Your clean install

[nadirshakur]

Obviously a lot of us have images but assuming we dont this is what i do
Once i assemble all the hardware I do the following:

1.) install windows
2.) take image
3.) install drivers
4.) take image
5.) install firewall, antivirus, antispyware, (zonealarm, kaspersky, etrust pest patrol) and turn autoupdates on
6.) update windows using autopatcher
7.) take image
8.) software: MS office, WMP10, Firefox, Mozilla thunderbird, DVD codecs, Nero 7, Java, real player, macromedia flsh, acrobat reader, Ghost, partition magic and konfabulator
9.) take image into DVD's
10.) games, tweaking, overclocking, customizing, software and messing around.

before installing the software i take the images from another bootable drive because i obviously do not have ghost installed

What do u normally do on your clean install, include details.

 

[dBTelos]

In order:

Install hardware
Don't plug internet into computer
Install Windows (or whatever OS)
On another computer burn a CD with all needed drivers
Bring drivers to new computer and install
Plug in Internet and do updates (SP2 first, if needed)
Install Security software(s)
Run scan with all security software in both normal & safe mode (just to be safe)
Install my everyday programs (FF, TB, MusikCube, etc.)
Tweak Services, start up apps, just get windows running better

If I do images then I take it after the last step.

 

[xit2nowhere]

go to abxzone.com and look for steve-o installation guide.
It's very helpful.

 

[pkme2]

Some of these procedures can be tweaked by checking these links.
http://www.mechbgon.com/build/index.html
http://sysbuild.corsairmemory.com/report.aspx?id=2.
http://www.pcguide.com/byop/index.htm

Some of these steps can be helpful. Well, you decide.....

 

[jamesbond007]

I don't worry about imaging my personal computer since I format every few years or so. Formatting to fix an issue is 'newbish' IMHO and isn't really 'fixing' the problem.

Anyways, I install the OS, updated/latest drivers, patch Windows, then install my programs. Done!

 

[Noema]

Originally posted by: jamesbond007
I don't worry about imaging my personal computer since I format every few years or so. Formatting to fix an issue is 'newbish' IMHO and isn't really 'fixing' the problem.

Agreed. It's been over 15 months since I last reformatted and I have no intention of doing it again, unless it's absolutely necessary.

mechBgon's guide looks pretty solid, though. I wouldn't plug the fresh intall of Windows to the net until every critical security update was in place and Firefox ready to be run.

 

[PorscheMaD911]

My install steps:
- Install Debian Sarge (base system only)
- apt-get kernel-image-2.6.8-3-686 kernel-headers-2.6.8-3-686
- apt-get alsa-base, then alsaconf, then alsamixer, then alsactl store
- apt-get x-window-system-core
- apt-get install xfce4
- apt-get remove --purge xffm4 xffm4-icons
- sh /home/john/Downloads/Drivers/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8756-pkg1.run
- quick reboot, login as user and run startx to check it all
- Clean up taskbar
- create icons, symlinks in /usr/local/bin, etc to apps in ~/Programs/, firefox, azureus, thunderbird, realplayer, jdk, jedit etc
- set up new browser plugins (should be saved in ~/.mozilla/plugins from last install)
- add Christian Marillat's repository for Sarge
- apt-get install xmms xmms-flac streamtuner dosbox openoffice.org graveman gimp gqview gaim xfe libsdl1.2debian-alsa mplayer-386 gsfonts-x11 unzip gtkam deborphan
- create icons etc
- test it all, and add in any little tweaks! Play some music in xmms, video in mplayer, watch some realplayer news bulletins, listen to some radio, play some old DOS games, do a little internet banking, chat with friends, update my budget, change wallpaper, theme

So there we have it, a clean, fast, stable desktop with all productivity, multimedia and internet stuff in a tad over 800 megs. Of course I could get rid of the kernel-headers now that I'm done with them, and I usually weed out a few things with deborphan to get rid of.

 

[Nothinman]

1) Backup one of my current Debian sid systems
2) Restore that backup
3) Recreate the initrd to load the correct hardware to boot or install a new kernel image
4) Update and use the machine.

 

[xtknight]

I'd probably stick in a Linux Live DVD and enjoy the system I just built for a day, then let that 'install' thing go over night.

After the "minimal" install...

[*]Sound, mouse, network, IDE drivers generally already intact, so I install nvidia GLX drivers.
[*]Install streamtuner/xmms so I can listen to shoutcast/mp3s.
[*]Install all development packages so I can compile programs.
[*]Download system updates.
[*]Install Adobe Reader, Macromedia Flash, and multimedia apps/codecs.
[*]Install games.

