Sounds like you are "answer shopping" only paying attention and responding to answers you understand and ignoring those you don't. Classic blunder. Talent loses interest and goes elsewhere, and you are left with button pushers and cable jigglers. At some point, someone shows up and says "format and reinstall windows" and because you are desperate, that's what you do.
The fact that you don't understand a suggestion is a pretty good indicator that the person that gave it to you knows more about it than you do. Be a good idea to get out of your comfort zone or pretty soon you'll be seriously considering the "3 foot drop test" as a legitimate course of action.