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Fresh Windows install (extreme laziness content)

  • 04-12-2007 4:21pm
    #1
    Johnny Storm
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,992 ✭✭✭


    I have two pcs (one vista, one xp). Both would probably benefit from fresh installs. I also have a 500GB external USB drive.

    Is there a smart way to get the benefits of a fresh install but use the external drive to minimise the time-consuming re-installing of other software and resetting the many and various settings?


Comments

  • #2
    garthv
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,698 ✭✭✭garthv


    Not really,
    Only thing you can do is to create images of the current installs but then you take away the advantage of a clean install.
    Plus windows installs dont take that long...or maybe ive just done them so many times now i block it out.....


  • #3
    macrubicon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 646 ✭✭✭macrubicon


    For the XP re-build you could use the USMT tool on the XP CD to create an "image" of your profile, including files and settings ( like mail profiles, favourites etc )

    There is a similar thing in Vista with "Easy Transfer" I think it's called.

    Stick the images on the external HDD and away you go....

    Used the Vista one over Halloween to do a rebuild of the laptop - you still have to bung on the apps, but the settings are all sorted for you...


  • #4
    Johnny Storm
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,992 ✭✭✭Johnny Storm


    Thanks. I did that for the Vista PC. It worked well although not all the settings were carried over particularly the one about the very annoying "UAC" where it asks you "are you sure?", "are you really sure?" every time you do anything:rolleyes:

    Also, it was news to me that a fresh Vista install works very differently from a fresh XP install - ie there is no option to format the disk (AFAICS) and your previous install is maintained in a folder called "old.windows". Also certain undeletable folders that were in the root directory are still there despite the "fresh" install.

    For whatever reason my Vista Experience score went from 4.4 to 4.5 after the reinstall with the disk transfer speed being the gating item. Maybe it picked up a better driver during the new installation?


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