I want to reinstall windows, because it is getting sluggish, what is the easiest way.

[panic]

Hello,
I have been using the same installation for about a year now, and have
installed and unistalled tons of programs, drivers, video cards, etc. The
system seems to be slower now with things simple like deleting
directories, starting up, logging in, etc. The simplest way would be to
reinstall windows on top of the current, but I don't think that will solve
anything, and can only think I will have to delete the Windows directory
and program files and reinstall my apps. You would think that there would
be some 3rd party software to manage this task since it seems like most
people have to reinstall windows now and then.
Thanks,
panic

[Jupiter Jones]

First of all if you haven't already, try these:
Run an updated virus scan.
Run Disk Cleanup checking all boxes except "Compress old files"
Run Defrag.
If you have file sharing software such as Kazaa, disable it.
Check this link:
http://www.aumha.org/a/noads.php
Run Ad-Aware (free version) or Spybot to check for spyware:
http://www.lavasoft.de/ (Update if you already have it)
Or
http://spybot.eon.net.au/ (Update if you already have it)

If that does not solve your issues, try F.A.S.T. to save Files and
Settings:
http://aumha.org/a/fast.htm

Then perform a Clean installation this way:
Disconnect all peripherals (camera, printer, scanner, etc)
Go to BIOS and set CDROM as boot device before hard drive.
Insert Windows XP CD and reboot.
At "Press any key to boot to CDROM" quickly press a key and follow the
prompts for a Clean installation:
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sg_clean.asp
Delete all partitions in step 5 if you desire to erase all data on the
hard drive.
Partitioning and formatting will be done automatically.
All data will be destroyed, back-up important data first.

--
Jupiter Jones
An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/newsgroups/setup.asp
Please respond to newsgroup only for everyone's benefit.


"panic" > wrote in message
nstant.com.socal.rr.com...
> Hello,
> I have been using the same installation for about a year now, and
have
> installed and unistalled tons of programs, drivers, video cards,
etc. The
> system seems to be slower now with things simple like deleting
> directories, starting up, logging in, etc. The simplest way would
be to
> reinstall windows on top of the current, but I don't think that will
solve
> anything, and can only think I will have to delete the Windows
directory
> and program files and reinstall my apps. You would think that there
would
> be some 3rd party software to manage this task since it seems like
most
> people have to reinstall windows now and then.
> Thanks,
> panic

[Quinoa S]

Certainly follow Jupiter's advice, and you'll be doing yourself a favor if
you could figure out what you have been doing that caused your computer to
perform this way. Otherwise, it will just start again after you've
reinstalled Windows.

Quinoa S

"panic" > wrote in message
nstant.com.socal.rr.com...
> Hello,
> I have been using the same installation for about a year now, and have
> installed and unistalled tons of programs, drivers, video cards, etc. The
> system seems to be slower now with things simple like deleting
> directories, starting up, logging in, etc. The simplest way would be to
> reinstall windows on top of the current, but I don't think that will solve
> anything, and can only think I will have to delete the Windows directory
> and program files and reinstall my apps. You would think that there would
> be some 3rd party software to manage this task since it seems like most
> people have to reinstall windows now and then.
> Thanks,
> panic

[Joel Tanzi]

Panic,

You say you "installed and unistalled tons of programs, drivers, video
cards, etc." This may seem obvious but have you been running Disk Cleanup
and Defragmenter on a regular basis? Moving this much data around can
definitely slow down your hard drive if you don't perform these routinely.

If you don't mind dropping $25 on a really good defrag program, you could
pick up DiskKeeper. I've been demoing it for a month now and it does a
terrific and quick job of keeping my hard drive optimized. One thing I like
about it is it doesn't start over every time the smallest thing changes in
Windows, the way the Windows defrag utility does.

-J

"Quinoa S" > wrote in message
...
> Certainly follow Jupiter's advice, and you'll be doing yourself a favor if
> you could figure out what you have been doing that caused your computer to
> perform this way. Otherwise, it will just start again after you've
> reinstalled Windows.
>
> Quinoa S
>
> "panic" > wrote in message
>
nstant.com.socal.rr.com...
> > Hello,
> > I have been using the same installation for about a year now, and have
> > installed and unistalled tons of programs, drivers, video cards, etc.
The
> > system seems to be slower now with things simple like deleting
> > directories, starting up, logging in, etc. The simplest way would be to
> > reinstall windows on top of the current, but I don't think that will
solve
> > anything, and can only think I will have to delete the Windows directory
> > and program files and reinstall my apps. You would think that there
would
> > be some 3rd party software to manage this task since it seems like most
> > people have to reinstall windows now and then.
> > Thanks,
> > panic
>
>

[Unknown]

The defrag in XP doesn't restart every time the smallest thing changes. And,
it's free.
"Joel Tanzi" > wrote in message
...
> Panic,
>
> You say you "installed and unistalled tons of programs, drivers, video
> cards, etc." This may seem obvious but have you been running Disk Cleanup
> and Defragmenter on a regular basis? Moving this much data around can
> definitely slow down your hard drive if you don't perform these routinely.
>
> If you don't mind dropping $25 on a really good defrag program, you could
> pick up DiskKeeper. I've been demoing it for a month now and it does a
> terrific and quick job of keeping my hard drive optimized. One thing I
like
> about it is it doesn't start over every time the smallest thing changes in
> Windows, the way the Windows defrag utility does.
>
> -J
>
> "Quinoa S" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Certainly follow Jupiter's advice, and you'll be doing yourself a favor
if
> > you could figure out what you have been doing that caused your computer
to
> > perform this way. Otherwise, it will just start again after you've
> > reinstalled Windows.
> >
> > Quinoa S
> >
> > "panic" > wrote in message
> >
>
nstant.com.socal.rr.com...
> > > Hello,
> > > I have been using the same installation for about a year now, and have
> > > installed and unistalled tons of programs, drivers, video cards, etc.
> The
> > > system seems to be slower now with things simple like deleting
> > > directories, starting up, logging in, etc. The simplest way would be
to
> > > reinstall windows on top of the current, but I don't think that will
> solve
> > > anything, and can only think I will have to delete the Windows
directory
> > > and program files and reinstall my apps. You would think that there
> would
> > > be some 3rd party software to manage this task since it seems like
most
> > > people have to reinstall windows now and then.
> > > Thanks,
> > > panic
> >
> >
>
>