Help me prepare before a Windows reinstall

Hen_Dawg

Hen_Dawg

Hen_Dawg

Soldato
Joined
3 Dec 2006
Posts
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Location
Brisbane, Australia
Hi,

After probably my longest ever run of a Windows install (18+ months) it's time for me to reinstall XP pro.
As it's been there so long i've got a large amount of programmes installed and them all set up in certain ways. I'm wondering if there's a handy tool that will save all the names etc. of them and any other time saving help that's possible. Otherwise I'll know I'll be stuck searching the net for some prog I used twice in 2007 but was very handy at the time. :D

I've also got all my games, including Steam content on another HD so I'm guessing they will all need to be reinstalled with Windows? Steam has a backup tool but will that be of use to me?

My previous way of doing it was to simply copy over any required files on my C: drive, backup my Firefox and... well that was about it :)

Thanks
 
I normally just printscreen my start menu so I can refer to it later when I want to reinstall stuff I may need. As for Steam you just need to keep the "steamapps" folder that contains all of the large GCF files safe. You can use the backup tool but the backup process takes hours as does the restore, it's way easier to just install a new copy of steam into the existing copy and it will pick up everything.

A few other things you may want to backup:
  • Favourites
  • Documents
  • Email (if using a client such as thunderbird or windows live mail)
  • IM logs/received files
  • Saved games
  • Application specific data (such as UI config files)

I usually create a folder with all of the installs for my downloaded apps and device drivers before I reinstall, that way I am ready to get it up an running.
 
Thanks. Good to know about Steam. Normal game installs I'd have to do reinstall then? Print screening my start menu is a good idea or maybe my add/remove progs list
 
Normal games can vary because they hook into the registry and other places, I find it best to reinstall them. Steam seems to cope fine though.
 
Most games work fine after a reformat if they are on a different drive.

Anyway, apart from what is listed I would also:

Save any FF passwords (if you have any)
Type %appdata% in Run to backup any program settings
Download your latest drivers

Don't think there is much else.. apart from the obvious work/data you need.
 
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