Unknown wrote:
Good grief-------you say his was overkill?????

Shenan Stanley wrote:
Yes.

Change the oil, flush the coolant system, flush the transmission,
keep fluids checked and topped off, keep joints greased, relplace
worn tires and belts, maintain your exhaust system, replace blown
bulbs, yearly inspection, yearly registration, general overall
maintenance and clean the outside/inside or buy a new car?

Tom wrote:
Well, I don't think it is overkill, as one begins to have problems
after installing SP2 before any formatting/installing of XP. I did
all the beta testing through both RCs, and then updated with the
final release, and ran it for a while. It worked well, but there were
too many things that needed to be updated. So, I looked at all the
"major" software apps I use, and the hardware I have and looked to
see if their were specific updates for SP2, to which their were many.

I always keep my stuff backed up, including downloaded programs that
I bought, or use that are free. I formatted/installed, then applied
the chipset drivers, and then SP2. Installed my firewall and hardware
drivers updated (download them first, and saved them to disk before
formatting), and applied all respectively. Altogether (since I backed
up), it only took me just over two hours to update and get everything
back, and I noticed better performance, since there was a cleaner
registry.

So, it is a good thing, as long as one prepares themselves for a
reinstall with having the proper driver, backups of data, and
downloads saved to disk.

For most machine setups, as I pointed out, a clean install will, for a time,
present the end-user with a better performing PC. I pointed out that even
for the most careful end-user, there is bound to be leftover "crap" slowing
your system down.

However, I have hundreds of customers that I would NEVER recommend a clean
install for - they either don't have time, experience or desire to learn how
to do this - or properly prepare for such an endeavor.

In my daily routine I have unattended setups that can redo a machine with XP
and office/assorted other application in a matter of an hour or so over a
network - it's my job - so I can do it quickly. For a normal user, it would
take them weeks to get a machine to the same state with all the
applications, drivers and other installs they have done and want as they
remember them and by that time, their performance may be down again if they
do not perform the normal maintenance necessary to actually keep a machine
up to par.

I'll never say that a clean install won't give a performance boost - but I
definitely cannot say it is the BEST way to install SP2 - especially for
everyone.

--
- Shenan -
--
The information is provided "as is", it is suggested you research for
yourself before you take any advice - you are the one ultimately
responsible for your actions/problems/solutions. Know what you are
getting into before you jump in with both feet.