Will Reinstalling Windows Wipe The Hard Drive?

[TrainMan_112]

Will it?

Thank you in advance.

[cedric]

Will it?

Thank you in advance.

Im not 100% sure, and maybe someone else can drop by and comment, but I would think it would. What is your problem with windows?

[muskokaandtahoe]

No it does not wipe the hard drive but what it does do is wipe the registry -- starting that bit over of course. And when it does that, most of your programs will need to be re-installed as they won't run w/o having one thing or another of their own stuff found in the registry.

So re-installing everything is a royal PITA and for a while it'll feel as if your hard disk was wiped, but that's not really happens.

[TrainMan_112]

Im not 100% sure, and maybe someone else can drop by and comment, but I would think it would. What is your problem with windows?

I'm getting BSODs quite frequently.

Thanks guys.

[TrainMan_112]

Also do BSODs harm the computer or hinder its capability to run programs such as MSTS?

[USRailFan]

Depends of you chose to let it reformat it or not.

[rdamurphy]

BEFORE you do anything with Windows, check your CPU fan. The predominate cause of BSOD's in Windows XP is an overheated processor due to dust filled heatsinks or worn out fan motors. Heat is a killer, and Windows will shut down with a BSOD before it is damaged!

If your BSOD is "IRQ is less than or not equal" it most likely is heat. I would HIGHLY recommend checking that first.

Robert

[rpicardi1]

Reinstalling Windows doesn't format the drive. It does, however, overwrite the existing installation and will randomly corrupt files and programs already on that hard drive thus creating a mess to clean up later.

The headache with reinstalling Windows begins with the reinstall - assuming you were lucky enough to have installation CDs. Once installed, you have to download hundreds of megabytes of updates. Then, you have to install and download hundreds of megabytes of updates for your software. Then' you have to run the applications and set up all of the pointers and options. Finally, you have manually clean up and remove thousands of temp files scattered all over that didn't properly delete after the installations of updates.

This can take days to do.

If the install was from formatting or replacing the C drive, you may also have to copy from backup tons of personal data and place them in their proper locations.

Far better option;

Make a backup of the operating system to a portable hard drive (preferred as this is faster and more reliable), CD, DVD, tape, etc... using a product such as Norton's Ghost. Periodically do this backup once a week and keep two older backups.

With this backup, if your computer goes down due to viruses, worms, rootkits, or hardware failure, or if you need to install a larger hard drive, the Ghost backup can be used.

Important note, on many pre packaged computers from the big box stores, you do not get installations Cds DVDs. All backup is on a hidden partition on your HD. Additionally, you are only allowed to make one install backup to CDs, DVDs. Lose or damage one and have the hard drive go bad and it may be cheaper to just go buy a new computer.

I replaced a cranky 80G drive with a 160G backup and was back up and running after a 45G restore of data in 40 minutes. As far as Windows was concerned, it found that there was more room on the hard drive.

I have also used the program to restore the system after unknown malware from a popup ad on a reputable website screwed up the computer and disabled the protection software.

In nearly all cases, System Restore is all but a useless waste of hard drive space.

[djt1]

Reinstalling Windows doesn't format the drive. It does, however, overwrite the existing installation and will randomly corrupt files and programs already on that hard drive thus creating a mess to clean up later.


Really this is news to me? I do a full reformat usually at least once a month on my testing machine and at least once every few months on my general work machine.
After the reformat process is completed you have a fresh OS with a clean registry, nothing more, so how does it “randomly corrupt files and programs already on that hard drive thus creating a mess to clean up later”????




The headache with reinstalling Windows begins with the reinstall - assuming you were lucky enough to have installation CDs. Once installed, you have to download hundreds of megabytes of updates. Then, you have to install and download hundreds of megabytes of updates for your software. Then' you have to run the applications and set up all of the pointers and options. Finally, you have manually clean up and remove thousands of temp files scattered all over that didn't properly delete after the installations of updates.

This can take days to do.


How would you embark on installing a fresh OS without the bootable OS disks? No “headache” here, I can be back up and running in less than an hour.

