The idea we all dread, but know would be good....formatting!

[alsummers 0]

Hey all,I seem to be at the point where a complete format of my PC is long overdue, and would probably end many of the little niggles that it occasionally turns up! But what a daunting idea it is!Were it not for my FS2004 installation, I would do it tomorrow. Bye bye 120 gig of information...I won't miss you...ah, hello fresh and speedy, uncluttered system!But oh god if the idea of uninstalling FS and all my NUMEROUS addons, is a scary one! Freeware is not such an issue. We can all download and install that which is free again! But I have countless payware addons, and the task is a daunting one....identify them all, email everyone to request download links/keys etc. Ouch!So, am I whining?! Perhaps so! But it just seems a big task! Yet one which I know would be beneficial. After all FSX is only a month away, and doubtless I will buy it, despite my love and affection for FS9, and all my various addons. So should I perhaps view this as an omen? A push in the back towards the definite purchase of FSX and the resignation that FS9 should be discarded, even if its never forgotten!I shall have to give it some thought!Regards,Al.

[hangar 661]

before you format, just make a mirror backup of the partition where you have all your flightsim related installations residing.After formatting, reinstall each program and then install each programs patch (if necessary)....then either delete or rename each programs install directory and replace with the mirrored directory...done, no messing with settings necessary.This of course is the fastest way to get back to where you were in your games before a format, however its not a good idea if you think your original flightsim installs/directories are messed in anyway.Good luck...i feel for you...been there myself quite a few times :-)Dave

[Guest]

why are you formatting? there is no need, all problems can be fixed without destroying all the data and starting again

[Guest allcott]

>why are you formatting? there is no need, all problems can be>fixed without destroying all the data and starting againNot all. A reformat and reinstall is a sure way of dealing with any outstanding software issues, but is not normally necessary. But repairing the registry is best done with a full reinstall.You can mirror the drive to backup the majority of your FS collection. But the keys and licences are not often held in the FS folder, so a reformat means that many payware addons will have to be reinstalled. FS will also have to be installed again, too.But you could look at it as a good oportunity to clear out the FS folder as well. Do you really still need that payware aircraft you installed last year, but haven't flown since February? Or those 127 repaints of the same 737? Or that `wonderful scenery` that is on the other side of the world from where you're doing all your flying these days?Reformatting the HD is only half the job, You also need to be merciless with chopping back FS as well!Allcott

[slashed2 53]

Good idea for a thread as FSX approaches. I've been having the same thoughts lately as my son and I share the same computer and he constantly messes with things beyond his capabilities and adds/removes programs and downloads programs of the internet to help with his gaming, who knows what files are being replaced. I was down to 5 out of 80 gb of disk space and have so much clutter on there sometimes the simplest way to clear it all up would be to reformat the drive and uninstall/reinstall windows etc... Considering that a new pc is out of the picture (washing machine/dryer/new couch/newborn, per my CFO, the new PC won't make this years budget) and with FSX coming, I'll need to remove FS9 and everything else.Now my question would be, which is the best option for cleansing a pc? Reformat? ReWindow or just remove clutter and use regcleaner and defrag the drive?Ian.

[StoneC0ld 5]

I split my hard drive into multiple partitions just to avoid losing everything or having to burn *everything* to cd's/dvd's every time I format and reinstall windows...I only install windows and vitally important utilities on C:, everything else gets installed on other partitions. That way, I only have to backup my documents & settings folder, and anything else that gets put on C: like Flight1 keys, etc. And then I can also reinstall my Flightsim in such a way that I can keep all my addons intact... :)With my experience with Windows, I'll never run a Windows computer with only 1 big partition. Too much to backup to cd/dvd when I need to reinstall....

[greggerm 312]

I will be doing this for my FSX installation...* Purge the drive. (*with proper backups, of course)* Reinstall and activate XP.* Full Windows Updates and Latest Drivers.* Install and register FSX, applying basic settings.* IMAGE! With Acronis.By imaging at the end, I have a clean XP install, with a clean FSX install, both activated! If ever I need to reinstall EVERYTHING, or have a "clean" FSX installation for future patches, I don't have to worry about re-activating. Plus, I get the benefits of a clean system. :-) -Greg

[Max Kraus 339]

I do all of the above - keep all the programs separate to windows. Therefore reinstalling is somewhat painless. Somewhat....Another tip is to firstly keep EVERY email you receive with a key, password on it, forum passwords, activation codes, userames - all those emails can be dragged away from outlook and stored on a separate drive, Then when you've reinstalled Office, drag all the emails back. That way you've got a cumulative folder of all your vital rego emails etc.

[Guest allcott]

I would even go so far as to question keeping the emails. If you take Flight 1 for example, they generate an order form which you can print out and put in a folder. No real need to keep the email after that. The .key file works in conjunction with the password, so I back up all my aircraft installed like that to CD - NOT the wrapper or the installer, just the order confirmation .htm, .key file and a tiny text file that I call `F1172code1234.txt so I don't even have to open it to read the four digit code. I deliberately don't save the installer because I don't need to remember which updates I need - I just download the latest wrapper, and reinstall.There are other developers who send out a limited time download link. Those I do back up as a complete file, off the hard drive and onto CD. Next, if contemplating a reformat and reinstall remember you won't get your desktop back with all your icons in their expected places unless you save the desktop settings - the File and Settings Transfer wizard under XP can do this nicely, or of course you can image the HD. But really I would use it as an opportunity to take out everything you haven't used in the last few weeks or months - those whizz-bang accelerator programs, and all the associated clutter you download over time. Just get back to a barebones Windows setup, at default settings BEFORE you start piling the programs back in. You might be surprised at the performance.I keep a folder called `reinstaller` that contains all the programs I would wish to have immediately after reformat - things like JV16 power tools, Partition Magic, IE7, winzip and winrar, Adobe reader, and the mobo and chipset, sound card and graphic card drivers. That kind of thing. Reinstalling is just a matter of putting Windows in on a formatted drive, and reinstalling those urgent installation packages straight away.Finally, I cannot agree more with the advice to keep the C: drive partitioned for Windows and must-have programs only. Its so much easier, and if you make it a deliberately small partition (mine is just 18 gigs) imaging it is so much easier and quicker as well! The best possible time to do all this reformatting, repartitioning and reallocation is now, BEFORE you install FSX! If you already have FS on a drive away from C: your even further down the road - you don't have to reformat the FS drive, just cull the programs and addons you don't want. One final tip, Check out slipstream installs of Windows XP incorporating SP2 and even the later fixes. Theres information on the net with detailed how-to's and creating a slipstreamed installer for XP can save you the best part of an hour or two when reinstalling, most of which is spent sitting there watching file names dance. Great if you have a magazine or book to read. Irritating otherwise.Hope this helps!Allcott