I'm trying to do a reinstall on my windows XP computer and I need help backing up drivers. I tried with a couple of free maleware software but I'm having conflicting issues. What is the best way to back up your drivers?
Computer Help
- Thread starter The Chaver
- Start date
Help Support Collector Freaks Forum:
why are you backing up drivers?
So after I reformat my hard drive and reinstall Windows XP my computer will be able to function, it can't operate without it's drivers once you reformat. I'm starting fresh!
Can't you just download them again after you have reinstalled your OS? I am pretty sure windows XP automatically looks for drivers.
I tried that years ago and found that my drivers for my network adapter where not present and I could not acces the internet.
Poop. I would try top find them at Download.com and then copy them to a disk or a flash card.
Mesa
Super Freak
definitely need to backup your network card drivers to a floppy. Maybe also your CD Drive drivers also.
Most Windows CD's recognize the most populars NIC and CD drives, but I've had some issues on older machines.
I also prefer to use the recommended drivers that came with the machine. Some of the drivers that it automatically finds and recommends aren't as good as the original, I've found. Which is why I like Dell's so much. All their drivers are on the resource CD and also available through the Dell site.
If you are starting fresh, and you are loading the OS to one of the newer SATA hard drives (instead of the older PATA hard drives), you're copy of windows may not recognize the SATA drive and you'll need to find drivers for that SATA and put on a floppy and during the OS load, push F3 (or whatever) to go to your floppy and load the drivers so it can see your SATA hard drive. I've encountered this several times on several machines.
Good luck. My advice, always have a second working computer when trying to do a clean format/install, just in case.
Most Windows CD's recognize the most populars NIC and CD drives, but I've had some issues on older machines.
I also prefer to use the recommended drivers that came with the machine. Some of the drivers that it automatically finds and recommends aren't as good as the original, I've found. Which is why I like Dell's so much. All their drivers are on the resource CD and also available through the Dell site.
If you are starting fresh, and you are loading the OS to one of the newer SATA hard drives (instead of the older PATA hard drives), you're copy of windows may not recognize the SATA drive and you'll need to find drivers for that SATA and put on a floppy and during the OS load, push F3 (or whatever) to go to your floppy and load the drivers so it can see your SATA hard drive. I've encountered this several times on several machines.
Good luck. My advice, always have a second working computer when trying to do a clean format/install, just in case.
Okay I just found my motherboard drivers dics! That should be all I need to get started. I can use windows update to get the rest of my drivers.
Okay, now it saying I can't format because I have some windows open, WTH???
ALright, I'm clicking format on "local disk" and it's giving me an error. Is there another way to format?
Last edited:
Okay I got it. You have to restart your computer and disable your hard drive so that when you restart a second time you have the option of booting from your CD-ROM and not your operating system. The "press any key" prompt comes up, you then press it, and then place the Windows XP operating system disc in the CD-ROM and you can format that way.
I've only ever done a format with Windows 98 and Mellinium through DOS. I never done it with Windows XP and beyond. Oh well I know now. Here it goes!
I've only ever done a format with Windows 98 and Mellinium through DOS. I never done it with Windows XP and beyond. Oh well I know now. Here it goes!
Mesa
Super Freak
yes, put the Windows disk in the drive, reboot your computer, get into the bios and tell it to boot from the CD first. Windows install will ask you several times if you are sure. Press "L" to continue.
I can't believe you're attempting this without having seen it done. I was too chicken and had a friend show me my first few times.
get a good defragmenter and defrag after updates and installs.
Ignore the first few virus notifications, they are virus invites themselves, and will stop showing up once you get all the necessary windows and anti-virus updates.
I can't believe you're attempting this without having seen it done. I was too chicken and had a friend show me my first few times.
get a good defragmenter and defrag after updates and installs.
Ignore the first few virus notifications, they are virus invites themselves, and will stop showing up once you get all the necessary windows and anti-virus updates.
mr.thrifty
Super Freak
Question from someone who knows very little about serious computer overhaulin..
doing this is supposed to wipe everything clean and bring back your computer to how it was when you first got it?
and another question is....are there ways to get back the speed without doing this? I've used advice from Skiman and that helped. but is there more we can do?
doing this is supposed to wipe everything clean and bring back your computer to how it was when you first got it?
and another question is....are there ways to get back the speed without doing this? I've used advice from Skiman and that helped. but is there more we can do?
I'm back!! It worked. I'm all clean and fresh. I thought I was going to be working on getting it to access the internet at least until the morning. But it was pretty simple actually. I do have to update and tweak the hell out of it though.
But yeah I knew little bit about computer software and operating systems installation but that was 10 years back. Alot of what I knew was lost and a bit sketchy. So I just started recently teaching myself how to do it on the newer operating systems by watching YouTube tutorials and asking questions here and there, but the YouTube videos helped me out the most.
And to answer your question Thrift, yes it does wipe it clean. Whatever viruses and Spy ware you had will be gone. And there are a few ways to make your computer run faster. I can send you a YouTube tutorial link that can show you how to do it. Or you can go on YouTube and search "how to make windows operating (XP, Vista, etc) system run faster".
Well thanks for the help guys.
But yeah I knew little bit about computer software and operating systems installation but that was 10 years back. Alot of what I knew was lost and a bit sketchy. So I just started recently teaching myself how to do it on the newer operating systems by watching YouTube tutorials and asking questions here and there, but the YouTube videos helped me out the most.
And to answer your question Thrift, yes it does wipe it clean. Whatever viruses and Spy ware you had will be gone. And there are a few ways to make your computer run faster. I can send you a YouTube tutorial link that can show you how to do it. Or you can go on YouTube and search "how to make windows operating (XP, Vista, etc) system run faster".
Well thanks for the help guys.
Last edited:
Mesa
Super Freak
Absolutely. You wipe out and reformat your hard drive and start out with a clean boot, like it looks Chaver just got done with, and it's like having a brand new PC. You hit the "start" button and it's nearly empty. The sys tray only has about 4 processes running. I try to do it to redo mine every 1-2 years.
The more you have to save and backup and manage not to delete is what takes the time. I have three computers, 1 data, 1 web/game, and 1 backed up and not plugged in. They've always worked or I've fixed them, so I can't throw out a completely good but a little slower PC. On my data PC, the data is saved on secondary HD (D
. The OS is on a 60GB (C. When I redo it, i just disconnect the data drive and reload the smaller 60 GB OS drive. Same for the other two. If you do it enough, it becomes second nature. Beats buying a new PC every 2-3 years. My "newest" PC is at least 4 years old, and runs great, but been over a year since I've done the reformat.alright, i'm done geeking out.
Mesa
Super Freak
XP or Vista?
now i'm done.
now i'm done.
Skiman
Super Freak
Always use the delete partition part of the OS Blue screen install and also do a full reformat whenever asked. I believe the partial format keeps the base part of the system (basically the windows directory and system32 in tact) and just wipes out the rest of the installation for the C: drive, in which the virus can effect the core system of the Windows OS directory.
Always go to the manufacturers website if you know each piece of hardware make in your PC. Usually any of the NVIDIA/ATI drivers will work dependent on the card/make you own. Unless it's like 6 - 10 years old that it's no longer supported.
The CD supplied drivers for each piece of hardware are usually ancient with so many bugs.
Yeah, I just got through downloading my Invidia drivers form their site a few minutes ago. My screen was slightly flashing and scrolling real slow, so I knew I had to update my graphics card. It's fine now.
I'm working on getting my Cd-ROM drivers and some misc software like Javascript, Active X, ect.
Similar threads
