A Chance to Show Your Stuff!! - Help an informed newbie with his questoins.

[PrinceXizor]

I'm somewhere between a newbie and an experienced hardware user, so I've coined the phrase "informed newbie". That revelation and a 4 cents still won't get you a nickel....anyhow...

I have a few questions since I will be building a couple brand new systems in the near future and I would like to do it right.

1. Build your own computer links. Steps are good, but an explanation of why the steps are in the order they are, why they are even steps in the first place, etc. would be great.
2. What is a clean install (well, I know what that is in general obviously), but how do the uber-experienced out there do this in a painless (as possible) way...back-up harddrives, etc. Specific details on this question would be appreciated.
3. Ghosting, is this involved with #2, or a separate issue.
4. What are some system maintenance routines that you all use (defragging, storage of drivers, back-up systems, etc).

Anything else that the perceptive ones out there understand what kind of knowledge I'm trying to get at and feel I'm missing something (or may be completely unaware of) feel free to add that in too.

Thanks in advance!!🙂

 

[SandLizard]

I've never bothered with #1 and #4, but:

Are these computers going to be identical? If they are, you can put both systems together, but only install everything you want on one, and you can ghost that hard drive to the other...the problem here is with legality, as unless this is a corporate licence for OS (assuming windows...) it is most likely illegal. Not sure about linux/unix, i've never messed with those.

If you're not concerned about legality, and the comps are identical, ghost 'em. It'll save hella time. I do it here at the bank, but we have corporate licensces to do that.

For backing up, the same thing: I like to ghost. But I only ghost my main drive (OS drive, no programs) as otherwise I couldn't use a cheap drive to do it.

Clean install: I start with a system formatted drive (i.e., format c: /s). I like to copy windows install files from CD to HD. (i.e., the win98 folder on CD to win98 folder on HD), then reboot to HD, go to win98 on HD, and run setup from HD. Never tried this on winXP or win2k though, but I think it'll work. I install OS when I have the bare minimums in the computer (hard drive, video card, cd-rom...) i like to install sound card and such one at a time-->just in case of problems.

Hopefully I didn't confuse you with this, as I kinda jumped around (came back to reply a couple times at work)....and if anyone thinks I'm wrong anywhere here (which I don't think I am) let me know.

-sandlizard

 

[PrinceXizor]

Thanks! #1 and #4 do interest me though...

As far as clean install, that sounds kind of like it, but I read about people doing it for problems installing vid and sound cards. So I assume there is an easy (relatively speaking) way to do a clean install for problems, assuming you set up your system ahead of time in the appropriate ways.

Another question to add to the list.

What type of system utilitites should I get (NOT actual software titles but TYPES of software)?

I have a general idea of the steps for a painless clean install, but I'd like to avoid any particular pitfalls. Oh yeah, I will be using XP Pro (please no flamewars of 2K vs. XP).

It sounds like.
1. Create a backup HD with OS and Drivers on it.
2. When doing clean install, format main drive.
3. Ghost backup HD to newly formatted main drive.
4. Install additional hardware.
5. If cool, reinstall old proggy's.

Thanks again to all who post! 😎

 

[rbayer]

If you're backing up your OS, it's not a clean install. Clean install literally means reformatting the drive and installing Windows from CD. Or, if you want to save time and have an extra HD, you can do a clean-install once, when you first create the system for example, ghost that to a spare HD and restore from it. Backing up and then reinstalling a broken OS won't fix it.

My process:

Burn My Documents and My Projects (VC++ thing) to CDs.
Download updated drivers for everything and burn to CD.
Startup from boot disk (CD or floppy)
fdisk - remove all partitions.
reboot
fdisk - create partitions
reboot
format C: /s
mkdir C:\win98
copy E:\win98 C:\win98 (E: is my CD)
reboot
cd win98
setup.exe
run through setup, etc
install MB drivers
install video drivers
install NIC drivers
install Sound Card drivers
install whatever others need to be there
install programs
copy My Documents and My Projects back to original locations

As for utilities: get a good antivirus and AdAware

 

[PrinceXizor]

Thanks for the input...my number one step is using poor nomenclature....backup HD meant...a clean install (from CD) and then use that ghosted HD to restore from (basically, exactly what you said, I just stated poorly)...

a few questions...partitions, what are they good for? Is this just an issue with like 20GB max recognizable HD size or something...
and after which step in your list would you ghost your harddrive to a back-up?

 

[compudog]

Here are the steps I take for Win98. I have just completed (as of last night) my 500th install of Win98. No kidding. NOT all for myself either. Mostly for clients and friends.

If it's a completely new machine I set BIOS to default or the simplest setting before I install the OS. I just did one for a client and they had their memory timings set to 'agressive' and setup wasn't behaving. I set it back to default and it installed fine.


Backup anything I want to save. (Usually email setting and messages in Outlook, favorites and documents)
I routinely burn stuff I download so I have that fairly up to date. Anything I have downloaded since my last backup, I burn
Boot to Win98 EBD floppy
fdisk - remove all partitions.
fdisk - create partitions
reboot
format C: /s
mkdir C:\win98
copy from CD X:\win98 C:\win98
reboot
cd win98
setup.exe
Run through setup, etc
Install MB drivers
Install video drivers
Install NIC/MODEM drivers
Install Sound Card drivers
Restore what ever needs restoration.

I agree this looks very similiar to rbayers list. It's tried and true and works! Good Luck!

 

[rbayer]

Originally posted by: PrinceXizor
Thanks for the input...my number one step is using poor nomenclature....backup HD meant...a clean install (from CD) and then use that ghosted HD to restore from (basically, exactly what you said, I just stated poorly)...

a few questions...partitions, what are they good for? Is this just an issue with like 20GB max recognizable HD size or something...
and after which step in your list would you ghost your harddrive to a back-up?

With a clean install you NEVER restore the entire HD from ghost. Ghost will overwrite EVERYTHING on the drive, including the fresh install of the OS you just performed. If you want to make a ghost to use to restore your OS, do it immediately following the setup.exe step--before even installing drivers. The main use for ghost is if you have a lot of computers that are exactly the same and want a quick way to wipe everything on them and restore them to a know, working setup that includes all the apps, documents, drivers, OS, etc.

As for partitions, for most uses you can get by with just one big one as the size limitation is 128GB. However, if you plan on running multiple OSes (I run Win98SE, XP Pro, and Red Hat 7.2 all on one computer), you're going to need a separate partition for each one.

Finally, if you create a second partition and use it to store all your documents, drivers, downloads, etc, they will not disappear when you format C: for a clean installation.

Remember: clean installs are a pain. If it seems fast or easy, you're probably doing it wrong.

 

[SemperFi]

Originally posted by: PrinceXizor
Thanks for the input...my number one step is using poor nomenclature....backup HD meant...a clean install (from CD) and then use that ghosted HD to restore from (basically, exactly what you said, I just stated poorly)...

a few questions...partitions, what are they good for? Is this just an issue with like 20GB max recognizable HD size or something...
and after which step in your list would you ghost your harddrive to a back-up?

I use partitions for seperating info for one. I also like to keep my partition with the os less than 20 gig. Mainly because it takes so long to defrag it. Although I don't know if I will keep this arrangement upon my next upgrade. Since I started leaving my system on 24/7 I just schedule norton to defrag my drives at night. Also the max recognizable hd has 2 different issues. one is with windows, if I remember correctly all but the b version of 95 had a 32 gig limit and setting partitions will get you around this. The other is the controller itself can be an issue with a large hd. Partitioning will not solve this problem.