GameBanshee Forums

Originally posted by Mr Sleep
I reformat on a regular basis and it really helps speed and the effectiveness of Windows as a whole. There are a lot of complicated intricacies to backing up all of your settings. Like favourites folders, internet settings, Email...the list goes on.

You might be able to rent a CD Writer and then back up all the data?

I have a CD Writer..(At least I do if I can find my cousin..NEVER lend your stuff out).

Here is a list of things I plan on saving..(Burning)

Adware Exe.
Drivers for video card.
Gateway_Up_date exe.
ICQ Exe.
Internet Explorer 6 (setup)
SoundBlaster Drivers.
Shockwave Player.
Winamp Exe.
Window Media Player Exe.
Winzip Exe.
WebWasher Exe.
ZoneAlarm Exe.

My Favorites (Web links)


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All my addresses are saved at netscape, so I need not worry about saving them.

All my different login names and passwords to sites are saved to a floppy disk.

My settings I will redo once I reformat.

All my games can be deleted, I will reload the ones I want to play.

I'm the only person on the internet who doesn't download music and keep it ..no music to save.

*******

Anything I might have missed?

I have too much work at the moment, i will try come up with some info later

Here's something that no one seems to do that should achieve the same results: Depending on how much hard drive space you have left, simply rename the "C:\WINDOWS" and "C:\PROGRAM FILES" directories to something else, delete or rename "C:\WINDOWS\WIN.COM" and reload Windows from the CD and make sure it gets installed to "C:\WINDOWS" (which should by now not exist). That way you get a new copy of windows with a new registry, but can keep all the files on the HDD. The only files that you need to keep in the root directory are the basic MS-DOS boot files (ie. msdos.sys, io.sys and command.com).

Note: this only works for Win95/98/ME

@Flibble, good point, something i intended to recommend. On that point why is it when i copy an OS over to another Hard disk does it not auto pick it up requiring a install over-the-top...i will explain more in necessary. Many people see Windows as some magic formula that has been applied by a greatly skilled Warlock; sacrificing many speedo's in his efforts, but really it is just data, there is nothing mystical about it

@Weasel. things to look for are also downloaded patches/programs, i have lost so many of the years that i really wanted; all through mis-management. You seem to have most things covered, what do you use for mail, most programs make it reasnoably easy to recover and store your mail.

I would also recommend backing up that disk about 3 times onto other disks, i just don't trust the media

Originally posted by Mr Sleep
why is it when i copy an OS over to another Hard disk does it not auto pick it up requiring a install over-the-top...i will explain more in necessary.

I assume you mean transferring the OS to another disk in the same system and then performing a clean install on the original disk? In this instance it's due to the win.com file being moved to another volume. The windows installer looks at the DOS boot files for the volume containing win.com and uses that as a reference as to whether it is performing an 'in-place' upgrade or a clean install. If that file isn't on the disk then the installer assumes it's doing a clean install. Thanks to this you can easily trick the installer into doing a clean install even if the OS is already in place. Go Microsoft

Originally posted by Mr Flibble
I assume you mean transferring the OS to another disk in the same system and then performing a clean install on the original disk? In this instance it's due to the win.com file being moved to another volume. The windows installer looks at the DOS boot files for the volume containing win.com and uses that as a reference as to whether it is performing an 'in-place' upgrade or a clean install. If that file isn't on the disk then the installer assumes it's doing a clean install. Thanks to this you can easily trick the installer into doing a clean install even if the OS is already in place. Go Microsoft

Sort of, what i meant is that one transfers over an entire OS including hidden files and program files and my documents to another hard disk that is set as slave. When one them makes that disk the master removing the other from the equation it doesn't automatically pick the OS up, i couldn't figure out why.

Originally posted by Mr Sleep


Sort of, what i meant is that one transfers over an entire OS including hidden files and program files and my documents to another hard disk that is set as slave. When one them makes that disk the master removing the other from the equation it doesn't automatically pick the OS up, i couldn't figure out why.

The problem there is that the MS-DOS boot files don't get written to the first sector of the disk. If you copy them using the sys command it should work.

Well I spent tonight talking to a rep from Gateway..(Nice person too)

He told me how to go about reformatting a Gateway computer..(This is not to make this person look bad..)

After taking down what kind..model..computer I had he tells me it will take any where from 1 and half to 6 hours to reformat..depending on how big my hard drive is...(which I figured he would know this..being as he had my specs pulled up) and how fast my cd rom is..(Back to the specs)

He also informed me..I have lifetime support. (Something I didn't know )

My hardware warrenty goes out..next April. (Also something I didn't know)

I will give their support line a 9 out of 10. Very good service.


