Computer wizards inside please.

[RC45]

Originally Posted by Nemisis8u Originally Posted by RC45 How much RAM does your system have? I have 256 rambus, I think. It just easier for me to format it becasue some of the software that I want to use does not work any more, dont ask me why, but it worked before. I already tried reinstalling it but just got more errors. Basically my computer is slowly going to shit.

Last time I am offering free consulting...

Upgrade to 512mb at least. Don't argue - just do it...

Now - I am typing really slowly right now so you can keep up ----

There is no need to "reformat" - which would result in you losing all your data just to "fix the slow system"...

Simply install a fresh copy og Windows/Windows NT/ Windows 2000/ WIndows XP (what ever your preferred poison) into a new directory... naming is for example x:\Windows2 or x:\WINNT2 or some such...

Then when you are all done - simply delete the original x:\Windows or x:\WINNT or what ever your ORIGINAL Windows directory was... and then reinstall all your software (at this point I would also recommend that anything you install, goes to a x:\APPS directory and NOT to x:\Program Files)

...and "Hey Presto..." - no lost data...

Some prep work you may want to do is just before you re-install (without reformatting remember) - create a new user account, make it an Administrator - and goto C:\Documents and Settings\ and either save files you may have been dumb enough (again with my friendly bedside manner.. ) to "save" to "My Documents"... for any users you logged on with - and then be sure to delete ALL the locally cached profiles for the rest of the users - that will make sure that after you reinstall and logon on the default users won't inherit all that old HKEY_CURRENT_USER crap...


Because - believe it or not - when some dumba$$ at the computer store recommends you "reformat and reinstall" all they are really trying to accomplish is recreate the user and machine registry hives...

...but if you are hell bent on formatting your hard drive - go ahead... just be sure to NOT back anything up - that way you lose all your data and get proper value for your format...

[Nemisis8u]

Thanks for the help. I will definitely try what you have suggested. The formatting idea has been at the back of my head for a while now its not a new thing I've been delaying it for ever now simply because I don't want to go through the hassle of backing stuff up like e-mail's, music, videos, etc.

[RC45]

Originally Posted by Nemisis8u Thanks for the help. I will definitely try what you have suggested. The formatting idea has been at the back of my head for a while now its not a new thing I've been delaying it for ever now simply because I don't want to go through the hassle of backing stuff up like e-mail's, music, videos, etc.

You are welcome..

I just hate seeing people lose data and go through hell etc just because of urban legends about how to fix things...

Good luck...

[he7lius]

If your going to format your hard disk try and partition it so next time u need to format it u just transfer everything to one of the other partitions and only format C drive.
I have 80Gb into 6 partitions
C: System 10 GB = where i have Windows XP, anti-virus, Firewall
D: Programs 10 GB = all other software, like office, Photoshop, etc
E: Games 20Gb = just for games
F: Music 10 GB = only MP3's
G: Videos 20Gb = only vids, top gear, movies, etc
H: Share 10Gb = this is where i have kazaa, and bit torrent, and all the file i share and download to.

I usually do virus scan, scandisk and defragment every month on all the drives expect the H: Share as this one is always with stuff to download and delete. It does take a few hours but just do it when you’re not at home.
My system with this maintenance goes on for more than a year with no problems or crash's at all.

If u don't know to partition it use fdisk and search for the instructions on the web.
Just be very very careful when using it as it will erase all the data u have on the disk.

This is good because the next time your Operating System starts going funny u just need to format C: and everything else is safe

Hope it helps.