saving programs before a format

[shelby55]

How do I save programs that I don't want to lose after I format my hard drive, and to beable to put them back on when the format is done ?
Thank you for any help.

Michelle

[Paleo Pete]

The best way to go is completely reinstall them after reinstalling Windows. Backups can be made on CD or by using the backup program in Windows, but is sometimes not as reliable as an actuall install. I prefer to reinstall everything from scratch and only replace files created by those programs. Of course, to reinstall you have to have the original software to begin with...

Documents, pictures and other non-program files can be saved onto floppy or CD and replaced, zip files downloaded can be saved the same way so you don't have to download them again.

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[kayofcircles]

Is there a way to save downloaded programs from Microsoft without a backup program? If I were to reformat and reinstall, would lose the downloaded stuff that Microsoft "installed" after download...I think. ??

[mjc]

If you used the "Windows Update" feature, no because it downloads to a temp file, installs it and then deletes the temp. There are a couple of alternatives, though, there is a Corporate Update (http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/downloads/corporate.asp) site that allows you to download the installation package, it has most of the updates and you need to know the numbers. Or you just reinstall go back to the update site and grab the needed fixes and pause the install and grab the contents of the temp (real pain in the neck and not really recommended) or just do it the old fashioned way, update, reboot, update.......

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mjc
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[kayofcircles]

mjc: okay, thanks.

[mjc]

The one advantage that I can see from going through the update process at the update site is that then Windows will "know" which updates have been done. The downside is that MS would then know what was done, too.

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mjc
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