Computer ??? reinstalling windows XP

[booster11373]

<p>I have decided to reinstall windows XP, My computer is acting a little weird. I have all ready backed up my data, MP3, pic, docs, etc</p><p>My question is</p><p>What should i do next?</p><p>Should I defrag my harddrive before I reinstall?</p><p>Is there anything that I can do to make the process worry free?</p><p>Any tips?</p><p>For some reason this makes me very nervous, </p><p>Thanks in advance</p>

[HBox]

If you are completely sure that you have backed up everything you want to keep, just put the Windows CD in the drive and boot up. When you get to the XP install screen, it'll eventually ask you if you want to reinstall, repair or install a fresh new copy of Windows. Select install a new copy. And then when you select what drive or partition you want to install it on, just make sure you format it before installing. That will erase everything and give you a fresh start.<br />

[MadMatt]

<p>Actually, you won't even need to reformat.&nbsp; When boot from the XP CD, just delete the existing partitions -&nbsp;whatever is there.&nbsp; Create&nbsp;a new partition for windows and&nbsp;make it 4MB in size (type 4000 in, since it doesn't actually ask for the size in MB).&nbsp; You can add any other partitions you want/need from the Management Console after the OS is installed.</p><p><strong>Its the best way to go,</strong> as long as <em>EVERYTHING</em> you want is backed up - including programs - you will lose whatever you haven't saved and can never get it back.&nbsp; The whole process will wipe out everything that was there and allow for a fresh, new install - worry free.&nbsp; Defrag would be redundant, since everything is gone.&nbsp; </p><p>Good Luck!&nbsp;&nbsp; <img src="http://www.ronfez.net/messageboard/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/bye.gif" border="0" /></p>

<span class=post_edited>This message was edited by MadMatt on 3-7-06 @ 9:22 PM</span>

[PapaBear]

When you're done, your comp will seem like it's 10 times faster. It will make you feel all giddy.

[Bill From Yorktown]

<p>make sure your copy of XP is legit (and you have the cd key) and have ALL the software and software keys for all the s/w you are reinstalling.&nbsp; Oh and prepare to lose a couple hours of your life putting everything back on (other software takes time after the xp install).</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>good luck</p>

[Death Metal Moe]

<strong>PapaBear</strong> wrote:<br />When you're done, your comp will seem like it's 10 times faster. It will make you feel all giddy. <p>Until you start loading shit on there again.&nbsp; When you 1st reboot after the install, there's next to nothing running in the background so it will be really fast, sure.</p><p>Load AIM, Antivirus and a few bullshit apps and you're gonna slow way down.&nbsp; My advice, take a CLOSE look at what you had on your comp before you reinstall everything just the way it was.&nbsp; Think about some of the crap you had in there that could have possibly dropped spyware and other shit that slowed you down in the 1st place.&nbsp; Then things you do need, make sure you set your prefrences to not have them autoload on start up and to not run in the background if you have a slower processor.</p>

[INFOSTUD]

It's more time consuming--but I always reformat the hard drive during a re-install of the operating system.&nbsp; This guarantees that anything that might have been screwing up the PC is gone.<br />

[Death Metal Moe]

I'd also run a Scandisk before I reformatted to make sure your problem isn't errors on the hard drive surface itself.&nbsp; If there's problems there, I think that they can be permanent errors&nbsp;that can't be fixed and reinstalling will run into problems anyway.

[fezident]

<p>Are there some viruses that will remain even after a reformat/reinstall?&nbsp; Aren't there subfolders or subsystems or whatever they're called that are still there?</p><p>Is there a guaranteed way of removing all the hidden shit too or, is that what reformatting is for?</p>

[Death Metal Moe]

<p>Pretty sure that's what reformatting is for. A clean wiping of your hard drive so to speak.</p><p>But that what makes me think you sould to a scan disk 1st.&nbsp; If the hard drive surface has an error that can't be fixed, it will just always be there, giving your errors.&nbsp; I'd rather know I need to go get a new hard drive than reinstall Windows every few weeks trying to figure out the problem.</p>

[furie]

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y178/furie1335/pics/logo_apple.jpg

[Clutch]

You should try running a full virus scan and ad-ware scan (AdAware) within safe mode before reformatting.....<br />

[SinA]

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Unless you really trust your anti-virus, you should really use Firefox or something other than&nbsp;IE.&nbsp; Especially if you're going to visit porn-sites.&nbsp; </p><p>Which you are.</p>