Windows XP Factory setting help

ricey · 07-06-2006 1:31am #1

I Want to restore my PC to its factory setting but there are some files i would
like to keep and it would take me ages to burn them all. So my question is there a way to do that and say put all the files i need i one folder and just keep that folder and restore everything else?

Cheers hope someone can help a guy out.

Karoma · 07-06-2006 1:34am

Are you using an OEM (manufacturer's) restore disc, or a copy of Windows?

ricey · 07-06-2006 12:28pm

Not sure wat you mean but all i do is press F9 when i restart and
it does it all itself with no cd.

irlrobins · 07-06-2006 12:49pm

From the sound of it that will ghost an image on to your hard drive. In which case regardless of where you save your files they will be overwritten. Your only option is to back up your files to CD/DVD/ etc and then perform the restore.

ricey · 07-06-2006 1:57pm

Ya thats what i done before, Just takes so f00ken long to burn everything
and the copy it back on.

irlrobins · 07-06-2006 1:59pm

Well that's what scheduled incremental backups are for.

ricey · 07-06-2006 8:41pm

So there is no way i can do it? Im in no way a wizz at all
this so any help will be great...lol

the_syco · 07-06-2006 9:13pm

Not 100% sure, but you could try a "repair install", which reinstall's windows to the basic, but keeps all your stuff. Do a search in the forum, as I explained to someone in the last week or two on how to do it.

irlrobins · 07-06-2006 10:14pm

Yea a repair install replaces all the system files while leaving any of your data files intact. You basically run a normal windows setup, it will detect the current installation of XP and ask if you wish to repair or replace this installation.

However this does require a windows XP CD to do. By the sound of it you only have a image restore method available. What make/model is the PC?

Windows XP Factory setting help

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