In the case of XP and Vista all you have to do after the reformat process is install SP1 (Vista) or SP3 (XP). There are a few updates since SP1 and SP3 but nothing that require you to “download hundreds of megabytes of updates”.

You’ll have elaborate on this -
“Finally, you have manually clean up and remove thousands of temp files scattered all over that didn't properly delete after the installations of updates.”

Like I said earlier I reformat at least once a month and never had this problem.


Far better option;

Make a backup of the operating system to a portable hard drive (preferred as this is faster and more reliable), CD, DVD, tape, etc... using a product such as Norton's Ghost. Periodically do this backup once a week and keep two older backups.


So let’s see you back up what is probably an already corrupt/hosed OS with out of date drivers?

LOL,
You should post this over at a real computer hardware site and wake them up to this new found info.

[rdamurphy]

Most programs, including Microsoft Office, all Adobe apps, and even Microsoft Train Simulator won't run without the requisite registry entries, therefore almost ALL software must be reinstalled. And anything in a "System Folder" will be overwritten, including Favorites and My Documents.

XP Service Pack 3 is 316 MB. That certain sounds like: "Then, you have to install and download hundreds of megabytes of updates for your software" In addition, I have Office 2007, which has SP1 to install, and more than likely, any Adobe or other apps will need downloads. Not to mention, in my case, the Catalyst drivers and updates for evey piece of hardware you own.

A lot of programs use Temporary folders, and they are usually cleaned up by the owning Application. But of course, you just wiped the registry, so it doesn't know where they are, nor will they clean them up. Adobe Photoshop is famous for this. In addition, any program you don't reinstall won't run, and is just sitting in the Program Files taking up space on the hard drive for no good reason. In addition, if you're like me, you have several gigs of documents saved for various reasons. (The route I'm working on is in a 300 MB folder.)

So, essentially, the information Ron gave is completely accurate, so I'm not sure what you're LOL'ing about. If you do re-install every few months, you certainly won't encounter the problems that someone who only reinstalls every year or every other year will.

Maybe you should stick to a "real hardware site" where people who are computer experts gather, because most people don't care about the computer, just what it can do for them, and most people don't do any maintenance, nor do most people ever reinstall. When I did IT, the first thing I checked was hard drive space, you'd be amazed how many problems cleared up once the HD had more than 2 MB of free space on it or a Defrag was run for the very first time on a 3 year old machine...

Robert

[djt1]

XP Service Pack 3 is 316 MB. That certain sounds like: "Then, you have to install and download hundreds of megabytes of updates for your software" In addition, I have Office 2007, which has SP1 to install, and more than likely, any Adobe or other apps will need downloads. Not to mention, in my case, the Catalyst drivers and updates for evey piece of hardware you own.


Big deal, you download the redistributable version of the service pack and burn it to a disk before you reinstall the OS. After the OS is installed you install the redistributable file, takes about ten minutes.
As far as the drivers go that’s just another example, I can’t tell you how many times I have heard about issues with new drivers. The thing is, I very seldom am able to reproduce the issue, even with an exact system configuration. What’s the difference? I usually end up installing the new driver on a fresh OS, the user who claims they have an issue has either installed them over the previous drivers or by un-installing the previous drivers. Again another hosed OS/registry is to blame.



Maybe you should stick to a "real hardware site" where people who are computer experts gather, because most people don't care about the computer, just what it can do for them, and most people don't do any maintenance, nor do most people ever reinstall.

Just like any other computer enthusiast I do “stick to a "real hardware sites”. If you have ever taken a look at the misconceptions that float around this forum it wouldn’t take anyone very long to seek info else ware.
Your right “most people don't do any maintenance, nor do most people ever reinstall”, and it shows by the issues and poor performance that they then claim they are getting. System and application performance is directly related to the condition of OS. Lack of maintenance just compromises performance.

