reinstall issues?

[wonderboy2005]

i plan on reinstalling windows on the family pc since there's a buttload of useless programs on it. the thing is, i want to save some of the programs, and some of them i no longer have the installer for. so i was wondering if it would be of any harm to just copy the programs onto the 2nd drive (not reformatting that one) and then just copying them back once windows is reinstalled?

[Krell]

OK, first, I have longed for the day when I would actually hear you say that !


Secondly, what would be the point of putting all that shit back?

If you REALLY intend on keeping it all then reinstall just the O/S, or Service pack 1, depending on your O/S.

When I want to reinstall, which is more than weekly, I move my DC++ folder etc, to another drive. Then, on the fresh O/S, I reinstall the application, ie: DC++

Then I COPY the files in the OLD DC++ folder, to the NEW DC++ folder.

What do I get? ALL of my file lists, my ques, my HUBS, . . . .

So yes it is practical to do that for programs where you need the old configuration files. And, I think its easier than a backup, but that's your choice. Keep in mind that ALL programs will need to be officially reinstalled to work.


Ontrack System Suites has a feature to move and reinstall apps, but I have not tested it.

[wonderboy2005]

well 90%< of the apps on our PC i dont want anymore. but the rest i do (obviously). the thing is, i dont have the installer for a select few of those apps... maybe 5-10 at most. i know it will work (ive done it before), but will it cause any unforseen issues?

also, i have a bunch of games installed on the 2nd drive. the only thing from those games that will be deleted are the reg values. will that cause any major issues?

Keep in mind that ALL programs will need to be officially reinstalled to work.

what do you mean? i will have to copy my entire program files directory for it to work?

[Krell]

N o o o o dragging orphaned files to the C: drive doesnt do anything but take up space. For a software to work in Windows, (99% of the time) it has to be installed.

And thats where a WHOLE LOT of registry entries come in to play. What you can copy, are the data files for these programs.

Best thing is to just do it, and figure it out, as that's better proof than my telling you.

Want to test this theory? Copy one of your programs folders to another drive. Now Uninstall that program. Move the folder BACK to C:\ Program Files. Click on the .exe in that folder . . . does it work? nope

[wonderboy2005]

well thanx for your help krell... not exactly sure when i'll do this, but using this pc is getting down right annoying.... i cant get into most of the control panels, it crashes and reboots out of nowhere, and it does this thing where the processor is working at its max when im doing absolutely nothing and when i give the 3-fingered salute, it says the processor is idle. i guess thats what i get for installing ontop of winME.