Hello Jamie, and welcome to Ten Forums. :)
I'm afraid that a repair install will continue to use your existing drivers unless there's an issue with them.
The only way that I know of to have Windows use new drivers is to either refresh or reset Windows instead.
ok cheer bink, reason I ask is Ive had problems ever since using one of those stupid driver update programs, it updated some obscure motherboard/system driver and since then Ive had nothing but problems, I guess I can try the repair inplace first just incase that sorts the problem nothing to lose then if not, fresh install...
To completely remove all hardware drivers and hardware related information like registry settings, run Sysprep command in an elevated Command Prompt with /generalize switch. This generalizes Windows making it completely hardware independent and is mainly used to create Windows install image which when captured can be deployed to any hardware setup capable of running Windows 10, but it can also be used to remove all drivers in cases like yours.
Full command:
Code:%windir%\system32\sysprep\sysprep.exe /generalize /oobe /reboot
The above command works in all editions of Windows 10 versions 1507, 1511 and 1607 up to build 14986. Windows 10 Creators Update (build 15002 and later) requires some or all UWP apps to be deprovisioned or uninstalled before you can generalize an existing Windows installation.
Warning
Generalizing Windows might cause existing user accounts to lose Start and Search / Cortana functionality if they are active when Sysprep command is run. Therefore it is recommended that before you run Sysprep you activate built-in admin account, sign out from all normal user accounts, sign in to built-in admin account and disable all existing normal user accounts including your main admin account. When done run the Sysprep command while still signed in to built-in admin.
Sysprep forces Windows to go through OOBE (setup) phase, generates a new machine GUID, removes all shadow copies (restore points), resets event logs, disables built-in admin account if it was enabled before Sysprep command, resets theme customisations to Windows defaults and requires a new admin user to be created. Notice that you must create a new admin user after Sysprep, if you try entering your existing admin user you will be told Something went wrong. You need to use a temporary username:
As soon as you get to desktop using this temporary admin user account, activate your original admin account. When it is activated sign out from temporary account, sign in with your original admin user, remove the new temporary account and activate all other user accounts that were disabled before the Sysprep.
Do not use Sysprep on existing Windows installation without first creating a system image or at least backing up your data!
Kari
Funny that this video's example it did "Keep personal files, apps, and Windows settings'
Repair Install InPlace Upgrade Windows 10 - YouTube
But the tutorial says "Keep personal files only". There is a contradiction between the video and tutorial.
Unless the graphic is off/wrong. That it should be keep 'Personal files and apps'? But looks like it's pointing at "Keep personal files only" so choose "Keep personal files only"? and ignore the video where it has "keep personal files and apps"?
Actually I think I need to select the 1st option "Keep personal files and apps" NOT the 2nd option "Keep personal files only" otherwise all the softwares/games, etc I installed will be deleted need to be reinstalled.
There should be nothing confusing about it. Select the option that suits you. Any of the options will work just as well.
Second option "Keep personal files only" will be removing all the installed apps/games/3rd party app/game settings, I believe.
When I installed Windows, I used unattend.xml to set the Users profile on D:
Would the In-place repair upgrade kepp this? Or will it moved to C: ?
In earlier Windows versions and in Windows 10 version 1507 (all builds prior to version 1511 build 10586) when Users folder was relocated to another drive using Sysprep and an unattended answer file, repair and in-place upgrade installations required the process being reverted, the Users folder sysprepped back to C: drive. After repair or in-place upgrade installation it could then be relocated again to another drive.
Windows 10 version 1511 build 10586 (so called November Update) changed this. You can now in-place upgrade from Windows 7 or 8.1 to Windows 10 even with relocated Users folder, subject to in-place upgrade media being Windows 10 version 1511 build 10586 or later.
Any Windows 10 version and build since build 10586 can be repair installed and in-place upgraded without relocating Users folder back to C: drive. This also includes build and feature updates through Windows Update which can now be done with relocated Users.
Short answer: Yes, repair and in-place upgrade will keep your Users folder on D: drive. No worries, no problems.
Kari
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