[rdamurphy]

Exactly, but a lot of people, especially tech-heads, try to give advanced advice to neophyte users. I've seen a lot of so-called experts advising someone who barely knows how to open Outlook Express to "edit the registry." Of course, they don't mention HOW to do that, such as Start/Run/regedit, assuming of course that "everyone knows that." I've seen people give answers to a guy with a laptop in his living room that would only apply to a Windows Doman under Active Directory!

Ron's advice was technically sound, and good advice for someone who has never re-installed or installed an OS before. Yes, I know how to slipstream service packs, but do you give that advice to someone who's never even burned a CD before? Or doesn't know that their computer can even do that?

Robert

[djt1]

Ron's advice was technically sound, and good advice for someone who has never re-installed or installed an OS before.


“Reinstalling Windows doesn't format the drive. It does, however, overwrite the existing installation and will randomly corrupt files and programs already on that hard drive thus creating a mess to clean up later.”

This is “technically sound, and good advice”????

[rdamurphy]

Yes. Programs will need to be reinstalled if they have registry entries. Anything in a System Folder, like My Documents or Shared Documents will be overwritten. Favorites and email .psd files will be gone. Some programs in XP won't open with the error message "This file was not created on this computer, security, bla bla bla." You have seen that error, haven't you? It overwrites the Registry, and a lot of things that were there won't be there. I've done it, and have had corrupted files that you could not select or delete in Windows, and I had to reboot in DOS mode to delete them - and that does not always work.

Maybe it's not 733Tspeak but it is essentially correct. If you asked someone how to start a car, would you expect a 45 minute lecture on the internal workings of an internal combustion engine, or would you just want them to tell you to turn the key?

Robert

[djt1]

Some programs in XP won't open with the error message "This file was not created on this computer, security, bla bla bla." You have seen that error, haven't you? I've done it, and have had corrupted files that you could not select or delete in Windows, and I had to reboot in DOS mode to delete them - and that does not always work.


No I have not seen that message nor have I had any corrupt files because I’m not talking about a “quick” format, I said a full reformat where you delete the partition before reinstalling Windows, which is the proper, recommended way to do it. With this method everything is wiped from any previous installs and unseen by the new OS, which is the whole reason for the reformat to begin with.

[rdamurphy]

Exactly! I personally would never do a reinstall over an old Windows install without wiping, which is what Ron was trying to tell him. It's a bad idea, it's better to back up all of your personal data onto another media, reinstall from a fdisked formatted hard drive, and bring everything back (except the trojans, viruses, spyway, quicktime and realplayer (but I repeat myself!). Since we all agree can we stop arguing about it?

Robert

[djt1]

Exactly! I personally would never do a reinstall over an old Windows install without wiping, which is what Ron was trying to tell him.

No ones arguing, it would just be nice if more BS info didn’t get pass along here, again. I did not see where a “quick” format vs. a “full” reformat was ever mentioned throughout the entire discussion.

By the way if you “personally would never do a reinstall over an old Windows install without wiping” then how did you experience the corrupt files and error message you mentioned? Just experimentation?

[rdamurphy]

No, that's how I learned to never do a reinstall over an old Windows install without wiping it. In other words, yes, I tried it, and no, it doesn't work. Actually, it REALLY doesn't work. In other words, it's a REALLY REALLY REALLY bad idea...

Robert

[djt1]

No, that's how I learned to never do a reinstall over an old Windows install without wiping it. In other words, yes, I tried it, and no, it doesn't work. Actually, it REALLY doesn't work. In other words, it's a REALLY REALLY REALLY bad idea...
Robert

Even though I’ve taken college level computer hardware classes, I learned a lot more over the years by just trying it, which is what got me interested in computer hardware to begin with. Nothing is better than having the actual experience.

For those who do care about system maintenance, here some excellent OS installation guides.

http://www.tweakhound.com/xp/installxp/installXP1.htm

http://www.tweakhound.com/vista/installguide.htm

http://www.abxzone.com/forums/f41/operating-system-software-installation-guide-34558.html

[rdamurphy]

That's pretty much why I, and folks like Ron, don't get too detailed or technical, there really are people who don't know where the "Any" key is!

Robert