questions about reformatting XP

[delussional77]

Hey everyone. I'm giving serious consideration to finally reformatting my computer. I am running Windows XP (not sure if it's pro or home, but i have copies of both, ...thanks to $5 disks at college). Anyway, i've been putting it off for a very long time because i'm not sure of what i will or will not be missing when i start it back. I plan on taking all of my important stuff (like documents, excel, photoshops, pictures, music, and movies) and putting them on my 2nd hard drive (which i will then remove when reformatting). But there are certain things i'm not sure what to expect. For instance, installing my sound card with a PITA...had so many driver issues, and finding the right one took quite some time. Will i lose all my drivers? Have to find them and reinstall? If so, is there anyway to save the drivers i'm using so i don't have to search for them?

Also, the main reason i'm doing this is that i have a massive slow-up on my computer, nothing seems to be helping. It constantly freezes, and it never used to. I want to eliminate most of the programs i have on my comp. I have a ton and really only use like 15. Is there anyway to save these programs specifically. I have stuff such as photoshop and AIM+, but i also have important school programs (like my Electrical Engineering CAD programs). Reinstalling these really isn't an option, It would take alot of work to get these disks back from the school and to get liscences. What a headache.

Lastly, firefox. My life practically revolves around this thing. It has all of my important bookmarks, extensions, and saved passwords. Can i move the entire Mozilla folder onto the spare harddrive and expect good results?

Thanks for aswering all of my questions, i really appreciate any help that can be given to me. Thanks again!

 

[JayMassive]

basically all i would do is back up everything. keep a folder on the other hd for drivers, and another for installers, so you can re-install the programs you want to keep. i've had to format a few times, and after my buddy introduced me to the system of storing all installers, drivers, etc in separate folders in easily reachable places, I haven't had any problems after installs. That's my story, whether it helps you or not. :~]

j'son

 

[delussional77]

thanks, i'm going through now and trying to find all the drivers i will need. When you say "store a driver", do you mean that i can take all of my existing drivers that are already on my comp and place them into a folder? Or will ineed to find them online and then save them. Like can i extract drivers that are already installed on my comp? thanks.

 

[montag451]

online.

Get them online.

 

[delussional77]

I don't know if this question is answerable, but typically what things need drivers?

Printer
Wireless Keyboard/Mouse
DVD Rom (came with computer)
CD-RW (came with computer)
NVidia Graphics card (aftermarket)
NIC
Modem?
Pair of Hard Drives
Digital Camera


i don't know if you can tell me which ones i'll probably need and which ones i won't. It's from an HP Pavillion 762n. I checked out HP's site and there weren't many drivers that seemed necessary. Just trying to make sure i have all of my bases covered. Thanks.

 

[Treyshadow]

Everything that your computer sees from the motherboard, sound card, video card, monitor etc.. need drivers.

However many of them are built into windows, and since you are using windows XP, there are more built in than say windows 2000.

Things you will initially need drivers for to get everything back to status quo depend on the chipset of your computer, video card, and many other modifiable options. The basics you will require are:

Motherboard Chipset drivers (Intel 865, Via 4in1...) dependent on the manufacturer
NIC Drivers otherwise you can't get to the net to get any newer drivers you may want/need. Also if your hard drives are SATA, you will need that driver on a floppy so windows can "see" the drive to install.

With those 2 in hand you can get everything else in the machine working. You can get your Digital camera, graphics card drivers, and printer functional. The chipset will handle the CDRW, harddrives, and maybe even your nic driver dependent on the chipset and motherboard manufacturer.

Remember if you have your chipset driver, and NIC drivers you are golden.

 

[delussional77]

how do i find out my chipset, and from there do i just go the right website and download the correct chipset drivers?

 

[delussional77]

still looking for info on how to find my chipset and where to get the chipset driver. Thanks.

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: delussional77
still looking for info on how to find my chipset and where to get the chipset driver. Thanks.

Post your full specs (fictional example below). If it's a Happy Meal? computer (pre-built HP/Dell/Gateway/whatever) then post the brand & model.

If you're planning to reinstall, here are some security suggestions to keep your vulnerable "raw" WinXP installation out of trouble: link.

And here's what I'd call "detailed specs," try to give at least the brands/models of the motherboard and cards for your system:

• CORE HARDWARE
  • Power supply Antec TruePower 430
  • Motherboard Asus K8N-E Deluxe
    • Revision 1.03
    • BIOS 1005
  • CPU Athlon64 3000+
    • Core 130nm Clawhammer
  • Memory (2) 512MB Corsair XMS 3200C2 modules
    • Voltage Manually set to 2.7 volts
    • Timings AUTO, results in 2-3-2-6 @ 200MHz
• CARDS
  • Primary video card ATI Radeon 9800Pro AGP 8x
  • PCI slot #1 (top) empty
  • PCI slot #2 empty
  • PCI slot #3 LeadTek Winfast TV/FM tuner card
  • PCI slot #4 Creative Audigy 2 ZS
  • PCI slot #5 LSI Logic Ultra160 SCSI
  • PCI slot #6 (board only has five PCI slots)
• DRIVES
  • Boot drive 160GB Seagate 7200.7
    • Interface Serial ATA
    • Controller hosting this drive nForce3 SATA controller
    • Jumper setting not applicable (SATA)
  • Additional hard drive 40GB Seagate 7200.7
    • Interface Parallel ATA
    • Controller hosting this drive nForce3 standard ATA controller, primary channel
    • Jumper setting Master
  • Additional hard drive 18GB Seagate Cheetah 15k.3
    • Interface SCSI
    • Controller hosting this drive LSI Logic U160 card
    • Jumper setting SCSI ID 01
  • Optical drive #1 NEC 3500A DVD burner
    • Interface Parallel ATA
    • Controller hosting this drive nForce3 standard ATA controller, secondary channel
    • Jumper setting Master
  • Optical drive #2 Lite-On combo DVD-ROM/CD-RW
    • Interface Parallel ATA
    • Controller hosting this drive nForce3 standard ATA controller, secondary channel
    • Jumper setting Slave
• OS AND SECURITY
  • Operating System WindowsXP Professional
  • Service Pack SP2
  • Internet connection Cable
  • Hardware firewall Netgear RP614 router
  • Software firewall WindowsXP firewall
  • Antivirus Norton Antivirus 2004

 

[delussional77]

mechBgon, I must admit i'm not very computer literate. I was having a hard time finding the exact stuff you located, so i went into my Computer Management>Device Manager and started looking around. I found alot of things to be controlled by INTEL 828*** (such as my processor, system devices, and USB info). I went to Intel's website hoping they could shed more light on what i couldn't figure out and i couldn't really even find anything about the Intel 828*** chipsets. Their driver page doesn't even list them. Is this usefull information? If you do need the info you poste above can you explain how i can find it?

Once again, i'm really sorry i'm not very computer literate. Thanks for all the help.

 

[delussional77]

AHA!!! going to HP's website and looking up my computer (762n pavillion) led to me to find that the Chipset is the Intel 845e!!

Here is page 1 i found on HP's site about my system's info

Here is page 2 i found on HP's site about my system's info

the only things i have changed out is i added a 2nd HD (which is where all my backups are going), a new soundcard (which i already have the drivers for), and a new video card (which, as well, i have the drivers for).

So where do i go from here? Do i need to download the Intel 845e chipset drivers?

 

[montag451]

Yes, but make sure they are the right drivers for your OS and situation if they offer a selection of files.