Just a quick question on reinstalling XP OS.

[Ahura]

I am not sure if I have ask this before, but is reinstalling an OS the same as Format? Meybe in a sense I guess. Yu start back w/ everything clean.

The thing is that I want to clean away my 8800 old drivers, I returned the card, and I am not sure how to use Driver Cleaning Pro. Plus from what I heard yu have to go into Safe Mode and something something.
I reinstall OS once before and it seem pretty swell. My system is brand new so not much is in it, but a game or two, and everything else come from the cds.

[syxguns]

If you are going to format the drive you should do it the proper way. Remember that a format will remove all data on the drive. This link will help you out. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313348

Now the nVidia 8800 drivers can be removed from the add/remove programs in the control panel. But if you decide that you would just rather start over then the link above will guide you through it.

[Ahura]

So basically yu just pop in the CD, boot from ROM, when ask to partion just wipe everything and partion over and then install OS all over again right? because I am pretty good at that

[Cricket]

Here's a good site to bookmark: Windows Reinstall

Cricket

[Ahura]

OH thanks Cricket, but I kind of know how to do it. I am juts not sure if that is what I should do because is not that there is difference between reformat, which I think that what I am doing reinstalling OS, and reinstalling OS.

[TwoRails]

Good link, Cricket. Bookmarked it myself

[systempat]

Don't reinstall XP if you don't have to. See the post about 'Stealth Windows Update' for the problem that MSoft has created. If all you are doing is switching Video cards, do the Add/Remove programs from your control panel and remove the nVidia drivers. The new drivers should then install just fine.

[trendless]

Ahura,

Reformatting is erasing the data from the partition(s) you have been using. You can either perform a quick reformat (which allows the partition to go ahead and overwrite everything on the drive if necessary, but doens't *actually* overwrite until it IS necessary) or a full/long format, where every sector on the drive is overwritten with a zero so that it is effectively the same as it was when it came off the assembly line. You may also delete the partition(s) and recreate them. Reinstalling is the process of loading data back onto the hard drive (Windows, LInux, etc). You do not have to reformat to reinstall (tho' it is advisable in almost every situation), but you do have to reinstall if you format.

Easy Answer: You want to reformat your hard drive and reinstall your operating system. Just make sure you have a backup of any files you wish to have access to after you have performed the reformat/reinstall, b/c for all intents and purposes they will be deleted/overwritten once you reformat and reinstall your OS.



PS: there is also a third option, where you perform a repair install of Windows XP; you throw in the CD and on the first screen where it says "repair" you don't repair but instead continue on until your previous installation of Windows shows up at which point you can choose to repair this installation of Windows. However, if you can either backup your files OR you don't have anything you need to keep, I would recommend reformatting and reinstalling (often referred to as a "fresh install"). There is much less potential for software hangups, leftover viruses, AND if a fresh install doesn't fix the problem, likely it's not a software issue but a hardware one.

[Ahura]

I ccc

Thank yu, y'all been most certainly halpful

[glc]

Driver Cleaner Pro is very easy to use. How to use it is spelled out in the help file.

[Ahura]

Well, what does it do really?

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by Ahura Well, what does it do really?

From the Driver Cleaner.NET Online Documentation: "After uninstalling drivers there will always be driver remainings, those remainings can cause problems. Driver Cleaner.NET can remove those remainings so that the new driver install will be clean."

Cricket

[glc]

This relates to another thread - I was referring to DCP 1.5, not the new DC.NET.

[Ahura]

Well, my new system is relatively empty right now, so I think if I just repartion the HD and then just redo an OS installation, then I guess the driver will not be a problem eh.

So many new drivers out there are buggy as hell. I think I will just use the one that come w/ the CD eh.

Btw, kind of off topic but what is th highest AA multiplier can yu get? W/ my first 8800 using the came-w/-cd-driver, I only get liek 8x, but if I use the latest driver from nVidia, then I get liek x16, if my noodle is intact.