After talking to him for about 10 minutes, I realized this is out of my league. The first 5 minutes being the hardest part.

Typing in DOS.

5 Command lines have to be typed to start the process. C/something.... but once your past this, it seems to be easy.

So I told him it being late, and I have to work tomorrow, I would call back later when I had time. He was nice enough to give me a service number to pick right back up at where we left off. Great service.

Now for my cable internet..called them as well. Seems the stuff the installers put in my computer...75% is not used by the ISP any more...meaning I only need the drivers for the ethernet adapter..which I have. One problem solved.

Gateway....I believe will wait till the weekend.

Originally posted by Weasel
Typing in DOS.

5 Command lines have to be typed to start the process. C/something.... but once your past this, it seems to be easy.

I assume this is just to format the current config, you aren't repartitioning or anything like that?

If that is the case then all you need is the following process, there are many different ways but i use the following one at the moment, i am sure Flibble has a better method but this is the basics.

Get a startup disk made in windows, boot from A:\(switch the main boot device in BIOS) - select the option start the computer without CD support. The Command prompt will appear (after a little loading) with A:\> now all you need to do is type format c: Answer Y at the command prompt and you will eventually have a clean hard disk.

The format command may also be on ramdrive i can't remember, i would have to check...

There are subsequent commands with a format that can determine exactly what it does, such as /h which clears hidden files, i can't recall most of them though. I once did a format re installed the os and still had a partial copy of Creative Playcentre on there...to say the least they aren't always thorough.

The only problem with my method is the creation of Ramdrive...but that is something different and if one restarts it should remove that anyway...any questions

@Flibble, i kind of figured it was something like that, i will endeavour to find out, there isn't really any problem with just installing the OS back over the top unless we are pushed for time. Cheers

The fastest method for clearing a hard disk is: format c: /q /s

That runs the format command with instructions to only erase files and then recreate the DOS boot files. That way you get a nice clean disk in about 20 seconds that is already bootable. You can even do this from the original hard disk, so you don't really need a bootable floppy disk.

Originally posted by Mr Flibble
The fastest method for clearing a hard disk is: format c: /q /s

That runs the format command with instructions to only erase files and then recreate the DOS boot files. That way you get a nice clean disk in about 20 seconds that is already bootable. You can even do this from the original hard disk, so you don't really need a bootable floppy disk.

For Weasel: hold Ctrl down just after the Hard disk/memory check screen appears, this should give you access to the boot menu from which to select Command Prompt.

Originally posted by Mr Sleep


For Weasel: hold Ctrl down just after the Hard disk/memory check screen appears, this should give you access to the boot menu from which to select Command Prompt.

Forgot that bit. oops.

Thanks for all the advice.

As of this moment...It is done (And I'm back on line )

11.00 pm to 3.00 am (This includes loading all drivers back up...but not updating from MS yet.)

The worst part...waiting a hour and a half to write zero's to the hard drive. (I wrote down everything so I could do it again..without help)

A couple of questions since I did this..

1.If I had two hard drives would I have to reformat both? (Meaning if I had two HD would I have to put windows on both?)

2. Would I have to buy two copies of Windows?

Originally posted by Weasel

A couple of questions since I did this..

1.If I had two hard drives would I have to reformat both? (Meaning if I had two HD would I have to put windows on both?)

2. Would I have to buy two copies of Windows?

1)Assuming you have 2 disk on the same comp you would only had to reformat the one with windows on it. You only need to have one operating system on one of the hard disks, windows are able to detect any other hard disk on your comp (in most cases) even if it has no windows on it. Usually a second disk is used for backing up/storing data or installing a different OS on it.

Originally posted by Weasel
2. Would I have to buy two copies of Windows?

According to Microsoft licensing (in NZ at least) you may only install windows on to one computer at any one time. However, that does not mean you can only istall one copy of it. Some people I deal with even have a couple of copies installed for various purposes. As long as they're on the same computer you are actually allowed to install as many copies as you like.

I'm thinking of getting another hard drive....and was just wondering.

Everything is now loaded back up...all updated as well. But how do you force a computer to save your settings? Every time I reboot/restart the computer I have to set my color and turn off the volume control...(I have applied the *no volume on task bar* and *apply this color at start up* but the computer doesn't save these options on a restart.