Re-Installing Windows.

[tofumonster]

Ok. I'm facing a few errors on my computer and i've chosen to re-install windows. Since i already have windows installed, if i put the windows XP Professional CD in, and then click "install windows", everything pertaining to the OS should be wiped clean yes?

or no? o.0?

 

[jonmcc33]

Boot to the CD. Erase the partition. Then re-install. Everything will be wiped clean.

 

[mechBgon]

If your intention is a complete clean install, you could take one extra step: start Windows Setup from the CD, and when it shows the partitions on your hard drive, delete all partitions and then exit from Windows Setup (press F3 twice). Now start again, creating a partition and formatting it NTFS. This is one way to prevent your boot-up from having an unwelcome screen showing two WindowsXPs to choose from (one of which is the ghost of your previous install).

Deleting partitions obviously erases all the stuff on them, so naturally you want to back up your stuff and verify that it's intact first.

If I'm misunderstanding, and you're planning a repair installation over the top of your existing Windows XP, here's Microsoft's info on how to do a repair installation, if that helps: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341/ I'd prefer to do a full installation myself.

 

[tofumonster]

Ok. so i have my back'd-up information, and my goal is to have my previous misc files (like game files) yet have my OS brand, spanking new.

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: tofumonster
Ok. so i have my back'd-up information, and my goal is to have my previous misc files (like game files) yet have my OS brand, spanking new.

Sounds like you want a repair-install, then. What Service Pack level does your WinXP CD-ROM have on it (none, SP1, SP2)?

 

[tofumonster]

Originally posted by: mechBgon

Originally posted by: tofumonster
Ok. so i have my back'd-up information, and my goal is to have my previous misc files (like game files) yet have my OS brand, spanking new.

Sounds like you want a repair-install, then. What Service Pack level does your WinXP CD-ROM have on it (none, SP1, SP2)?

where should i look for the SP?

gahahah what a noob question.

 

[tofumonster]

lol. nevermind its SP2

 

[mechBgon]

Super, go for it then. It could be worth running the Files And Settings Transfer Wizard to archive your user profile as a bail-out option (Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools) in case things don't go well.

 

[tofumonster]

haha. ok. i'm taking this whole thing in a new direction.

like i've said, i already backed up both my drives. now i'm going to do a full, clean, installation. (i'm going to re-format my drives)

I've also just copied my word documents and CoD4 save files (from Program Files etc.) onto a USB Key and my Western Digital external drive.

so now I'm going to re-format... oh boy.

 

[tofumonster]

how do i boot from the CD?

 

[Ol Bob]

In Bios , set your cd as first boot device.

 

[tofumonster]

thanks a lot guys.