Help Formatting Hd

Oke my question is the following,A friend of mine wants to format his C: drivebecause it`s runnin out of space and is verryslow.But he has programmes installed on hisD: drive which is NOT a physical other driveit`s just a partition on his ONE physical HD.The question is if he was to format the C:partiton would that effect the programmes installed on the D: partition?

Yes, the programs actually install registry keys on the "Main" Partition drive. In his case the C: Drive.I would find all the programs install files so that after you reinstall windows on the C: drive you can reinstall the programs with the correct registry keys on the C: drive.I have used programs on another drive without installing the registry keys and had some wierd issues/unstability.

Thanks Klass I appreciate it

If he has extra space on the D: drive, simply backup the registry and save the backup to drive D:. After formatting drive C: and reinstalling Windows (since I'm assuming windows is installed on drive C:) you can simply copy the backedup registry over the new registry and all the programs should be fine. Unless the plan is to copy the programs to the c: drive in which case Klass's idea is the best bet or registry modification.~Viz

How do I backup the registry?Where exactly is that directory situated?

The only problem with backuping your registry is that all other things in your registry also will be copied. So if there are much programs that startup with windows startup, the computer will try to open them, but because the C: drive is formatted he can't. So it's you're choice, but if I format my computer i backup some files (like documents, music e.d.) and then I format everything, so I can begin with i clean computer.

To backup the registry, go Start->Run->regedit->open. Then go File->Export, make sure that the radio button at the bottom is selected for all instead of selected branch. Then give it a name and save it. To restore the back up simply go File->Import and choose that backup. To avoid the startup program issue, use the program startup.exe to only the programs you will have stating up on your new install to start up.

~Viz

i think it might.it is better to take back up of the programs.best option is to write them on cd's and then format.

yes.. 4 this case.. u gonna plug out the D: partition b4 formatting the C:..i used to do this when i format my computer

FlameBoiz i dont think he can "unplug" his d drive it is a partition of his physical partition but themethod i suggest before and after a reinstall is the two magic words "norton ghost" or a similar back up system program. The latest ghost of the top of my head is 8.0 it will let you select certain programs only even excluding the os and then format place those back exactly where they belongand then i recommend to not stop there but to fully install all neccessary programs (you decide wats neccessary) and then do a ghost of that entire system and keep it until next install and follow the same system againGood Luck with install

If he has extra space on the D: drive, simply backup the registry and save the backup to drive D:.  After formatting drive C: and reinstalling Windows (since I'm assuming windows is installed on drive C:) you can simply copy the backedup registry over the new registry and all the programs should be fine.  Unless the plan is to copy the programs to the c: drive in which case Klass's idea is the best bet or registry modification.

 

~Viz

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

it'll be sort of pointless to back up the registry, if the computer is bloated and running slow. a clean install and reinstalling all programs would be much better. or another idea, if you're stuck on not reinstalling all the programs...admittedly headache, is to use a program like jvPowertools16 to clean your registry of all garbage. and then back it up.

If you have all program's on the D drive in CD or DVD, so you can install them again, I think it would be best to completely remove everything. Also don't think: i'm gonna play that game another time and i'm using this program once in the 2 years. Delete much, it's the only way te get your computer cleaner and faster.

As you are going to format your HD because it's alsmot full and slow.And as said before, it's better idea to delete as much as posible. The programas you have installed on the D partition must be deleted, you must get the installers of those programs.It could be a good idea to make backup on CD of those installers once you have themm all.So backuping the registry isn't a good idea. Because when you insert the bachuped registry, there could be a lot of problems, becuase of the objects registered, if you applied updates (Windows Update), or install programas like Norton . Then you will have a lot of problems, and not just the problems of starting applications when ypur computer starts (and because it's recently formatted) It won't find nothing. So definetevely it's not a good idea to back up the registry. And the only option that will resolver your problem is format C: drrive, delete the installed programas on D partition. And install evrything again. What should be back up when formatting something are documents (like works made in Word, Excel) and Program Installers (not the installed application, like the installation folder)

Backup of registry will not work. Some programs even put some .dll files in the system32 or system folder. Finding those files is nearly impossible. So the best suggession would be Reinstall windows and reinstall all the other software. If you don't have the installers do not format. Try disk defragmenting and cleaning up some unwanted files.