re-installing Windows Xp and not wanting to re-install everything else!!!

RTilbury · Mar 1, 2005, 06:40 AM

Ok here is the deal, I am currently running windows Xp Pro corporate edition and recently bought windows xp pro. I want to use this "real" edition but dont want to install all my other programs and games since i just did a maaaajoorr format with partitions being made and everything. I currently have windows on its own partition, games on its own, programs on its own, temp interner files on its own, swap on its own. Is there a way to backup the registry so that if i reinstall windows i can just load up everything the way it is now? If so pleeease tell me and give some detail.

Thanks

Judas · Mar 1, 2005, 06:44 AM

IMO, generally doing registry backups, to later restore without actually installing the game with a fresh install of windows can seriously hinder preformance and stability. Many people can easily restore UT2004 for example.. but generally lose the ability to run some setup progs such as UMODs. (not always the case)

EA games REALLY don't like to be backuped in the fashion you wish... i've been thier, it's usually hard enough just to get the crummy coded games to fire up with a fresh install and fully patched.

IF you want to keep your saved game files, copy the saved game data to a backup folder on another partition..... then format the game parition and install the games, before running them, copy the saved backups back over...

RTilbury · Mar 1, 2005, 06:54 AM

What about for software, not games?

Judas · Mar 1, 2005, 07:07 AM

Software is usually more tedious.... as depending on the complexity, the more registry entries.... not to mention file allocations...

pr0digal jenius · Mar 1, 2005, 07:58 AM

just copy save files and stuff and reinstall the software...it's easier...I promise

Judas · Mar 1, 2005, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pr0digal jenius

just copy save files and stuff and reinstall the software...it's easier...I promise

agreed, it will in the end, save you more time and greif....

PangingJr · Mar 1, 2005, 11:09 AM

you cannot do a complete system restore by just restoring registry like the way you mentioned on the initial post, however, you can create an image of your OS partition using a HDD/partition imaging software.

if the OS go wrong and you want to bring it back, just restore the OS's image file to the OS partition, and if you have an up-to-date image file, in most cases you don't have to do anything else with the rest of partitions and system.

RTilbury · Mar 1, 2005, 07:27 PM

ok thanks guys, it sounds like my initial hopes of dream formating just isnt real. i guess i will install all my software and games again, but for now i am going to wait on this... I just dread doing everything over again.

Gardinen · Mar 3, 2005, 11:42 AM

Ghosting your installation of Windows XP with the programs that you wanna have is probably the best way.
But, if you wanna save your settings of your programs you can copy these by looking in c:\documents and settings\{username}\application data and checking the coresponding program.

I'm using Ghost myself, the DOS version so that I can have a completely clean Windows.

PangingJr · Mar 3, 2005, 12:08 PM

Depends on how you configured the Windows system,
one may move/relocate some of the Windows system files/folders, personal and program settings files, store emails, temp files/folders, new program/common files folder and location, applications installed on the Windows system, etc, etc.

imaging your system and boot partition and/or OS partition and/or the whole disks method would be the only solution to bring everything back without having to redo everything, over again in the normal way.

RTilbury · Mar 4, 2005, 08:22 AM

well i just bit the bullet and formated, installed everything over again. just to make sure i wouldnt run into ne problems later on. i must say, xp pro retail is a bit different then xp pro corporation edition. i like it.

Gardinen · Mar 4, 2005, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RTilbury

well i just bit the bullet and formated, installed everything over again. just to make sure i wouldnt run into ne problems later on. i must say, xp pro retail is a bit different then xp pro corporation edition. i like it.

A bit different...what do you mean?

RTilbury · Mar 4, 2005, 08:33 PM

I noticed that when i press ctrl alt delete i now have a "user" window that i can disconnect, log off, or send messages to other users on my network. When i start windows i now am using more then 20 megs less then when i used corporate edition. I have the same exact programs running that i had on the other setup! and my last setup was only running for 2 weeks, so it wasnt because it was bogged down with spyware and such. One other thing that didnt happen on the corp. edition was that my bluetooth hub for my mx900 asked me about configuring some sort of calender and message sending system. It was through windows... so i duno. lol

RTilbury · Mar 4, 2005, 08:36 PM

Well i just checked and when i start up windows i am only using 154 megs after everything is done. Before on the corp. edition i was close to 200, like 195 or so.

