Getting numerous "Bad Image" popups launching different apps

[wygonski]

I have had this problem for a few weeks now where most of the apps I run will pop up the "Bad Image" error dialog:

"dll is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error." At first I thought it was one app only throwing this error and I reinstalled it but problem persisted. I also see three messages of this type when my laptop restarts. Eventually I came to understand that the problem was something other than one app that was corrupt--happens with many of my software development tools like VisualStudio, my Office look-alike suite, and others.
I followed directions on this site, and I have attached a zipped version of SFCFix.txt, and here's also a link to my zipped CBS folder.
I have spent many days trying to solve this, and since my software dev tools are affected I an unable to get much work done--so any help will be very much appreciated.

One thing I noticed in SCFix.txt is about "Microsoft Windows 7 Service Pack 1 - amd64" which is strange because my laptop is running Win7 on Intel CPU...

Thanks in advance
John

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

Hello and welcome!

Unfortunately, due to the amount of files corrupted (26.000), your only viable option is to do an in-place upgrade or a fresh install of the OS.

 

[wygonski]

Hello and welcome!

Unfortunately, due to the amount of files corrupted (26.000), your only viable option is to do an in-place upgrade or a fresh install of the OS.

Thanks for the analysis, much appreciated. From your experience, can you guess or say at all how it happened? the AMD reference looked suspicious. I also had trouble uninstalling/reinstalling VC++ runtime.

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

It's hard to say, but it may be due to an interrupted update, a sudden power loss or a failing drive.

The AMD reference is normal as it refers to the system architecture which is 64 bit. :)

 

[wygonski]

Hello and welcome!

Unfortunately, due to the amount of files corrupted (26.000), your only viable option is to do an in-place upgrade or a fresh install of the OS.

Thanks for the help, and I'll definitely be donating.

Regarding the in-place upgrade: In this laptop I have an old HDD that has had errors in the past, and as you said may be the source of my trouble. I also have a second SSD. Can I do an in-place upgrade of Win7 on the HDD to Win10 on the SSD? Or in your experience does some other path make more sense?

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

That would require first cloning the bad HDD onto the SSD and then trying to repair it, if all goes well. Seeing that the HDD is going bad, I'd opt for a fresh install on the SSD drive with storing data somewhere prior to doing that.

Appreciate the donation!

 

[wygonski]

You're welcome on the donation. Easy when you're being helped.

I mis-spoke earlier--my Win7 Pro boot drive is the 256G SSD. So I plan to upgrade to Win10 Pro on this SSD and see if that fixes my issues. Does that make sense to you?

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

Yes, that is ideal. :) But, I don't know whether you'll be able to do that due to the number of corruptions. It is certainly worth a try.