reinstall xp

[wombil]

hello All,
I have XP Sp2 home edition installed on 120 gig hdd.partitioned as;
C: = 20 gig contains XP sp2
E: = 100 gig contains all data,pictures & most applications.
My question is,Can I just reinstall xp over the existing one on partition C and will the stuff on E remain intact?
Thanks

[Sylvander]

1. Anything on E: that was referenced in the registry [or other configuration files] of the old installation of XP on C: will still be on E: but won't work after the new installation of XP is completed.

That means...
(a) All the applications [that have registry settings and are] installed to E: won't work.
This is why I always keep all installed programs on the Windows partition [C:].
So you'd need to reinstall all the programs that were previously installed to E:
You could either install the new copies to C: and delete the old files on E: or else [delete the old files on E: and] install the new to the same locations as the old [I don't advise this].

(b) Portable programs would still work.

(c) Data files [photo's, music etc][don't have registry entries specifying their location] would work just fine.
The reason I keep such as these off C: [on E: F:].

(d) Any data files used by Windows or Programs [OE emails, Windows Address Book, IE files, Firefox files], if they'd been MOVED off C: wouldn't work until the new Windows had been told [registry settings set] of their location.
I keep these off C: [on D:], but never usually reinstall Windows; instead make and restore images that always include their settings in the registry.

[Paul Komski]

You can reinstall over (an in place upgrade or repair installation (http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm)) without affecting any data or programs unless you are very unlucky or have been using encryption. You could also delete C: and clean install brand new without deleting or overwriting anything on E: (if you are careful, so watch the prompts, of course). The latter is the scenario that Sylvander has outlined. A third option is to clean install into C: as a new parallel installation but into a new Windows (say Windows00x) folder - space permitting that would give you a dual boot of old and new Windows.

[wombil]

Thanks Fellers,
That all seems straightforward enough.My Documents,My Music & My Pictures are on E, so if I leave them there they should be ok?
Maybe I'll back em all up to another drive anyway to be safe.
Thanks again.

[Sylvander]

1. "so if I leave them there they should be ok?"
Yes, but the new [not a repair?] installation of Windows would need to be told of the non-default location of the files.
I normally use TweakUI to tell my Win2000Pro [via settings in the registry] of the new location.
How did you do it?

2. "Maybe I'll back em all up to another drive anyway to be safe"
Not strictly necessary, but prudent nonetheless.
I use SyncBack to routinely maintain an up-to-date 2nd copy of all data partition contents to [a folder on a partition on] my external USB HDD; that works really well.

[wombil]

Thanks Sylvander,
"How did I do it?" I assume you refer to putting My Documents etc on volume E:.
I am not really sure,it was some time ago when I installed XP home.I got the directions from this forum and the last step was to choose :"Target". Other programs from the net I just change the C:/ to E:/ in the save to box.I just thought I would leave C: for xp on it's own and give it plenty of room.
Thanks again,you've all been very helpful.