Defrag -vs- Speed disk

[thcri]

It is pretty much easy for me. Computer at work has a server that I can transfer my files to. My computer at home has a CD burner so I just move the critical files to a CD Rom. If you have windows XP or a newer version, a lot of the times the required drivers will be bundled with. For example if your computer was windows ME and now you upgraded to XP more than likely all hardware drivers are there already. Now if you have added new hardware lately, you may find yourself in trouble. Best thing before you reformat, go out and get the drivers on the web and transfer them also to the CD that you are moving your critical files to. Then when you go to install just click on have disk for each item. Not that tough. I got an XP brand new just a bout a month ago at work. We could not get it to connect to your network. After two days and spending hours on the phone with Dell, we finally decided to go back to Windows 2000 Pro. They sent me a disk and I installed it. But because all of my hardware was newer than the Operating System Windows 2000. I had to go out to the internet and get new drivers for everything. It was a mess.

Murph

 

[looch]

That's the very beauty of a fresh install - you don't keep track of all those drivers. You reinstall them as necessary. Even for brand new hardware that was just purchased, by the time it goes from manufacturing, to distribution, to the retailer's shelf, to my hard drive, there's a good chance that the driver bundled in the package is already outdated. I download all of my drivers from the Internet.

The biggest problem (which isn't one if you've been doing regular backups) is firing off your data files to a safe location. It's easy if you have another machine networked. If not, consider the cost of a new hard drive. Around here a decent hard drive - like an 80 Gb, 7200 RPM Western Digital - is about 160$CDN (or 14$ a month). That's pretty good, considering that every year the price per Mb goes down and it's good insurance against a failure.

Set your new drive as the primary master and disconnect your old one. Install the OS on the new drive. Reconnect your old one as either a primary slave, secondary master, or secondary slave (check the jumper diagram usually on the drive itself). Depending on the state of your old drive, you may choose to either keep your files there, or move them to you new drive.

Here's an interesting option - especially if you have kids. If you have a tower style PC and the available 5.25" bay, you can get removeable drive trays. These are like portable hard drive holders. Put an OS on each, lock yours in your desk, and give the other one to your kids. When you want to use the machine, slide their disk out and replace it with yours.

 

[thcri]

Never thought of that. I gave my kids my old computer because I was sick of them putting junk on it. But I guess now with two I can use mine when I want. I just wished I could get away from the old 56k connection we have out in the country.

Murph