Repair Audio and Bluetooth Drivers Without Windows Refresh

Hi All,

I have always been mystified by Windows Updates. Some updates leave me unscathed and others torture me. An update in August knocked out the drivers for my audio and bluetooth. As a result, I could not get any audio or microphone to work. I even put in a PCI-e sound card, but Win 10 would not load the driver without getting "unknown error" messages. I tried various system restore points and I could not restore (even in safe mode). I did chkdsk /f /r and Win 10 determined the drive was not damaged. I ran the SFC command three times which determined each time that:

"Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them. Details are included . . . ."

So, I know I have corrupt system files somewhere, and I found an article which details how to repair them manually:

How to use the SFC command utility to fix system files on Windows 10 | Windows Central

But I don't know if that would solve my problem with the drivers. I know I can do a "Fresh Start with a clean up-to-date re-installation of Win 10" and solve it that way, but that is way too much brain damage reinstalling apps and finding license keys etc.

I am very interested in Brink's 2015 article "How to Do a Repair Install of Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade"

Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade Windows 10 Installation Upgrade Tutorials

which I think would save me the pain of re-installing desktop apps and Office 365 (it would take two days by the time I find the licenses etc.), but I am wondering in 2017 and after upgrading from Win 8.1 when Win 10 was offered free, and not getting a license key (that I know of) with that upgrade if I can still get a current Windows ISO and whether this will take care of my corrupted system files. I don't even know if the Media Creation Tool suggested in the article solves the problem of no license key. Does this 2015 article still have usable instructions? What is the best way for me to move forward. And yes, after this experience, I will make disk images every week.

[Follow up]: I used Belarc Advisor and I see I have a license key for Win 8.1. Would MS use the same for Win 10 in case I need a product key for the ISO?

Hi toppinglift.

Your machine was fingerprinted (at least that is what I call it) when you went to Windows 10. You own a digital license. You install the software and the Microsoft servers will activate it. If you made a major change the is a few more steps but it is all outlined in the tutorial.

Activate Windows 10

The in place repair / upgrade is a current up to date tutorial. Actually all tutorial are up to date, Brink keeps it that way and if you notice and error it will be fixed immediately.

If you get the current Media creation tool it will down load the current version of 10, V1703.

I always recommend having your data backed up. Never hurt to have a current back up and sometimes Windows can be very cranky. I don't think anyone I've recommend to try in place repair / upgrade has ever needed but they had it just in case.

You can also do a clean install with the USB it creates. Licensing is all handle for you. (You need all other software licenses for clean install.)



Ken

I would wait till the fall creators update comes out near the end of next month and see if that fixes it, If it does not then start fresh

You are correct, you may still have issues. It does do things to registry, hence the repair but it does not fix everything. It leaves apps and data in place however I always suggest, have a data backup.

See warnings in pink.

Ken