Gaming Reinstalling Windows XP

[Urza]

From experience the swap file should Ideally be 1 and a half to 2 times the system ram available for its maximum

Regards to formatting Nope dont format I have a set of ACRONIS TRUE IMAGE DVDS (3 dvds) that I use like factory restore disks in the event of any problems which restores my system totally within about an hour

basically its a FULL IMAGE using Acronis True Image software of my windows drive and all programs etc that I use most frequently along with all correct drivers for my hardware so when I restore I just have to add few little bits here and there ... I just Export my bookmarks/favorites now and then and email them to myself so I can get those back quickly

Its better simply to keep your applications and settings on a separate partition from the OS install.

QUOTEGetting rid of the page file completely is just a plain bad idea. Some apps will require some form of pagefile, even if you have 4 gigs of ram. It will also hamper performance to some degree.

I've been running every XP box I own without a page file for the last few years without running into a single issue.

As far as "dampering performance", the exact opposite is true. Disabling the swap on a system that can do without prevents data from being randomly thrown into the pagefile, aka translating into a performance increase.

 

[kobykaan]

Its better simply to keep your applications and settings on a separate partition from the OS install.

yeah I also do that too ...for a lot of stuff that does not need a registery entry to work

.... bookmarks/favorites usually is a priority for most users and it does have the added advantage of being able to use or get to them anywhere there is an internet connection

 

[Urza]

.... bookmarks/favorites usually is a priority for most users and it does have the added advantage of being able to use or get to them anywhere there is an internet connection

Which is why you keep Firefox on the separate partition.

 

[BiscuitBee]

.... bookmarks/favorites usually is a priority for most users and it does have the added advantage of being able to use or get to them anywhere there is an internet connection

Which is why you keep Firefox on the separate partition.

And don't forget %appdata% on a separate partition! And relocate your "my documents" and "desktop" files (if you have clutter) to said partition as well.

I can't tell you how many times that has been my saving grace.

EDIT:
Oh no, I forgot what I did to make my burner not fail on Dual-Layer burns! I've made 4 coasters already... which is 4 more than normal!

Am I doomed to get Verbs again? ... overpriced rubbish.

 

[Urza]

.... bookmarks/favorites usually is a priority for most users and it does have the added advantage of being able to use or get to them anywhere there is an internet connection

Which is why you keep Firefox on the separate partition.

And don't forget %appdata% on a separate partition! And relocate your "my documents" and "desktop" files (if you have clutter) to said partition as well.

I can't tell you how many times that has been my saving grace.

That's probably the worst way to do it.

What the intelligent people do is replicate the entire user directory on the other partition then redirect the OS calls to that.

 

[BiscuitBee]

.... bookmarks/favorites usually is a priority for most users and it does have the added advantage of being able to use or get to them anywhere there is an internet connection

Which is why you keep Firefox on the separate partition.

And don't forget %appdata% on a separate partition! And relocate your "my documents" and "desktop" files (if you have clutter) to said partition as well.

I can't tell you how many times that has been my saving grace.

That's probably the worst way to do it.

What the intelligent people do is replicate the entire user directory on the other partition then redirect the OS calls to that.

Wouldn't that be a bit too redundant for a home user? What else do you need other that those?

PS: %appdata% doesn't include "Local Settings"... but I relocate that one, too.

EDIT:
And relocating "My Documents" is nice and easy for beginner users since it is just Right-Click, Properties, Move

 

[Urza]

Wouldn't that be a bit too redundant for a home user? What else do you need other that those?

PS: %appdata% doesn't include "Local Settings"... but I relocate that one, too.

EDIT:
And relocating "My Documents" is nice and easy for beginner users since it is just Right-Click, Properties, Move

I don't see how its redundant at all.

By your method you're missing considerable amounts of data, in addition to making what could be a single step into moving each directory individually. Not to mention redirecting each link in the image.

Its just a stupid way to do it.

 

[BiscuitBee]

Wouldn't that be a bit too redundant for a home user? What else do you need other that those?

PS: %appdata% doesn't include "Local Settings"... but I relocate that one, too.

EDIT:
And relocating "My Documents" is nice and easy for beginner users since it is just Right-Click, Properties, Move

I don't see how its redundant at all.

By your method you're missing considerable amounts of data, in addition to making what could be a single step into moving each directory individually. Not to mention redirecting each link in the image.

Its just a stupid way to do it.

You don't see it has even being a little redundant? Just a leeetle *squints eyes and pinches fingers*

I'll agree that 'my' way has a bit too many steps if you agree that 'your' way is a little redundant.

 

[Urza]

You don't see it has even being a little redundant? Just a leeetle *squints eyes and pinches fingers*

I'll agree that 'my' way has a bit too many steps if you agree that 'your' way is a little redundant.

I'll concede that its redundant when you explain how it is.

 

[BiscuitBee]

You don't see it has even being a little redundant? Just a leeetle *squints eyes and pinches fingers*

I'll agree that 'my' way has a bit too many steps if you agree that 'your' way is a little redundant.

I'll concede that its redundant when you explain how it is.

By backing up the entire user directory, you're left with orphaned files after reinstalling.

Spoiler

Here's a quick snap of my home dir. Do I really need activate.log or My Recent Documents? How about that temp directory that is begging to be deleted? ...or a Start Menu full of programs that aren't installed anymore?

While I will say that backing up even the Local Settings and/or AppData will ALSO leave useless files lying around, too.

I guess the only extra useful thing, for a home user, for backing up the whole home dir is that Favourites folder... if they use IE, of course... then they deserve to lose their bookmarks.

EDIT:
PS: I only said a little redundant. Your way IS much easier.

