WinXP Reinstall - Reformat or Not? (1 Viewer)

[Ken Woodrow]

Due to system instabilities caused by the installation of some unstable hardware and accompanying driver software (and undoubtedly exacerbated by user error), I have decided to "start over" with a fresh install of WinXP Home. My question is whether I should simply install it on top of my current XP installation, or reformat the drive and start from fresh. My edition of XP Home is a retail stand-alone product, not an upgrade, btw.

This machine is a HTPC and does not have any significant data that needs to be preserved (other than downloaded drivers and patches that can be transferred to my office PC on the network).

Thanks for any help.

- Ken

 

[Sean Eldridge]

A format/fresh reinstall would likely work best. Backup anything that you might need, if possible.

Sean

 

[DaveGTP]

If you have no critical data, WIPE! Take the extra few minutes and start over fresh!!

 

[Max Leung]

I'd wipe too! And after you got the new install working perfectly, invest in a copy of Norton Ghost 2003 and ensure a permanent backup of your "perfect" install.

 

[Ken Woodrow]

I'm definitely leaning that way -- I've been having some inexplicable instability issues with the HTPC, which is unacceptable in a machine that is processing ALL of my video, including our regular evening TV viewing.

I have a copy of Powerquest Drive Image 5.0 -- will that work just as well as Norton Ghost?

Thanks . . .

 

[Max Leung]

That probably will work too. Never used it though.