# How can I stop my PC from booting up Windows?



## winterwonderland (Jul 26, 2011)

Ok, so I am looking for files to delete etc., but more importantly; give myself reasons to reinstall Windows all over again.

Are there any files i  should AVOID deleting? Like, if I delete a certain file, my windows won't boot up again... Are there such files? If so, what file(s) would that be..? And IF I were to delete them, how can I restore them again?

Quite random, yes, but still... I am curious.


----------



## qubit (Jul 26, 2011)

Eh, what?

If you wanna reinstall Windows just do it, no excuse needed. Is your install malfunctioning, perhaps? Had a virus attack? Definitely format and reinstall if this last one.


----------



## streetfighter 2 (Jul 26, 2011)

This sounds malicious to me.  But I'll bite anyway. 

I believe the tradition is to delete some or all of the files in "C:\Windows\System32", particularly the ones that have "kernel" in the name (ie. "kernel32.dll").  In addition to [NOT] making your computer faster, it is also [NOT] awesome and [NOT] full of win. 

I doubt you can do this while Windows is running though . . .


----------



## twilyth (Jul 26, 2011)

The safest thing to do if you want to trim windows is go to the control panel.  In W7 what you want is call "programs and features".  There is a link there to pick what features of windows you want and don't want.  Since this is accessible to anyone with admin privileges, you probably won't be able to shoot yourself in the foot, but I won't guarantee it.

edit:  just realized though that W7 probably won't delete the files for any features you de-select. - but I don't know for sure.


----------



## Lazzer408 (Jul 27, 2011)

I think the op is asking if there's any files that would prevent him from reinstalling windows. ??

There are plenty of files you could delete that would kill the os but none that would prevent you from reinstalling windows again. What exactly are you trying to do? If you just want to reinstall windows then do it. Format the drive during the install and you'll have a nice clean drive. Is this an oem system (hp, dell, ect)? Will you be reinstalling windows using a recovery partition? If so you won't want to delete that.

If you delete a file you will need to use a recovery program to try and find it to recover it. These programs tend to find everything that was ever deleted that is still recoverable.


----------



## twilyth (Jul 27, 2011)

OK.  He/she will have to re-activate it though - not that this would matter when using a legit copy.


----------



## Thatguy (Jul 27, 2011)

Formatting removes all files, and yet the OS will still install.


----------



## scaminatrix (Jul 27, 2011)

No, the OP is just looking for a way to bork an OS installation for fun/experiment.

I did comment last night, but it seems my post was removed for no good reason  If a mod deletes this post - please tell me why. If I'm breaking a rule or something, I want to know!

minstreless, you can delete C:\Windows\system.ini if you want to try and kill your OS. I can't advise on how to fix the OS after deleting that file.


----------



## Chryonn (Jul 27, 2011)

try getting rid of the boot.ini in safe mode? not sure that works


----------



## Mr McC (Jul 27, 2011)

OP, can you please clarify your intention, before more people proceed to offer advice? Your purpose is not clear to me.


----------



## lilhasselhoffer (Jul 27, 2011)

You can always delete the entry in a multi-boot program.


I use EasyBCD to set up my multi-partition drive.  It helped to kill a rogue install of windows, as well as a rename boots so "windows 7" could be recognized as x86 and x64.  Dang it's hard to get old games (System Shock 2) to keep running.


----------



## 20mmrain (Jul 27, 2011)

Just take what ever copy of windows you own and follow the prompts.... Or look up what copy of windows you have through google.... and find a how to thread. Print it out and then follow it. It's really simple you don't have to worry about deleting anything windows re install will take care of deleting everything. Now if you want to keep some of your files.... move it to a flash drive/ Disc/ or another Hard Drive to save the them. Then re install everything.Last put everything back on that you backed up.


----------



## freaksavior (Jul 27, 2011)

I like this thread. 

Once i deleted almost the entire registry in windows. That was fun. The computer no longer worked lol. 

@ OP, and @ everyone else.

I think he just wants to break it. In that case, start > my computer > C > Right click windows > Delete 

now you have a screwed up os. OR even better, find a linux live disc that support file browsing and go delete it that way lol.  OR load it into another machine, then remove it. Damn now i want to go break something. I knew there was a reason I stopped visiting tpu so much.


----------



## qubit (Jul 27, 2011)

freaksavior, the OP really should make another post in this thread to clarify his OP, as it's not clear at all.

He's been active since posting, so by not doing so, he's almost trolling...

EDIT: no he's _not_ been active since posting. Sorry, my bad, I'm very tired after a long day.


----------



## freaksavior (Jul 27, 2011)

Although that is true, it still sounded like that's what he is doing.


----------



## robn (Jul 27, 2011)

lilhasselhoffer said:


> Dang it's hard to get old games (System Shock 2) to keep running.



Check out Kolya's SS2Tool if you haven't already 

On topic: Opening up reg edit then deleting is [effective/stupid] - without even restarting you'll see titlebar & menu text disappear, window themes, sizing, etc. freak out, then things start crashing...


----------



## sneekypeet (Jul 28, 2011)

You all are missing the point of the OP and is why i deleted a post. 

The OP is looking for what not to remove when trying to streamline his OS.


----------



## Lazzer408 (Jul 28, 2011)

You can safely delete the contents in..

C:\Windows\Temp
C:\Users\<user name>\Local Settings\Temp or C:\Users\<user name>\AppData\Local\Temp
C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download (safe to delete the whole folder) (files are needed if you ever want to uninstall a Windows update)

I'm sure others can add to the list.


----------



## qubit (Jul 28, 2011)

sneekypeet said:


> You all are missing the point of the OP and is why i deleted a post.
> 
> *The OP is looking for what not to remove when trying to streamline his OS.*



No, I'm not sure that's right, because the OP's apparently looking for an excuse to reinstall Windows in the first line. Yet, in the next paragraph the OP appears to contradict himself by asking what not to delete.

So, what's the OP after?

The OP's OP _definitely_ needs clarifying.

OP OP OP OP OP OP OP OP....


----------



## scaminatrix (Jul 28, 2011)

qubit said:


> No, I'm not sure that's right, because the OP's apparently looking for an excuse to reinstall Windows in the first line. Yet, in the next paragraph the OP appears to contradict himself by asking what not to delete.



That's what I thought. Well, the OP hasn't been back so I'm going to assume he/she succeeded in breaking Windows


----------

