Reinstalling Windows

[Sammyjo]

Ok smarty pants...if I reinstall Windows will I lose my whole hard drive? I think some files got deleted and would like to reinstall if it isn't going to cause me a lot of problems...

Thanks for your help

 

[Chuckus]

Ok smarty pants...if I reinstall Windows will I lose my whole hard drive? I think some files got deleted and would like to reinstall if it isn't going to cause me a lot of problems...

Thanks for your help

Before you do, make sure and place *copies* and things in a safe folder somewhere on your hard drive. Are you doing a complete re-format or simply putting Windows back on? Also what version of Windows are you gonna do (i.e.98, 98SE, ME, 2000, etc...)?

 

[Ezzy]

Back up every thing you can think of...

including the .pst files, my documents, and any work books etc. you can move your favorites and .pst files using (Import export) under files.
If you can save to off your comp, it is safer and I always feel safer when I am doing it that way.

If you are just re loading without reformatting you shouldn't have a problem with it, but play safe rather than risk it lol.



EZ

 

[Weird Harold]

The only problems I've had with re-installing windows, is that it keeps "correcting" the horrible mistakes I made the first time.

Things like deleting the IE5 shortcut and all the other internet access stuff from my granddaughter's logins.

Things like turning off cookies for all but very select sites, and deleting all of the links and channels to MSN and other sites controled my Bill Gates & Co.

You know, really stupid things like, moving the progam files directory to the 30 Gig drive where I've got room instead of leaving it on the nearly full One Gig drive C:.

If you have any quirks and special security settings in your existing setup, you need to make a note of them, because you will have to reset all of them after re-installing Windows.

Many of your settings, like your desktop theme and multiple user's setups will remian pretty much intact. Mostly it just resets to the default whenever the default is a Microsoft page or product. {Like resetting the default browser to IE5.)

If you have a plain vanilla system with everything that windows installed in the first place, you should have no problem.

 

[Andra_Jenny]

I agree. Back up everything. I burn it all to CD then wipe the whole thing clear because all too often windows has told me that Windows is already present and it refused to re-install. But then, I build my own machines.

 

[Curious Guy]

If you reformat you will lose any online updates from Microsoft, unless you have them in a file you can save.

 

[riff]

I just did a total reinstall. The only bitch was the overlooked files like an address book I forgot to backup before formatting the drive. Oh well.. life goes on.

But I am glad I did... I feel like I just got out of the shower.

 

[Rosebud]

I hate reinstalling windows...It is such a pane...
alright alright..I am sorry like none of you thought of it too

 

[Chuckus]

I agree. Back up everything. I burn it all to CD then wipe the whole thing clear because all too often windows has told me that Windows is already present and it refused to re-install. But then, I build my own machines.

Norton makes a good program called "Ghost" you can use to that takes an 'image' of your Hard drive.......see I make a "Ghost Image" with Win 2000 clean and IMMEDIATELY after I install all of my crap........then once I do all my importing of the address books and crap.........so if my puter starts to freak out........WA-LA I just re-image and it is as if nothing ever happened. Technology can be a good tool, but only if you know how to use it though.......check it out Ghost-Norton Utilities Program.....maybe save you all some heartache....