Question about Formating/Reinstalling Windows XP while Partitioning to Back Up Files

[zmoose27]

I have an old computer. It runs slow, and based upon my experience with formatting other computers, I think it will run faster once I format and reinstall windows. The problem is that I have approximately 30 GB of files I need on this computer and do not want to lose in the formatting. So here is my plan to save these files and format/reinstall Windows, but I am unsure whether or not it will work.

Using Paragon Perfect Disk 9.0, I will partition my 120 GB harddrive into two partitions of size 60 GB. One one will contain Windows XP (the OS). On the other partition, I will transfer all 30 GB of the files I need onto it. Then I will format and reinstall Windows on the partition containing Windows XP. Once Windows XP is reinstalled, I will transfer all my files back onto the same partition, and then merge the two 60 GB partitions.

Will this plan work? I am unsure, and not willing to take any chances.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[Paul Komski]

Though you can separate data and OS onto different partitions it is ALWAYS dangerous to mess with partitions with ANY partitioning utilities while data is not backed up.

Do yourself a favour, if you value your data and the PC has a USB port, and get yourself an external USB hard drive. Alternatively get a second slaved internal IDE HDD or backup stuff onto DVDs before proceeding. Then you can backup your data as files onto the backup medium and/or clone the whole of the current drive to it.

With Data and/or Hard Drive Partition backed-up you can mess with and reinstall Windows etc to your heart's content. If you cannot make an image file onto the backup medium using Paragaon then post back for alternatives.

If you must resize, repartition, move data, reinstall, move data back then that is up to you. It can be done that way but it puts your data at risk so it all depends on how much you value your data. Any such valued data should always be backed up regularly onto removable media in any case. Hard drives can fail at any moment and PCs can be destroyed or stolen or ..... What would you do if you lost it all?