Reformatting questions please help!

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Eyes84

Hi, I'm new here... for almost a year I've been having issues with my
computer .It hasn't been the same since I downloaded the microsoft
service pack, some of my programs aren't working and my computer has
been crashing like crazy! So I am ready to reformat, now the question
is after I reformat my computer will my programs work like normal??
Will everything work like I just bought the computer??? How is the out
come after refomatting a computer???
 
Eyes84 said:
Hi, I'm new here... for almost a year I've been having issues with my
computer .It hasn't been the same since I downloaded the microsoft
service pack, some of my programs aren't working and my computer has
been crashing like crazy! So I am ready to reformat, now the question
is after I reformat my computer will my programs work like normal??
Will everything work like I just bought the computer??? How is the out
come after refomatting a computer???
Click to expand...

After formatting, a drive is blank. You must then reinstall *everything*.
Make a complete backup first and verify that you can read the backed-up
data.

Use the XP CD to do a clean install, starting with formatting the drive.
Once setup is complete, install the basic drivers for the system: chipset,
video, network card, modem, sound. Create your basic accounts. Then
install XP service packs. Once all the updates are in place and the system
is functioning properly, install your software. Install all updates for
the software, and verify that they work. Then restore your data.

Some systems come with restore disks that return the system to a
factory-shipped state. Some modes may save data, others won't, so again,
make backups and verify that the backups work.

HTH
-pk
 
There are three ways you can proceed here.

Your computer likely shipped with a set of recovery CDs or a special
recovery partition. If you use either of these, your hard disk will be
erased and the software that was on your computer when it was delivered
to you will be reinstalled. You will lose everything that you have not
backed up, and you will have to update your software all over again and
set it up to work the way you like all over again. This method will
solve all your software problems, but will do nothing to help faulty
hardware.

Another way to go would be a repair install of Windows XP. In this
method, you reinstall Windows over itself. You'll need a Windows
installation CD to do this. Your recovery CDs or partition may allow you
to do this, but my understanding is they were not designed for this. If
the problems you are experiencing are caused by damage to your copy of
Windows, a repair install will usually fix it. OTOH, if your problems
are caused by your other programs, your hardware, or malware, a repair
install won't make any difference.

The third method is a clean install. In a clean install you erase your
computer and reinstall all your software on your own. You'll need
installation CDs for all your software.

There is a fourth method which doesn't apply in your case. That's where
you restore your computer from a known good backup. It takes only
minutes and there's usually nothing more to setup or update.

Keep in mind that reinstalling software never solves a problem with
hardware.
 
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