Saving Complete Program and its Contents for Reinstallation

[Guest RoyRogers]

I need to do a complete reinstall of Windows XP. My laptop is running slow

and not always responding to commands. It seems that I have to do this about

once a year and doing so brings like new performance. HERE is the actual

question; for most programs I can just reinstall them from the original

supplied disk and continue to use them as always. But some programs also

contain my files, like photos, or as in my Paper Port program, information

files I don't want to loose. I would like these files or photos to go back

to the same headings and titles as before the reinstall so I can search them

as I can before removing them and reinstalling the OS program.

 

I have also used the non-distructive version of the OS program but haven't

had the same good results doing so. Completely wiping the hard drive clean

seems to be the best way. My laptop is a Toshiba M45 which has been great

for three or more years now. Thanks for your consideration in my quesion in

pointing me toward the answers I need.

 

Sorry this question was put to the incorrect section of Windows Newsgroups

the first time.

[Guest Mark]

Re: Saving Complete Program and its Contents for Reinstallation

 

What you need to do is back up you pictures and such onto a separate media

like Cd, Dvd, or a different hard drive. Then reinstall OS and programs and

restore everything to your various programs from the separate media.

 

Mark

 

"RoyRogers" <RoyRogers@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:28938E35-F7AA-4319-BA54-87C2DC915D43@microsoft.com...

>I need to do a complete reinstall of Windows XP. My laptop is running slow

> and not always responding to commands. It seems that I have to do this

> about

> once a year and doing so brings like new performance. HERE is the actual

> question; for most programs I can just reinstall them from the original

> supplied disk and continue to use them as always. But some programs also

> contain my files, like photos, or as in my Paper Port program, information

> files I don't want to loose. I would like these files or photos to go

> back

> to the same headings and titles as before the reinstall so I can search

> them

> as I can before removing them and reinstalling the OS program.

>

> I have also used the non-distructive version of the OS program but haven't

> had the same good results doing so. Completely wiping the hard drive

> clean

> seems to be the best way. My laptop is a Toshiba M45 which has been great

> for three or more years now. Thanks for your consideration in my quesion

> in

> pointing me toward the answers I need.

>

> Sorry this question was put to the incorrect section of Windows Newsgroups

> the first time.

[Guest Patrick Keenan]

Re: Saving Complete Program and its Contents for Reinstallation

 

"RoyRogers" <RoyRogers@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:28938E35-F7AA-4319-BA54-87C2DC915D43@microsoft.com...

>I need to do a complete reinstall of Windows XP. My laptop is running slow

> and not always responding to commands. It seems that I have to do this

> about

> once a year and doing so brings like new performance.

 

If you have to do this, you are probably not maintaining your system.

It's very easy to have an XP system run for years without having to

reinstall it.

> HERE is the actual

> question; for most programs I can just reinstall them from the original

> supplied disk and continue to use them as always.

 

Yes, this is required for most applications.

> But some programs also

> contain my files, like photos, or as in my Paper Port program, information

> files I don't want to loose.

 

The programs do not contain your files. They look at folders that contain

your data.

> I would like these files or photos to go back

> to the same headings and titles as before the reinstall so I can search

> them

> as I can before removing them and reinstalling the OS program.

 

You simply back them up. Some apps have an Export function, which will

usually maintain structures.

 

External hard disks are inexpensive and fast ways to do this.

 

But you will *still* have to reinstall the application itself. You can't

just copy the whole thing back in place and reasonably expect it to work.

 

In any case, talk to the application vendor about how to back up and restore

the data files. It will vary from app to app.

 

> I have also used the non-distructive version of the OS program but haven't

> had the same good results doing so. Completely wiping the hard drive

> clean

> seems to be the best way.

 

This is because repair installs leave the registry behind - this is why you

don't have to reinstall the apps - and consequently any problems that are

related to the registry are not addressed. Clean installs provide a

brand-new registry.

 

 

HTH

-pk

> My laptop is a Toshiba M45 which has been great

> for three or more years now. Thanks for your consideration in my quesion

> in

> pointing me toward the answers I need.

>

> Sorry this question was put to the incorrect section of Windows Newsgroups

> the first time.