• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

How do you guys deal with formatting?

P

piku

Diamond Member
I read every once in a while that some of you guys do complete reinstalls of your OS's like once a month, and I wonder, HOW? 😀

How can you deal with re-installing every single little program, and going through the updates again, and all that good stuff? I want to get Windows 2000 very much right now, but the trouble of going through again and installing everything is going to be a pain in the ass.

All I've read is that you should do a fresh Windows 2000 install... is this true? Or is installing over 98 alright?
 
From what I've read and heard, a fresh format and install of W2K is the best way to go. Personally, I upgraded from W98 to 2000. I had no problems for months, other than a few small irrelevant quirks (some SB Live software incompatabilites) which I didn't mind, but then my profile would somehow become corrupted. I would have to log off and log back in to get my settings the way it used to. This was really annoying so I just decided to recently reformat and start over from scratch.

Hopefully (fingers crossed🙂) I will not run into that problem again. As far as the updates and programs...well, I'm a tweaker as are many of the people on this board. I frequently install different programs and updates so it's pretty much part of the norm for me. Anyways, I'm not sure if the profile corruption had anything to do with the upgrade, but I'm just letting you know my experience. Good luck.
 
I use a program called Drive Image Pro... After I setup my system just the way I want it I Image the drive's and save them to a CD-RW.. Takes 9 minutes to reinstall everything..
 
Not sure what you have heard from everyone.. but someone who really knows what he/she doing shouldn't have to constantly reinstall their OS. I have had my Win2k install since it came out. Reinstall is just the lazyman's way of solving hard to solve problems with OS'es.

-=kt
 
kt, that may be true, but sometimes we want to overhaul the whole system, so we go for a nice clean install... 🙂
 
I use Norton Ghost. Once I have the system setup the way I want I burn an image to CD and if I want to go with a clean install it takes about 15 min to do it. I have several images burnt, one with just the OS, updates, and patches and one with the OS and programs that I use.
 
it sucks to format... but, i usually just back up everything i can, pictures, webpages, installs, put it on a cdr, format, reinstall, then i don't have to redownload everything and i'm good to go
 
I've never think of image the drive and burn it, its a pretty good idea, it saves you like 30-40 minutes. But then again haven't format my HD for quite some time now, win2k is just too stable there's no need to format again and again just like I did when I use windows 98.
 
If it's your first time thinking about using programs such as Drive Image or Norton Ghost, make sure you have multiple partitions (one for OS & programs) and another for files. I told this one guy to use Norton Ghost before reformatting, and he wiped out the entire drive which only had one partition (he lost about 2 years worth of e-mails & files). Just wanted to mention about having multiple partitions since it was never brought up (although many have already assumed such condition to be a requirement).
 
Other than Partition Magic, can you suggest a freeware program that be used to partition a hard drive w/o losing all your data?
 
Well the way I have it set up C: is basically all the Windows stuff (including office and things like that) and then D: is pretty much every game and program I install, plus all my files.

Is there a way to install W2K on the C: drive while keeping D: intact, and also keeping the installed programs installed? Like could you merge the registries or something? I don't mind reinstalling office and backing up my favorites folder, but if I have to install again every damn program and game on the D: drive its not worth it 😀
 
How do I deal with formatting?

Well every now and then I have flashbacks, but fortunately I wasnt driving or operating any heavy machinery.
 
I see it this way, Formating may make little sense but theres alot of things about Windows that makes little sense, like having to restart your computer after every little program install. I hate more having to restart the computer than I do Formating, especially when each restart takes like five minutes.
 


<< Drive image Pro or Norton ghost? >>



If you're looking to go the cheapest route available, I'd use this: IC3 Demo

It's pretty much the same program as Drive Image and Norton ghost. But with the demo you have all the functions for 30 days. Free, so you probably can't beat that price elsewhere.

 
Using partition magic is no guarentee that you wont loose your data 🙂

Usually when I format though I just dont format my /home partition and all is well 😉

Ghost and Drive Image pro both should work equally well for you.
 
Things just seems to get clustered and slow down over time....I'm not sure why...I just feel better with a clean install.

But I don't reformat completely. Once upon a time I did a complete reformat and clean install and installed everything.

Then I took a drive image to a different partiton. Then I just restore the image once in a while and it's like a clean install 🙂

Upgrading from Win98 to Win2k I would do a clean install becuase Win98 is a completely different kernel.
 
I used to reinstall 98 quite often, for various reasons. I installed W2K when I bought it last summer and didn't have to to anything until I accidentally deleted the partition a couple of weeks ago (just after I'd deleted my Ghost backups to make room for a drive reorganise). It had been so long I'd actually forgotten how I'd gotten round certain issues the first time.

Put it this way - whenever you format and reinstall, you're gaining experience, no matter how small or trivial it may seem.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top