Reinstalling Vista

[Lucidor]

The winrot(TM) is finally too much of a drag. Things aren't working properly with USB units, and it's more and more sluggish. It's no virus or spyware that I've managed to find, so I'm assuming it's Bad Windows. I'm looking forward to trying to copy what data I can from the games that I still play - that windows spread somewhere, somehow, over my hard drive. I'm also saving my music and documents.

I've learned never to allow programs to access the program files directory, since that fucks up the file system pretty bad, putting files all over the "my documents" directory.

I've also learned that Windows is getting more and more counter intuitive.

Still - I want to play, so no Linux, and I won't shell out what they are asking for Windows 7, since I haven't read it's such a big improvement over Windows Vista.

1) Is there any good instructions online for how to do this. Do you have the option to wipe everything clean using the installer disk?
2) Should I go 64 bit Vista? It's an option when you install over again, from the OEM DVD, right? Does it influence XP compatibility?
3) How many hours should i budget for this?

[Lucidor]

Anyone? Someone must have done this before...

[Grey Fox]

1) Yes, it should.
2) How much memory you have? If you have less then 3k (RAM + video card memory) then No.
3) 6 hours.

[Caliga]

1) IIRC yes you can use the install DVD to do a reformat and then a clean install.  Important question: do you have an upgrade DVD or a full retail DVD?

2) I don't think any Vista DVDs (either OEM or retail) have both the 32 and 64 bit versions.  I have Vista 64 installed on my PC and Princesca's but I had to special-order the 64 bit media, as the retail versions I had for both PCs had 32 bit media only.  No idea if it impacts XP backwards compatibility but you still have the option to run stuff in XP compatibility mode with x64.

3) No clue since I have no idea what you want to save from your current hard drive nor what kind of hardware you have.  I have never seen a Vista install take more than 2 hours tops though, which includes time reinstallign drivers (assuming you have gathered those beforehand) and configuring necessary tweaks (e.g. disabling SuperFetch).

[Caliga]

3) 6 hours

[Lucidor]

1) IIRC yes you can use the install DVD to do a reformat and then a clean install.  Important question: do you have an upgrade DVD or a full retail DVD?

2) I don't think any Vista DVDs (either OEM or retail) have both the 32 and 64 bit versions.  I have Vista 64 installed on my PC and Princesca's but I had to special-order the 64 bit media, as the retail versions I had for both PCs had 32 bit media only.  No idea if it impacts XP backwards compatibility but you still have the option to run stuff in XP compatibility mode with x64.

3) No clue since I have no idea what you want to save from your current hard drive nor what kind of hardware you have.  I have never seen a Vista install take more than 2 hours tops though, which includes time reinstallign drivers (assuming you have gathered those beforehand) and configuring necessary tweaks (e.g. disabling SuperFetch).

Thanks for the replies! I have 4 gigs of onboard memory and about 600 MB on the graphics card, so I'd get another 1 meg free, or something.

The only drivers I need are Xonar and NVIDIA, I think.

I see now on the DVD that it's a 32 bit version, so I'll probably stick with that. It came bundled with my computer, but from a vendor that caters to some homebuilders, so I don't expect too many proprietary additions.

[Caliga]

Ok.  I don't know how it works where you are (and I forget where that is  ), but in the USA if you pay M$ ten bucks you get the 64 bit media for free.  Took like 2 days to get to my house after I ordered it.  Just in case you change your mind.

[Lucidor]

Ok.  I don't know how it works where you are (and I forget where that is  ), but in the USA if you pay M$ ten bucks you get the 64 bit media for free.  Took like 2 days to get to my house after I ordered it.  Just in case you change your mind.

Perhaps it's worth it? I'll look into it. I might install Vista 32 and then reformat before I do too much with it.

Edit: Sweden.

[Lucidor]

I've done it now. God how slow Safari is. I'm getting rid of it as soon as I have the time.

[Weatherman]

I've done it now. God how slow Safari is. I'm getting rid of it as soon as I have the time.

Don't let BB see you thinking that. 

[Ed Anger]

I've done it now. God how slow Safari is. I'm getting rid of it as soon as I have the time.

Don't let BB see you thinking that. 

He is frozen solid behind a snowdrift.

STEVE JOBS EATS BABIES!

See?