how I remember it. Anyway, is there a similar repair tool to run for Windows 10?

I am having several issues with Windows 10 lately. I have been running Windows 10 for at least a year without issue but all of a sudden, I am having problems. I can't really put my finger on anything I have done recently that might have caused a problem except for an attempt to install and use the Windows 10 app that links a phone to Windows 10. I ended up removing it but I had to use a removal wizard to completely get rid of it. The wizard was something from Microsfot.

The issues I am having with Windows 10 are as follows:

• Snip and Sketch stopped working. I had to download the app again from the Windows 10 store. I had trouble getting it reinstalled but i was successful.
• When I have several Windows open at the same time and I open a new window, the window opens but the new window opens behind the windows which are already open. I can see the new app is running on the taskbar. Sometimes I have to minimize the other windows to get to the newly opened window. Sometimes simply clicking on the icon on the task bar for the new window will work.
• Also Window related is what happens when I run Microsoft Word and Excel. I am running older versions of both, they may be 2010 version. Anyway, if Word and or Excel are running and I want to switch to either App, if I hover over the icon on the task bar, Word or Excel flashes\flickers in a small window. Word or Excel will not maximize though. I have tried right clicking and choosing restore or maximize but neither works. I usually end up minimizing the other windows to get to Word or Excel.
• I am having an audio issue that I posted in another thread and I have not been able to fix it. Basically an icon appears in the upper left, mutes the sound and will not allow me to adjust the sound. I have tried everything including updating the RealTek driver. The odd thing the sound was working great and then all of a sudden I have an issue. I am using onboard audio. I contacted the ASRock and after a few emails back and forth they suggested i disbale audio and buy a dedicated sound card.
• Last issue is Outlook related. Outlook was working fine and all of a sudden, I could not download new email. I had to call tech support and they made some changes to the configuration and I was able to get Outlook working.

So the issues I describe above may be related or not. The odd thing is they all happened near the same time which is why I listed all of them. I am fairly convinced that if i could run some type of Windows repair tool, it might help fix many of the problems. I don't have a Windows 10 CD because I upgraded from Windows 7.

Any ideas?

Thanks, Bill

Thanks Denis.

I did run sfc /scannow and then chkdsk C: /f /r after speaking to a Microsoft Rep online. I restarted my PC and all of the issues I describe with graphics went away. The scans did find errors which were fixed and log file was created. This is the good news.

Unfortunately, Audio still does not work. I suspect and I am almost 100% sure that all my ills are caused by the Audio problem. What happens is an icon appears in the upper left portion of the screen and then sound is disabled. The video issues I describe come back too. If I disable the sound and restart, the video issues go away. I have tried everything to fix the issue. I have downloaded the latest RealTek driver but the same thing happens, the icon appears and sound is disabled. I ordered a SoundBlaster card which I will install when it arrives. No idea if that will fix the problem or not. I keep coming back to the fact that I have been running Windows 10 for at least a year without Audio issues and all of a sudden I have problems.

Sounds to me like the audio problem might be a short in one of the speaker jacks causing the motherboard to sense that you connected speakers or headphones there when there wasn't.

Thanks NavyLCDR & Denis,

NavyLCDR: Others have mentioned that it is a hardware issue such as a short or a screw that was making contact with the Motherboard. I plan to install the Soundblaster Card so I will see if I can find a screw. If it is a short, I have don't know how to verify. Appreciate the idea.

Denis: You are correct about the other thread. I will take a look at the threads you provided. I appreciate the help.

Update
I ended up installing the Windows Upgrade Assistant and I upgraded 10 to the latest version or Build 19042.746. The new Windows release installed the following drivers:



So neither one mentions RealTek. Both set are more generic drivers. I have been running my PC for a couple of hours and the popup has not appeared yet. This has happened before though where I thought i had the issue fixed after a few hours but then the popup reappeared. Knock on wood!

Denis,

Good question. On the support page for my Mobo, it lists the drivers that I installed when I set up the PC. The driver page lists the following name.

Realtek high definition audio driver ver:7560

The drivers are located here:

ASRock > Z97 Extreme6

I may run the driver ID program that you reference as it cannot hurt to verify the driver.

Thanks, Bill