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Thread: New M/Board, re-install windows?

  1. #1
    Senior Member Smudger's Avatar
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    New M/Board, re-install windows?

    Hello,

    My plan is to get a new m/b as well as some other stuff, and I know i'm going to have to reinstall Windows, but what's the best way to go about it without losing all of my programs/personal stuff?

    My plan was to wipe my 2nd disk, which is a SATAII drive, build the new windows on there, then do a file and settings transfer from the old primary drive (SATAI) to that one. My question is will the F&S transfer take Office, Games, etc over as well? Will I be able to run the SATAII drive at SATAII speeds and still use the SATAI drive for backups?

    Will the computer try to boot from the SATAI drive when I plug it in to do the file transfer, or does SATA do drive precedence on port no?

    Any help would be most appreciated...

  2. #2
    Splash
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    Simple answer is you can't - if you reinstall Windows you need to reinstall your apps. The F+S Transfer Wizard will migrate your documents, desktop etc, but the apps are just not that portable.

    As for your drive speeds - provided your motherboard supports SATAII you should get SATAII speeds from your SATAII drive, SATAI speeds from the other.

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    Senior Member Smudger's Avatar
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    Bummer. I'm not looking forward to looking for all my disks...

    Will all my games allow me to put them on again?

    I wonder if I might be better off doing a backup and restoring...

  5. #4
    Splash
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    I see no reason that your games would refuse to install again.

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    Technically, especially with old apps, you were able to move the install directory, go to the effort of re-creating shortcuts/start menu items and re-use old installs of applications.

    With newer things (basically anything that writes to your registry (like office)) copying the install directory will not work as the registry settings will be missing.

    Overall, with the hassle involved in manually transferring things over, you'd be a lot better off to re-installing everything.

    Personally i prefer to start from scratch when re-installing windows, just copy the stuff you want to keep onto the drive you are not installing onto.
    If you are concerned about accidentally installing onto the wrong drive, simply disconnect it before reinstalling windows.

    In terms of drive precedence, if you have two xp installs, one on each drive, you will be prompted at boot as to which one you want to load. In terms of drive letter assignment - in my experience, if you install a second os with the first drive disconnected, it will switch over to having the logical drive assignment C:, when you reconnect the second drive that will normally pick up the next available drive, which with a dvd drive connected, would usually be E:

    Hope that helps in some way

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    Re: New M/Board, re-install windows?

    Remember to backup all your games saves directories, eg. G:\valve\steam\steamapps\vinny\half-life 2\hl2\save this way you won't have to repeat any of the missions you have already done (unless you want to).

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    Smudger (19-08-2007)

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    Re: New M/Board, re-install windows?

    what's the best way to go about it without losing all of my programs/personal stuff?
    No easy way really. Best off just starting a fresh

    My question is will the F&S transfer take Office, Games, etc over as well?
    No

    Will I be able to run the SATAII drive at SATAII speeds and still use the SATAI drive for backups?
    Yes

    Will the computer try to boot from the SATAI drive when I plug it in to do the file transfer, or does SATA do drive precedence on port no?
    You'll need to change the hard drive boot priority in the BIOS to ensure it boots from the right drive

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    Smudger (19-08-2007)

  12. #8
    DILLIGAF GoNz0's Avatar
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    Re: New M/Board, re-install windows?

    if you dont want to fresh start you can simply run a windows repair and patch it again. you wont lose anything then.

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