Clean Re-install of Windows98SE

What are the merits, if any, of doing a re-install of the operating system:
. 1) Including formatting C:\Drive ???

. 2) Without formatting the hard drive ???
.....Back-up C:\Windows\Application Data and Favorites plus the Address Book
.....Deltree C:\Windows, C:\Progra~1\Intern~1 and C:\Progra~1\Outloo~1

The second option would be quite a bit less work. But! - is there anything worthwhile to be gained by doing either Option 1 or 2 ???

Any comments on the above would be appreciated.

 

#2 makes no sense at all. There may still be a lot of leftovers that won't fit the new install. Just deleting does not ensure a good clean up. And you will need to do a lot of program re-installs and hardware driver re-installs anyway.

As far as I am concerned there are only two choices.

#1a re-install over top after a COLD ( power off ) boot from a floppy and then just make sure that Windows does go back into the existing Windows folder.

#2a FORMAT and do a clean install.

In either case do backup Program data

Using either way. If you have more that one HD ( or more than one partition on an HD ) then copy the contents of the Win98 folder on the CD to a folder named OPTIONS. ( lets says D:\Options ) Boot to the floppy and run setup from D:\Options.

There is no sense to copying the files to the C: drive. Because if you do have to format again they will be gone. If you do not copy the setup file to the HD. When you do boot to the floppy run setup from the Win98 Folder on the CD with a command such as E[cdrom letter]:\Win98\Setup.

A 3rd choice. Unless the system is having real bad problems, leave well enough alone[/b]

OH !! I forgot. If you do have more than one HD ( or partition ) neither way is going to do much house cleaning as it will have no effect on what is on other than the C: drive.

BillyBob

 

Also. If you do do and overtop re-install.

Set the Video back to Standard VGA setting.

Make sure your Anti Virus and Firewall are not running.

BillyBob

 

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BillyBob:

I appreciate your words of wisdom. Thank you.

Aubrey