After reinstalling OS, do I need to reinstall all programs?

  • Thread starter Thread starter rocio
  • Start date Start date
R

rocio

I will be doing a re-install of MS2k on a partition of my
hardrive made to hold the OS.

As my hardrive stands now, I also have a different
partition where I have installed some programs. The folder
holding those programs/utilities is called other
than 'Program Files'. My line of thought in doing this
partition was that if at one time I needed to do a clean
isntall of the OS, I wouln't have to reinstall all the
programs again.

But now, after reading some of the postings in the
newsgroup, I'm not so sure it works that way.

My question is... after doing the re-install of the OS, I
guess I will be lossing some important information that is
linked to the programs installed (when the registry is
wiped new), therefore, those programs, untouched in their
own partition, most probably will not operate properly and
there will be a need to reinstall them again anyway.

Am I thinking correctly or not? Could someone there
clarify for me what would be the case... and if there is
something I could do that will allow me to keep my
programs in its own partition and funtioning properly...

Or maybe I should increase (as I do the re-installing of
the OS) the size of that partition to hold in it the
programs as well and forget about the idea of having the
programs in its own partition if there is not an advantage
for that.

In advance... Thanks for your help!

Rocio
 
rocio said:
I will be doing a re-install of MS2k on a partition of my
hardrive made to hold the OS.

As my hardrive stands now, I also have a different
partition where I have installed some programs. The folder
holding those programs/utilities is called other
than 'Program Files'. My line of thought in doing this
partition was that if at one time I needed to do a clean
isntall of the OS, I wouln't have to reinstall all the
programs again.
Click to expand...

<snip>

since the apps generally have entries in the registry
and often within windows itself...if you install windows fresh...
most of the apps will not work...
so you might as well install all your apps on the same partition as windows


you may very well want to keep your *data* on another partition however!
 
philo said:
<snip>

since the apps generally have entries in the registry
and often within windows itself...if you install windows fresh...
most of the apps will not work...
so you might as well install all your apps on the same partition as windows

you may very well want to keep your *data* on another partition however!
Click to expand...

This is of course very true. However it is suprising sometimes what
apps will actually transfer directly to a new installation without
formally installing them. I have a copy of Netscape 4.x (I use it
primarily for the newsreader) which has gone through probably 6 to 8
OS ports simply by copying its directory tree over. Works fine without
problems. Amazing.

The vast, vast majority of apps need re-installing though.
 
You'll need to reinstall the applications. While the directory structure may
still exist there is no registry structure to support the applications,
hence the reason you'll need to reinstall them. As philo said there is no
real advantage to installing the applications to a %programfiles% directory
on another partition. Just make sure your system/boot partition is
sufficient size. Say 10 gB

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
|I will be doing a re-install of MS2k on a partition of my
| hardrive made to hold the OS.
|
| As my hardrive stands now, I also have a different
| partition where I have installed some programs. The folder
| holding those programs/utilities is called other
| than 'Program Files'. My line of thought in doing this
| partition was that if at one time I needed to do a clean
| isntall of the OS, I wouln't have to reinstall all the
| programs again.
|
| But now, after reading some of the postings in the
| newsgroup, I'm not so sure it works that way.
|
| My question is... after doing the re-install of the OS, I
| guess I will be lossing some important information that is
| linked to the programs installed (when the registry is
| wiped new), therefore, those programs, untouched in their
| own partition, most probably will not operate properly and
| there will be a need to reinstall them again anyway.
|
| Am I thinking correctly or not? Could someone there
| clarify for me what would be the case... and if there is
| something I could do that will allow me to keep my
| programs in its own partition and funtioning properly...
|
| Or maybe I should increase (as I do the re-installing of
| the OS) the size of that partition to hold in it the
| programs as well and forget about the idea of having the
| programs in its own partition if there is not an advantage
| for that.
|
| In advance... Thanks for your help!
|
| Rocio
|
 
You have (as I type this) this several conflicting responses about the
need to reinstall apps.

In my experience (moving over the years from DOS and OS/2 and Win3
through NTs and W2k)some need reinstalling, some don't.

Without getting into why, one sure way to find out which need
reinstalling is, after installing the new OS, going to the directories
of the apps that remain and doubleclicking (starting) the principal or
"main" file, usually an EXE. Some apps may come up completely functional
as before, some may fail fully or partially. You won't damage anything
by using this pragmatic approach.

If you can't identify the main file, just reinstall the app and the sys
will create the icon(s) you're used to having. For the others that don't
need reinstalling you can create those icons yourself easily.
 
Thanks ALL you for sharing your knowledge, the sum of your
responses give me a very clear direction.
Thanks again and have a good weekend! :)
Rocio
 
This is of course very true. However it is suprising sometimes what
apps will actually transfer directly to a new installation without
formally installing them. I have a copy of Netscape 4.x (I use it
primarily for the newsreader) which has gone through probably 6 to 8
OS ports simply by copying its directory tree over. Works fine without
problems. Amazing.

The vast, vast majority of apps need re-installing though.
Click to expand...

yes...Netscape is one that will work...though i think you need to create a
new profile...
 
philo said:
yes...Netscape is one that will work...though i think you need to create a
new profile...
Click to expand...

Yes, you do as I recall ... but your previous profile is retained as
part of the Netscape directory tree and if you name the new profile
the same as the old one, Netscape will detect the old one and offer to
use it.
 
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