Very basic info requested
 

No, basic, not Basic!

This is something I should have found out years ago but I've never got round to asking.

1. How do I do a clean re-instal of Windows? Is it a case of starting the machine in DOS and then doing a C:Windows\delete to get rid of the old version, or is it more complicated than that? Having had the machine running for a year errors are starting to creep in and I think that a fresh start with Windows would be a good idea.

2. How do I partition the hard disk? That way I could keep Windows on the C drive and put programs and document files in separate partitions which I think is good practice. (And make it easier to uninstall and reinstall Windows by re-formatting the C drive.)

I'm running Windows ME on a 2GHz Athlon machine with 512mB RAM, a 60 GB main hard drive and a 3 GB secondary hard drive. (Funny, that hard drive seemed really big when I got it a year ago!)
With two hard drives (C,D), DVD (E), CDRW (F), Zip Drive (G) and a digital camera (H when it's plugged in), I'm practically half way through the alphabet already, I think I might run out of letters!

Groundgripper,

With your comp I would suggest changing your OS to Windows XP.

You still have 18 more drive letters left. I would think your comp would grind to a halt if you had that many devices on it.

The best way to do a fresh install with a Win9x OS is to first make a boot disk. On the Boot Disk, copy format.exe and fdisk.exe on to it. Then you can delete your current partition, create a new partition and then format that new partition. Then you can use your WinME CD to do the fresh install.

Take Care,

Richard

Is your computer behind a router or hardware firewall?

If not, you should download a firewall like ZoneAlarm and burn it to a CD. Then disconnect your computer from the modem before reformatting and reinstalling. Before going online install the firewall to prevent any viruses taking over your computer.

I posted a thread about doing a clean install of WindowsXP a little while ago. Most of it should also work for WindowsME. Basically the link I posted talked about downloading all of the patches for the operating system and burning them to a CD with a few other programs. This would give you a fully patched system before you even hooked up to the internet.

A friend of mine had his computer taken over within minutes of a clean install by the Blaster virus. It does kind of ruin your day.

goates

Er, yes, thanks for that, I think!

Richard, I agree I should upgrade but funds are a bit tight at present.
I was actually joking about the number of letters I am using. The bit about deleting and recreating a partition leads me on to the second part of my original question - how do I partition the drive?

Goates - I do run Zone Alarm so can copy that to a CD. Can you remember when you did your bit on a clean install of XP? I did a search but didn't find anything.

From what you both say, it's going to be a case of reformatting (and then re-loading everything) rather than doing something clever in DOS for Windows only.

That does lead to another question - if I have downloaded a program, say Zone Alarm, to the C drive, can I just copy what exists in C:Program Files and get everything I need to re-load and run it, or are bits hidden elsewhere? I seem to remember trying that with McAfee Anti Virus on to a Zip Disk and then not being able to re-install it from the Zip.

Here is the topic I started: Secure WindowsXP Install.

To copy ZoneAlarm to a CD, you'll need to copy the installation program, not the folder in the Program Files directory. If you are using the free version, you could just download a new copy from the internet and burn that file straight to CD.

If you are going to reinstall the entire system, you can create new partitions during the install process. One of the first steps is to select the partition to instal Windows to. There should be an option to creat new partitions. Note that you will need to delete the current partition if it takes up the entire drive.

goates

Groundgripper,

How to Use the Fdisk Tool and the Format Tool to Partition or Repartition a Hard Disk

Fdisk allows you to make partitions on a drive.

Take Care,

Richard

Gentlemen,

thank you each for those comments - when I feel brave and have enough time to re-install everything after I've re-formatted the disk I shall have a go.

Groundgripper,

If you need a hand when the time comes, shoot me either a PM or an Email.

I would be happy to go over all the steps to get you ready for the fresh install, via Email. (Bootable Floppy, System Tools, Driver Downloads, etc.) I could be on the phone with you when you start the install too. So, the install it will go smoothly and save you a lot of time. ;)

Take Care,

Richard

Many thanks for the offer, Richard.

GG

I haven't seen any mention yet that deleting your one and only partition will remove all programs and all data, ie: everything. You need to make a backup of all your created data, your email folders/address book, your dictionaries, your favorites, your downloads, etc, etc. That will enable you to get up and running smoothly after your clean-up.

spork,

It was in my link. Here are the details:

Take Care,

Richard