In Windows,

[*]Install XP Pro SP2.
[*]Install network drivers.
[*]Make sure I'm behind the router's NAT so I don't get Blaster or Sasser.
[*]Install video drivers.
[*]Install sound drivers.
[*]Install mouse drivers.
[*]Install chipset drivers.
[*]Install Opera.
[*]Disable all the BS (hide system files, ...) <this is easily the most irritating>
[*]Install gaim.
[*]Patch UXtheme and set a decent theme.
[*]Install Winamp.
[*]Install Adobe Reader, Macromedia Flash, and multimedia apps/codecs.
[*]Install games.

 

[Rangoric]

Take out my custom XP Install DVD.
Add the latest Hotfixes and Patches for anything on the DVD.
Burn It.
Install It.

Poof, XP SP2 w/All hotfixes, Nero, DVD Utilities, Codex, Office 2003, VS 2005, Current Drivers for Network Cards and Graphics.

Then I put in my other CD that installs all the other things I use that don't take forever to install, or that I haven't made a silent/unattended install for.

Then I let my Wireless Card connect me by adding in the Security Key to get on my network

www.msfn.org is a good place to go to learn how to make a Windows CD that is prepatched and how to tweak it so you can skip that step at least.

 

[dguy6789]

The next time I format, and perhaps the last time for 5 years will be with Windows Vista.

I usually install Windows, then Windows Updates, then Drivers, then applications, then games.

 

[nadirshakur]

It is understandable that formatting is not fixing. I usually dont formt like i said just restore images. But I tend to mess round A LOT with my test system (playing with system critical files, tweaking, using beta software etc.), thats why i sometimes end up restoring about 6 to 7 times a day on that system. That being said my main system probably hasnt been formatted in 2 years. I think I should have done it sooner, there is no harm in formatting and getting a fresh install assuming you have ur stuff backed up. In fact I think that most of you will agree, its healthy, gives a performance boost most of the time, most of the time simpler than finding a fix if it's an annoying issue and just down right better.

 

[WildHorse]

Say you have Windows XP Pro SP2 on one partition and your applications (Program Files) on a different partition.

If you do decide to reformat & reinstall Windows, is there some way to get the registry keys for all your applications back into Windows registry WITHOUT having to reinstall all the apps?

(assume you don't have any image of a good clean installation to use for the reinstallation)

 

[Nothinman]

In fact I think that most of you will agree, its healthy, gives a performance boost most of the time, most of the time simpler than finding a fix if it's an annoying issue and just down right better.

I wouldn't. If you let your system get to the point where a reinstall will make it perform better you're not taking care of it very well. And if you never figure out how to fix the problem how are you supposed to avoid it in the future? You're just guaranteeing yourself more formats and more work.

If you do decide to reformat & reinstall Windows, is there some way to get the registry keys for all your applications back into Windows registry WITHOUT having to reinstall all the apps?

Not without manually going through and exporting all of the necessary keys.

 

[WildHorse]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

If you do decide to reformat & reinstall Windows, is there some way to get the registry keys for all your applications back into Windows registry WITHOUT having to reinstall all the apps?

Not without manually going through and exporting all of the necessary keys.

Would manually going through and exporting all of the necessary keys be almost impossible to do? I think that's what you mean, but am asking again here just to make really sure I understand it.

Is there some tool or trick that tells you where to place each key into the vast Windows registry?

Or is it basically just impractical & almost impossible, so that you MUST reinstall all the Program Files?

 

[Nothinman]

Is there some tool or trick that tells you where to place each key into the vast Windows registry?

Nope and that's the problem.

Or is it basically just impractical & almost impossible, so that you MUST reinstall all the Program Files?

Pretty much.

 

[dman918]

It really seems like I need to format my rig every 12 months or so. It seems like there are some slowdowns after time (even when using adaware and ccleaner), so I just clean it up the long way. I may do it this week, actually...
My procedure:
1. Install windows
2. Load drivers
3. Load antivirus, spyware stuff
4. Load firefox, nero, etc
5. OC as needed, run adaware.
6. Load games.

 

[welco]

My procedure:

1. Install Windows
2. Install latest DirectX files
3. Defrag
4. Install Audio and Video drivers
5. Defrag
6. Run TweakUI to do all my little tweaks
7. Install software and set up my media folder
8. Defrag
9. Go to bed and enjoy my fresh install the next day

 

[hoorah]

I recommend that people reformat often, but only because it forces you to backup your data, which most people don't do. That way, I don't have to hear "Hey, can you recover my stuff, I downloaded a virus, and then clicked on it, and ran it, and clicked yes, and agreed to the terms. But I didn't know what it was."

 

[Genx87]

Jesus you guys put a lot of effort into your build. Multiple defrags, taking image after every step?

1. Delete or creat boot partition
2. Install OS
3, Install drivers
4. Patch
5. AV + update
6. join Domain
7. Copy old data from old build
8. Install any apps I need

Total time is about 90 mins tops.