Practicing the Black Art (09/03)
Reinstalling Windows
by Vinny La Bash, vlabash@comcast.net
Member of the Sarasota Personal Computer Users Group, Inc.
No matter how diligent you are at computer
housecleaning and tuning your system, at
some point you will need to reinstall Windows. One of the most
infuriating things about the process occurs after the installation when
you realize you have forgotten something important like exporting your
Favorites folder. Several weeks ago I reinstalled Vista on my laptop and
almost forgot to do something elementary. So perhaps it’s time to review
the basics.
There are many reasons to reinstall windows. Perhaps
the registry has gotten corrupted or it could be an accumulation of
little things that are driving you nuts. Whatever is annoying you, a
clean install is always the best option. Before doing anything, careful
planning will keep you out of trouble.
The detailed procedures outlined here apply
specifically to Vista, but the general concepts apply to any version of
Windows and even other operating systems. There are three main areas to
a reinstall. You need proper preparation, the install itself, and the
aftermath to clean up any mess you may have inadvertently created. That
means you don’t schedule a reinstall the night before any deadlines.
Start by documenting any critical login
identifications and passwords. If you pay bills online, access financial
information, eBay, PayPal or anything else important to you., now is the
time to write it all down. Some folks use a password protected
spreadsheet file. Others use some kind of encrypted application to store
the data. I prefer good old reliable pen and paper stored in a safe
place, not taped to my monitor.
Do you have your Windows product key available? You
need it to reinstall Vista. Are there any other applications you will
reinstall that require product keys, like Microsoft Office? Gather them
all, including any drivers you may need to reinstall hardware, like a
printer or mobile smart phone.
A clean install requires that you backup your data
files. This is especially important if you’re planning to reformat your
hard drive. Backup email contacts, calendar entries, and anything you
consider important. Don’t forget anything special you may have saved on
your desktop. That’s an easy one to overlook.
Have you installed new hardware recently? Any new
devices, except physical memory, require some kind of driver software to
work properly. You can get the most up-to-date drivers by visiting the
manufacturer’s web site and downloading them. Go to the Device Manager
for a list of installed hardware or use Belarc Advisor for a more
detailed description.
Do some housecleaning. Search your drive for files
that are obsolete or otherwise unnecessary. It’s amazing how much
digital detritus can accumulate over time. Perform a full deep virus
scan so your new setup can get off to a clean start. Use Disk Cleanup if
you want to reduce the number of unnecessary files on your hard disk to
free up disk space and help your computer run faster. It removes
temporary files, empties the Recycle Bin, and deletes a variety of
system files and other items that you no longer need.
Back up the My Documents folder and any sub-folders
that may exist. Backup Links if you use Internet Explorer; Bookmarks if
you use Mozilla Firefox. If you’re not sure you’ve backed up everything
you need, back up the entire disk. If you’ve forgotten anything, your
data can be recovered.
By now you should have:
-
Documented all logins and passwords
-
Backed up all important data including My
Documents and any sub-folders
-
Have all product keys and activation codes handy
-
Backed up your email contact list, and calendar
entries
-
Backed up Favorites, Links, Bookmarks, etc.
-
Collected Driver disks
Check everything at least twice to make sure you
haven’t overlooked anything essential and you’re ready to go. Insert
your Windows disk and reinstall the operating system.
After the process is complete, there is still work to
do. Use Windows Update to retrieve and install the latest service packs,
security updates, and any necessary patches. After bringing your
operating system up-to-date, turn your attention to applications and
device drivers.
If you reinstalled Vista from the manufacturer’s
installation or system restore disks, drivers for the original software
and hardware that came with the system are likely to be either no longer
relevant or out-of-date. You may need to visit several manufacturers’
web sites to download and install the most recent drivers. This is part
of proper preparation, but if you neglected this step it’s not a fatal
mistake.
Restore any data you backed up earlier, reconfigure
network settings if applicable, and tweak the system to suit your
personal preferences. Create a system restore point, and do an image
backup of your entire system in case you need to reinstall again.
Don’t fool yourself. Reinstalling the operating system, applications,
drivers and such is never as simple or as easy as it should be. If you
plan carefully however, it doesn’t need to be stressful. :
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Copyright 2009. This article is from the March 2009 issue of the
Sarasota PC Monitor, the official monthly publication of the Sarasota
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