Timon Russo

Re-insalling XP to C: drive; will my D: hard drive be unchanged?

I figured I could just back everything up to there, and have it be intact at the time the re-installation is complete. Is this right, or am I in for a rude awakening?

Mike LS

I'm guessing it's a seperate physical drive and not a partition?

You'll be fine if so. When you do your format you'll be able to choose which drive to format and again with you install Windows. Just make sure you choose C:

Tekara

If you reinstall windows without a reformat, all the non-windows information on your C: drive will be left alone as well. Windows installation will only delete the C:\windows or C:\winnt folder.

"Computers are a lot like air conditioners - they both work great until you open windows." -Anonymous
"The danger from computers is not that they will eventually get as smart as men, but that we will agree to meet them halfway." -Bernard Avishai

Christ Reynolds

if you have data in the 'my documents' folder, i'd move that somewhere else. i'm not sure, but i remember hearing something about that folder being over-written during a windows reinstall.

CJ

And then when I feel so stuffed I can't eat anymore, I just use the restroom! And then I CAN eat more!

Tekara

Windows will make a new folder for whatever profile you make in the "Documents ane Settings" folder so all the information kept on there will be safe as well.

"Computers are a lot like air conditioners - they both work great until you open windows." -Anonymous
"The danger from computers is not that they will eventually get as smart as men, but that we will agree to meet them halfway." -Bernard Avishai

Rob Gardiner

Timon,

You will, of course, have to re-install all your applications after re-installing Windows. Backing up apps to another drive won't serve any purpose.

Timon Russo

Thanks guys. I plan on doing it this week. Of course, I will be reinstalling apps. And this isn't a "repair" installation, I plan on formatting C: and starting fresh.