 

[Urza]

By backing up the entire user directory, you're left with orphaned files after reinstalling.
I don't see how it creates any "orphaned files".

QUOTEHere's a quick snap of my home dir. Do I really need activate.log or My Recent Documents? How about that temp directory that is begging to be deleted? ...or a Start Menu full of programs that aren't installed anymore?

Disregarding the fact that the start menu is obsolete, why would you have entries in your start menu for applications that aren't installed?

You're not making much sense.

 

[BiscuitBee]

I don't see how it creates any "orphaned files".

A bunch of files that don't do anything and link no where... pretty much useless by themselves (no offence real person orphans out there!)

QUOTEDisregarding the fact that the start menu is obsolete, why would you have entries in your start menu for applications that aren't installed?

Because after a crash/re-install there will be a bunch of links that go nowhere: c:\program files\prettygame\game.exe is gone

There are only a few programs that I have expierenced that can run properly, without fault, without having to 're-install" them. So those start menu links should still work if those programs were kept elsewhere.

 

[Urza]

I don't see how it creates any "orphaned files".

A bunch of files that don't do anything and link no where... pretty much useless by themselves (no offence real person orphans out there!)
I know what orphaned files are.

The new host OS picks up the user directory as it were, therefore no/very little orphaned files are left

QUOTE

Because after a crash/re-install there will be a bunch of links that go nowhere: c:\program files\prettygame\game.exe is gone

There are only a few programs that I have expierenced that can run properly, without fault, without having to 're-install" them. So those start menu links should still work if those programs were kept elsewhere.

A) Anyone with an efficient setup runs mainly portable and thinstalled apps.

B) Anything that isn't will likely be reinstalled.



EDIT: With each post it becomes more apparent that don't have much experience with this, so you should just take my advice without making petty arguments.

 

[BiscuitBee]

I don't see how it creates any "orphaned files".

therefore no/very little orphaned files are leftI managed to budge you a little bit.

A) Anyone with an efficient setup runs mainly portable and thinstalled apps.Anyone with an efficient setup such as that will never need to do a yearly-cleanup... aside from clearing their portable-Firefox cache.

QUOTEEDIT: With each post it becomes more apparent that don't have much experience with this, so you should just take my advice without making petty arguments.

BiscuitBee

PS: I only said a little redundant. Your way IS much easier.

I did agree with you; therefore, I am not arguing. Can I not ask for some explanations in a point/counter-point manner... you know... like a conversation? You just went ahead and insulted me then suggested that I just do it without question.

I'll keep trying to respect you, but you're making it hard.

 

[juggernaut911]

when I do a reinstall, I use a driver getter for the stuff besides the Vid Card and mouse, nlite, and product key explorer to suck up most of my serial numbers

 

[Eon-Rider]

Wow... I thought I was the only one! I reformat my computer every so often just for the sake of having a fresh new installation. =D

 

[Urza]

I managed to budge you a little bit.
You say it like moving just the application data and user preferences doesn't create any orphaned files, which it does. They don't affect anything, so there's no reason to even take them into consideration.

A) Anyone with an efficient setup runs mainly portable and thinstalled apps.Anyone with an efficient setup such as that will never need to do a yearly-cleanup... aside from clearing their portable-Firefox cache.
Once again showing a fundamental misunderstanding of how the Windows OS functions.

QUOTEQUOTE

EDIT: With each post it becomes more apparent that don't have much experience with this, so you should just take my advice without making petty arguments.

I did agree with you; therefore, I am not arguing. Can I not ask for some explanations in a point/counter-point manner... you know... like a conversation? You just went ahead and insulted me then suggested that I just do it without question.

Except you don't really know what you're talking about, making this whole point/counter-point a waste of both our time.

And it was not an insult, simply an observation.

 

[Good ol' Phi]

I usually "clean up" every week when my system crashes but this new dualboot (Vista Ultimate x64 SP1 and XP x32 SP3) survived 3 weeks by now

 

[BiscuitBee]

Spoiler

You say it like moving just the application data and user preferences doesn't create any orphaned files, which it does. They don't affect anything, so there's no reason to even take them into consideration.

While I will say that backing up even the Local Settings and/or AppData will ALSO leave useless files lying around, too.As for the rest, you're right, I won't waste my time, and everyone else's, on you. If you can't talk about what is better or worse in a reasonable manner, that's not my problem. I'll continue this conversation with other people who are obviously less experienced than you, and learn from them... creating a downward spiral in the world of computer knowledge.

May whatever deity have mercy on us all.

juggernaut911

when I do a reinstall, I use a driver getter for the stuff besides the Vid Card and mouse, nlite, and product key explorer to suck up most of my serial numbers

Hey juggernaut, care to share what program you used? When I was reinstalling my chipset, Gigabit sent me to driveragent.com...which I was reluctant to use. I just ended up opening the side of my tower and getting the make/model from there.

@Good ol' Phil
By "clean up" you don't mean format/reinstall do you? That's just insane

Are you constantly installing and uninstalling programs?

@Eon-Rider
It is a good feeling. Like that moment you clean you desk completely... only to have it cluttered one day later --;;

 

[juggernaut911]

It is called Driver Grabber. this is where I just googled for it and tested the download (to see if it up... it is old). It poops all your drivers into a folder called Drivers in which you can tell nlite you have more then 1 driver you wish to intergrate, then select Drivers (usually in the same folder as driver grabber.exe)

NOTE: this doesn't grab applications for devices. IE: I have a G11 keyboard which has software to customize it and a wacom pad that need the app to be customized. just download before-hand.


EDIT: forgot link:
http://fileforum.betanews.com/download/Dri...er/1170699160/1