Backing-up, formating and reloading Windows on a PC

[T B0NE 10]

Ok guys, I think my computer could have a virus or something, I think its minor, but its not running properly.

 

I want to reboot my PC and have it start over like its new.

What are the steps I'm gonna have to do before I do this.

 

I think I saved my itunes library, by going to backup files on iTunes. But somehow my 500 songs fit on 3 cd's. Did I do it right?

Now I'm in the process of burning many files to CD's.

Also is there any way I can get my favorites from Firefox saved?

Also I share this computer with my parents currently and my parents use Outlook express, how would I set that up again?

Same with the internet, will I be able to basically plug it in and go?

 

Thanks a ton! Im decent with computers but certainly not a genius with stuff.

 

EDIT: Changed the title for clarity -- bscr

[bullox]

For reference, rebooting a PC is just turning it off and on. What you are planning on doing is a format.

 

Itunes - I don't use this, someone else can help I'm sure.

Firefox Bookmarks - go to Bookmarks, Organize bookmarks. Click Import and Backup, Export HTML. That file that is exported will contain all of your bookmarks. A better thing to do would be to use the Foxmarks extension, which automatically backs up all of your bookmarks for you. Up to you if you want to look in to that or not. I use it religiously.

For your parents email, you will need to save the email server addresses (POP or IMAP and SMTP).

As long as your internet connection is set to Automatically obtain an IP address you should be fine.

[T B0NE 10]

Thanks bullox

Also what about the outlook express address book?

[bullox]

I don't use that and I'm running Vista right now so it's not even an option for me. I'm sure someone else can help.

[jhart05]

iTunes...500 songs fitting on 3 CDs sounds about right.

 

Outlook Express...you can save the address book similar to the way you'll save the favorites out of Firefox. Dig around in the options. Once you're done, I'd have them switch to Thunderbird.

 

You will need to look thru every file/folder on the hard drive, because you will loose everything.

 

So any excel files, word docs, pdf's, pictures, videos, emails, anything you want to keep, besides programs that you can just download or reinstall with the disk, needs to be saved either on a disk or a second hard drive. If that turns out to be a lot, you might want to think about getting some DVD disks to put your stuff on, (if you don't have a second hard drive of course).

 

Be careful, double check to make sure you have everything saved somewhere, that you want to keep, before reformatting the hard drive.

[DatHoser]

One alternative, a wimp's way out, is to buy a new hard drive. Remove the current hard drive, load the OS on the new one. Then load an anti-virus program on the new setup and re-attach the old hard drive as a secondary. Have the anti-virus search the old hard drive and you should be able to transfer stuff at your convenience. Once everything is said and done, you'll have an extra HD which can be used for backups, song storage, etc.

[BillScottCanRake]

One alternative, a wimp's way out, is to buy a new hard drive. Remove the current hard drive, load the OS on the new one. Then load an anti-virus program on the new setup and re-attach the old hard drive as a secondary. Have the anti-virus search the old hard drive and you should be able to transfer stuff at your convenience. Once everything is said and done, you'll have an extra HD which can be used for backups, song storage, etc.

I did this with my last PC when I decided I wanted to use a hard drive to store complete images of my PC rather than just backups. I got a faster, larger capacity drive as my primary drive and used the existing drive to store the images, which was a lot handier than a regular backup.

I'm not sure what your budget is like, or how your PC specs out, but this idea has a lot of advantages to it, wimping out aside. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

[jhart05]

That's what I do now.

 

I had one hard drive several years ago. It crashed and I lost everything.

 

Never again. Now I have two drives and copy everything to the second drive every-so-often.

[eanelson4]

I also go with the 2 hard drive approach. I have been building my own PC's a long time now, and this is certainly the way to go. I have a 300GB SATA drive as my secondary that I keep all my DL'd files, music, movies, game saves, school stuff, etc. on. For my main drive, I have a 72GB Western Digital Raptor (these things are great. they absolutely fly). Whenever I need to reformat, I take about 10 minutes to look through the main drive, make sure there is nothing I haven't moved to my secondary drive yet, then I wipe that sucker clean! Works great.

 

As an aside: I am very suprised in the fact that I haven't had to reformat in 2 years (since I built my latest comp.). This computer I built is fantastic. Prior to this PC, I was in a habit of reformatting every ~6-12 months. My current PC is still screaming fast and I have tons of stuff on it. I love it

[giffted1]

As others have said, two hard drives is the way to go. Another thing to do would be to take screen shots of everything...desktop, start menu, etc. so everything looks the same after you reinstall windows.

 

I have a 72GB Western Digital Raptor (these things are great. they absolutely fly)

Oooohhh, VelociRaptor (me drooling). I wanna put one in my next build.

