I've decided to format.. I need to clean out all the s*** thats built up over the times.

I always seem to miss something when I backup.. i've backed up email, favs, logs, my docs, configs..

Anything else i've missed?

Cheers.

Make sure you have all the discs you need handy for reinstall.

Nothing worse than searching for your O@H cd........... :(

O@H CD?

exactly what i thought

I think you've got most of it, that's about all I need.

O@H CD?

Optus@Home CD I assume. But yeah, got all my mobo/gfx/sound etc drivers all lined up..

Is there any prog that backsup ICQ like convo's and the like?

im in the process of reinstalling s*** now ... after HDD died @ QGL :@

f***in boring .. 50 reboots later... :D

3dmark wont fkn install :@ ... grrr

asifn't install everything, and then reboot once!

and... some ppl will swear by a certain pattern for installing stuff after reboot

i did the following order...

Win2k
Service Pack 2
Direct 8.1
Via 4-in-1's
Video drivers
Sound drivers

Apps and shiz

exo: with installing the crucial drivers ... id tend to think its a good thing to reboot inbetween each

incase they are dependant of eachother

My patten is...
XP,
videocard drivers.
SP1
everything else.


Also make sure you have Server query servers.... and nothing saved in mirc download folders.

my pattern is

windows
via drivers/intel drivers
video
sound
network
service pack
direct x
applications

I backup:
addressbook
c:\program files\ICQ\2000b all files in there are contact list/chat logs
winamp (plugins and skinz)

that's about it, all my games are on another drive.

format c:/u/v:system
insert 2k CD & g0g0g0g0

Don't bother with the o@h cd's eh.

Yes the Optus CD :D

Speaking from experience, I thought I had EVERYTHING sorted and ready to go.

After the format and reinstall of drivers etc, I thought "OK now time to get Gamespy etc...." Uh Oh.

1 frustrating hour later I was online D/L, cursing my incompetence.

Ive been meaning to this for a while. Install everything perfectly, then use a ghost program to make an image of the install. That way your next install takes 5 minutes + format time.

i might actually do that gavmo, what are some programs that do that?

i've been meaning to ghost my hdd on a fresh install for ages but keep forgetting

Whatever the 'pattern' you guys use, just remember to install the core logic drivers before anything else.

xp
nf2 drivers
vid card
3dmark
bench

Yes the Optus CD :D

Speaking from experience, I thought I had EVERYTHING sorted and ready to go.

After the format and reinstall of drivers etc, I thought "OK now time to get Gamespy etc...." Uh Oh.

1 frustrating hour later I was online D/L, cursing my incompetence.

wtf u need the o@h cd for?

skins & themes? (winamp etc)
make sure you have the serial keys for everything handy... also, when you reinstall, you could always put everything you do step by step in a textfile, so the next time you reinstall you can just follow the checklist :p .

you can just copy your whole icq folder to a backup drive to keep your contacts & settings

also, make sure you've got all the codecs n stuff you need :)

edit: only other thing i can think of right now, is if you have a list of favourite FTPs / irc servers&channels, back em up before you format

wtf u need the o@h cd for?

Ummmmm to connect to the internet.

I make a checklist of all the programs in my start menu.

wtf u need the o@h cd for?

Ummmmm to connect to the internet.

no you don't...

I tried ghosting last night, the image was 18 gig.. ? that was just on c drive. does norton ghost 2003 actually compress this to make it fit on a FEW cd's?

Reformatting.. Any tips?

Work hard and be good to your mother.

Ghost can write the images to cds as it goes and set it to span multiple cds

the trick is to not install everything when you ghost. Get Windows running and patched, office (if you use it), then your core apps like Winrar, Nero that you know you're gonna want everytime you re-install

then turn OFF THE PAGE FILE, win2k will boot without a pagefile so you can turn it off, but keep in mind that you have to reboot to windows ONCE without a pagefile before it deletes the one you had.

i've found that a minimal install can fit on 1 700meg cd which is perfect if you know how to run ghost with the right control switches. Ghost "High" compression can cut the size of the image in half pretty well

lol Reverend.

:)

ghosting now :D 16 cd's :P

ive never even seen my otpus @ home cd;

what does it have on it?

suhib,

To use ghost you have to launch with the -z9 command to enable maximun compression.

ie

ghost2k3 -z9 -split=690 -span -sure -clone,mode=dump,src=1,dst=d:\moomoo.gho -rb

or use multicast ghost with Ghost 7.5 corporate edition :)

i wanna o@h cd :(

i bet your all jealous of my BPA CD!

you sign up for cable, say ur using win2k

and they send you the BPA client CD .. which doesnt run on win2k :D ahah

so u call and they point u to an ftp

lame :D

gawd optus owns automatic ip, done

dont forget game saves
kazaa folder
favourites (i always forget that)
emails from outlook

those are the ones i usually forget.

haven't they written a win2k compliant program yet hem? jeebus, that was an issue when i got cable a year ago.

yeah they have a win2k client

but it isnt on the CD

they would have a new CD by now .. 99% sure, but its telstra

hell, maybe i just got the wrong CD :D