pretty sure no, but wand to make sure about reinstall

ok, i'm pretty sure i can't do this, but it wont hurt to ask just in case i'm wrong..
i need to reinstall windows xp on my machine. is there a way to save all "installed programs" information so i can just reload that? or will i still have to reinstall everything?
i have all my programs on my d:/ and only windows and anti virus on my c:/


anywho, thanks,
mai0f

You can back up the installed apps through the reg. It is not very handy though. Since one app may be propagated all over inside the hives. Very tediious to say the least.

One thing I would do though. When you do the reinstall. Set the computer up the way you like it. Then image it. Then you won't have to do as much next time.

Simple example how I do this. I can then have a basic working install the suites me.

Install Windows/activate/drivers/update it.
Tweak it to my needs.
Install (stable) base apps I know I will always have.
Image drive

Finish installing secondary apps I will be using as I have desire. Finish the final setup process local to that install.

Since you do redirects on the programs. It will be much simpler for you in the long run. The image size will also be much smaller. Since many of the files will not actually reside in the image files. Just the information pointing to them. So this might work alright for your particualr style of data managment.

If there is issues. You will cut time down to 20 minutes having a full install. Updates will take time depending how long between. Usually with other apps install. I cna have a full working install in under 90 minutes. Depending how heavy the updates were. I have had it easy and was up and going in under 35 minutes before. That is from unleash re-image to surfing again, fully installed.

It saves time in the long run actually taking the time to setup a proccess that simplifies reinstall. Since you have a partial install going that may fit on one dvd. This is actually easier then doing a full and effective install disc remastering.

maiof said:

ok, i'm pretty sure i can't do this, but it wont hurt to ask just in case i'm wrong..
i need to reinstall windows xp on my machine. is there a way to save all "installed programs" information so i can just reload that? or will i still have to reinstall everything?
i have all my programs on my d:/ and only windows and anti virus on my c:/


anywho, thanks,
mai0f

Click to expand...

I wish there was. that is the thing I hate about reinstalling windows. It would make sense to have a prog., to do that, but no can't do it It would be cool if you could do a fresh install of windows without formating the whole drive. Can't you install OS X without formating the whole drive?

Edward78 said:

I wish there was. that is the thing I hate about reinstalling windows. It would make sense to have a prog., to do that, but no can't do it It would be cool if you could do a fresh install of windows without formating the whole drive. Can't you install OS X without formating the whole drive?

Click to expand...

technically, you can't do a fresh install of windows without wiping the partition or drive you install it to, but there are programs that will copy installed applications from one PC to another (copying from one instance of Windows XP to another). you'd need a spare computer though. OS X needs its own partition IIRC, which often means reformatting, or at the very least, resizing partitions.

You can do a fresh install of Windows. It is called a repair install. Which reverts the Windows OS files to stock, but leaves installed programs alone. For the most part anyways.

It is easier to just image after you get it all set up and going. I tried all the tricks and the repair install is usually good for file corruptions and you messed up in minor ways.. Not the best for reg issues and deep problems like major slow ups and sluggishness. It startts as a stock copy of windows, just as if you did a full install sort of.

Enablingwolf said:

You can do a fresh install of Windows. It is called a repair install. Which reverts the Windows OS files to stock, but leaves installed programs alone. For the most part anyways.

It is easier to just image after you get it all set up and going. I tried all the tricks and the repair install is usually good for file corruptions and you messed up in minor ways.. Not the best for reg issues and deep problems like major slow ups and sluggishness. It startts as a stock copy of windows, just as if you did a full install sort of.

Click to expand...

sure, but it's not a "Fresh install", at least I don't consider it to be. a fresh install should leave you with the absolute essentials to have your computer running. the repair fixes windows files and potential boot problems, but all the bloatware and programs you've installed over the years aren't cleaned. hardly "fresh"

And anyways, the odds of being able to do a repair install are somewhat slim. Depending on your problem, you may not even have the option to do a repair install once you pop in the WinXP disc; you'll either have to re-install windows entirely, or abort.

You can always do a repair if you want. Sometimes it just might have to be coaxed along.

Technically, the Windows directory is fresh. Just that some elements of the non-Windows directories might still have issues. (sarcasm)


That is why I suggest reinstall then image the drive. Deploying next time is much much easier and faster. You are not spending a day or two setting the install back up. From hours to minutes is worth the time and cost.

Having a base install with the applications that you know for sure you use and want. Motherboard drivers and base updates are also easy to have ready to go. It will greatly improve reinstalling the system. Like defrag software and other honestly handy tools. Games and such are highly optional. Since, like mysefl, I do not consider a game as essential. Some might though. So applying what you want prior to imaging will leave you with something that is more desirable then a blank slate of a Windows install.

Most imaging software can archinve to a drive or disc. So you have a few options. If you get hosed and need or are forced to reload. You know what to epxect and how long your going to be taking. Some imaging software allows to to do partial imaging updating selected parts of the install. Which speeds things up even more.

For example, If I was to relaod right now. I know I would be back in 40 minutes, tops. Posting and ready to do whatever I have to do. Even if it is benchining. Yes, I do have a bench image too. It is just the minimal to get a banch enviroment going and ready for showing off my aging machine. Once done, I can revert back to prior to the profile for benching was used. Though, I rarley bench anymore or care to.

It is just an example of how using imaging can greatly improve the reinstall proccess. you can just keep a nice speedy install going, and if goes nuts. It is actually faster to just reload instead of fiddling with wondering what went wrong (sometimes,) and how to fix the issue. Actuall true installs are much further and fewer in between using imaging techniques.

Edit: Another benfit of imaging. It helps out what I call 'the nosey user'. What I mean by this. The user who checks out many programs regularly. "Hmm lets see what this application is"
If you find out after a bit, something screwed you. Just reload, not reinstall. It is like restore on 'roids.