[1992casey]

Before transferring your old files back to your newly formatted drive, make doubly sure that they're not infected with anything.

[jhart05]

I also like to make two partitions on my main drive.

 

So my C: drive is nothing but my Windows OS and other programs.

 

Then my D: drive and so on, holds the stuff I want to keep.

[NeedMoreFans]

How about if I wanted to do this with my laptop? I don't really want to buy an external drive for my laptop, but sort of want to wipe the slate clean (I have some issues that need resolved).

[jhart05]

Buy some DVDs and copy all your files that you want to keep over to that. You would of course need a DVD burner.

 

Otherwise have to get a bunch of CDs and save your files on those.

[pitchleague]

I use an external hard drive with my laptop. Works great. You can find decent-capacity externals for really decent prices if you look around. The transfers are a snap.

 

I've always thought of re-formatting my laptop. Is there any special benefits to doing this regularly, especially if you're not having any real problems?

[T B0NE 10]

Well I'm going to burn all the files to a DVD.

 

I'm having problems with Outlook Express and the servers and stuff.

[jhart05]

I've always thought of re-formatting my laptop. Is there any special benefits to doing this regularly, especially if you're not having any real problems?

 

 

If your computer is stable, still running as fast as it was when it was new, you don't have a lot of worthless programs on there, and you've still got plenty of space...then no there is no real benefit. At least I don't think so.

 

My desktop still runs fine with Windows XP, I haven't re-done anything since I put this one together. It's been probably at least three years now, I think, maybe longer. Course I'm very cautious about what I install on this thing.

[jhart05]

Well I'm going to burn all the files to a DVD.

All? Not the programs folder thou, right? Like casey said, before transferring your old files back to your newly formatted drive, make doubly sure that they're not infected with anything.

I'm having problems with Outlook Express and the servers and stuff.

What do you mean exactly? I wouldn't worry too much about Outlook stuff. I would just export the address book, save any emails you want saved, then be done with Outlook. Run with Thunderbird when you start up fresh. You should be able to make a quick call to your internet service provider to get the server info, if you don't have the original setup disk or booklet anymore.

[SquirrelMaster]

Buy a Mac, and transfer all of your files to that. I've had 6-7 pcs in my short life, and one mac. Hands down the Mac is a bit better quality. Just my two cents. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[T B0NE 10]

What I did is downloaded Thunderbird and am trying to install my parents email on that so I can do it when I restart the computer. I got it so they can recieve mail on Thunderbird, but it asks for a password when I try to send it. I try using their account password, but it's not working. The account password is the only thing that it really can possibly be I think too.

[T B0NE 10]

Just another question.....what is a good burning program that I can download for free? Or are they all just the same?

[jhart05]

The account password is the only thing that it really can possibly be I think too.

 

Yeah that should be the account password given by the ISP. Maybe they changed it at some point and forgot about it?? You can probably call their ISP and have the password reset. I was having that problem for awhile also, but that's been a few years ago now. Don't remember anymore what I did to fix it.

 

 

 

For burning I use Nero. But they should have gotten some program with the burner when they got the computer.

I don't really think there is much of a difference, all of them will burn your files. Probably the only difference is "user-friendliness". I've only ever used Nero thou.

[jhart05]

Might be able to find something here:

 

http://www.mozilla.org/support/thunderbird/

 

 

See if this helps at all...

 

Setting and changing email passwords

From MozillaZine Knowledge Base

This article was written for Thunderbird but also applies to Mozilla Suite / SeaMonkey (though some menu sequences may differ).

Thunderbird doesn't provide a way for a user to enter the POP/IMAP/SMTP servers password when configuring a account. This frequently confuses new users who expect to be able to do that because they did that with their previous email client. Thunderbird will prompt for a password the first time it needs one. When it does that you can check the checkbox to save the password using the password manager if you want Thunderbird to remember the password.

 

When you change a password using Thunderbird you're merely changing Thunderbirds copy of the password. It has no effect on the real password. You typically have to use a browser and login to webmail to change the password that the mail server expects.

 

The only way to change a password saved by the password manager is to delete it, get prompted for the new password the next time it needs it, and then tell it again to save that password. You can delete the password using Tools -> Options -> Privacy -> Passwords -> View Saved Passwords by selecting the password and then pressing the Remove button.

[bullox]

Just another question.....what is a good burning program that I can download for free? Or are they all just the same?

I recommend Infrarecorder. Not a trial or demo, full version, fully legal. Give 'er a go.

 

[T B0NE 10]

Thanks....I will do actually do the formatting once I'm done with this big project for school. I'm taking no chances with my 25 page project that I've spent the last month on.