Computer stuff

[starrylizard]

I bloody love my computer. But it's got to the point where it just is slow and stuff doesn't run right and things disappear... ya know?

So, I really want to just clear the whole thing off and reinstall from scratch. My question, therefore is, is there a guide for doing that?

Like, what is the best way to make sure you save the stuff you need and which programs should I make sure I definitely have the installation discs for etc.?

Is there a good guide for that? A bit of a "Guide to how to reset your computer for dummies"?

If anyone knows of one, could you please link me?

Lizzie

Comments

[the-muppet.livejournal.com]

If you find one, please let me know =)

Then again, my mate Brian at work has done this for me in the past, so I'm lucky I know someone who knows how to do it =)

*hugs*

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Oh I wish I had an IT guy handy. I may end up paying someone to help me do it, because I'm kinda scared of messing everything up.

[smuffster.livejournal.com]

I usually start off by going through the applications folder and making a list of all programs installed. Just check you have discs for stuff you might want to re-install which you can't otherwise download later.

Then it's just a matter of trawling through your directories and backing-up stuff you want to keep.

[smuffster.livejournal.com]

Oh, and you can import your bookmarks to delicious.

And I don't know if you use a mail program, but I've actually switched all my pop mail accounts to be downloaded by gmail so I don't have to backup my mail anymore.

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

I don't use delicious, but I'll make a note to save my bookmarks. Good idea. :)

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Oh and cos you've obviously done this before... is there a way, when you're ready, to say "delete everything"? Or do you have to uninstall each program separately.

[smuffster.livejournal.com]

Um, I haven't done the PC formatting thing for ages. Er *thinks* as long as you have the Windows installation disc you should just be able to format the entire drive and then when you pop the Windows disc the installation is pretty straight forward. I think.

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Oh okay. So reformatting the drive will delete everything then. Good to know, I guess. :)

edit: I can type. :P

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Okay, sounds reasonable. Thanks.

[lark_ascends]

*thinks back to when I did this*

1.) list of all the programs on your computer
2.) back up the original .exe files that installed any programs you've dled, that you've kept -- this'll make it easier to get a lot of the things on your list installed.
3.) back up any data/bookmarks. Think whether there's anything that gets saved in 'odd' places by programs that you might want to look for and back up. Write down the extensions you have in firefox, and make sure you've bookmarked what tabs you have open.

Reinstalling windows usually formats the drive, I think, and it actually is pretty okay to do. From what I remember, turn computer off, turn it back on and put the windows installation disc in before it boots back up.

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

*is scared* I think I'll require back-up for courage, but yay.

OMG, it just gave me a heart-attack by saying "checking C drive for consistency" O_O But it started up okay afterwards.

[lark_ascends]

*hugs you* You can do it. I know how scary it can be, but as long as everything is backed up, it's okay. *hugs you more*

Eeek. Sometimes it can do that if it hasn't booted down quite properly. Your harddrive could be going, or something else... But, yeah, reinstalling is the first check.