Mar 1, 2005, 06:40 AM	#1
RTilbury DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Southern California, USA Posts: 155 Rep Power: 0	re-installing Windows Xp and not wanting to re-install everything else!!! Ok here is the deal, I am currently running windows Xp Pro corporate edition and recently bought windows xp pro. I want to use this "real" edition but dont want to install all my other programs and games since i just did a maaaajoorr format with partitions being made and everything. I currently have windows on its own partition, games on its own, programs on its own, temp interner files on its own, swap on its own. Is there a way to backup the registry so that if i reinstall windows i can just load up everything the way it is now? If so pleeease tell me and give some detail. Thanks

Mar 1, 2005, 06:54 AM	Thread Starter #3
RTilbury DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Southern California, USA Posts: 155 Rep Power: 0	What about for software, not games?

Mar 1, 2005, 07:58 AM	#5
pr0digal jenius Delete Me Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 14,648 Rep Power: 0	just copy save files and stuff and reinstall the software...it's easier...I promise

Mar 1, 2005, 11:09 AM	#7
PangingJr Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 5,989 Rep Power: 71	you cannot do a complete system restore by just restoring registry like the way you mentioned on the initial post, however, you can create an image of your OS partition using a HDD/partition imaging software. if the OS go wrong and you want to bring it back, just restore the OS's image file to the OS partition, and if you have an up-to-date image file, in most cases you don't have to do anything else with the rest of partitions and system.

Mar 1, 2005, 07:27 PM	Thread Starter #8
RTilbury DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Southern California, USA Posts: 155 Rep Power: 0	ok thanks guys, it sounds like my initial hopes of dream formating just isnt real. i guess i will install all my software and games again, but for now i am going to wait on this... I just dread doing everything over again.

Mar 3, 2005, 11:42 AM	#9
Gardinen DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Trollhättan, Sweden Posts: 512 Rep Power: 0	Ghosting your installation of Windows XP with the programs that you wanna have is probably the best way. But, if you wanna save your settings of your programs you can copy these by looking in c:\documents and settings\{username}\application data and checking the coresponding program. I'm using Ghost myself, the DOS version so that I can have a completely clean Windows.

Mar 3, 2005, 12:08 PM	#10
PangingJr Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 5,989 Rep Power: 71	Depends on how you configured the Windows system, one may move/relocate some of the Windows system files/folders, personal and program settings files, store emails, temp files/folders, new program/common files folder and location, applications installed on the Windows system, etc, etc. imaging your system and boot partition and/or OS partition and/or the whole disks method would be the only solution to bring everything back without having to redo everything, over again in the normal way.

Mar 4, 2005, 08:22 AM	Thread Starter #11
RTilbury DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Southern California, USA Posts: 155 Rep Power: 0	well i just bit the bullet and formated, installed everything over again. just to make sure i wouldnt run into ne problems later on. i must say, xp pro retail is a bit different then xp pro corporation edition. i like it.

Mar 4, 2005, 08:33 PM	Thread Starter #13
RTilbury DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Southern California, USA Posts: 155 Rep Power: 0	I noticed that when i press ctrl alt delete i now have a "user" window that i can disconnect, log off, or send messages to other users on my network. When i start windows i now am using more then 20 megs less then when i used corporate edition. I have the same exact programs running that i had on the other setup! and my last setup was only running for 2 weeks, so it wasnt because it was bogged down with spyware and such. One other thing that didnt happen on the corp. edition was that my bluetooth hub for my mx900 asked me about configuring some sort of calender and message sending system. It was through windows... so i duno. lol

Mar 4, 2005, 08:36 PM	Thread Starter #14
RTilbury DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Southern California, USA Posts: 155 Rep Power: 0	Well i just checked and when i start up windows i am only using 154 megs after everything is done. Before on the corp. edition i was close to 200, like 195 or so.