I am planning on re-installing Vista (Ultimate). I've been running it for
over a year and my system needs a serious tidy.

So I plan to reformat my PC and re-install Vista from scratch.

Before I do that, is there anything important I should do apart from the
obvious (backup all of my data)?

Cheers.

Bobby

Although you might not have to, prepare for the possibility of calling
Microsoft to activate the software.
--
Andre
Blog: http://adacosta.spaces.live.com
My Vista Quickstart Guide:
http://adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!E8E5CC039D51E3DB!9709.entry
"Bobby" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am planning on re-installing Vista (Ultimate). I've been running it for
>over a year and my system needs a serious tidy.
>
> So I plan to reformat my PC and re-install Vista from scratch.
>
> Before I do that, is there anything important I should do apart from the
> obvious (backup all of my data)?
>
> Cheers.
>
> Bobby

Hi Bobby,

Make sure you have any necessary drivers available. Make sure you have your
Product Key handy, and that your phone is in working order (you will likely
need to phone in the new activation). Don't rely on the Vista backup
routine, instead copy pertinant data to removable media (thumb
drive/CDR/DVDR).

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

"Bobby" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am planning on re-installing Vista (Ultimate). I've been running it for
>over a year and my system needs a serious tidy.
>
> So I plan to reformat my PC and re-install Vista from scratch.
>
> Before I do that, is there anything important I should do apart from the
> obvious (backup all of my data)?
>
> Cheers.
>
> Bobby

"Bobby" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I am planning on re-installing Vista (Ultimate). I've been running it for
> over a year and my system needs a serious tidy.
>
> So I plan to reformat my PC and re-install Vista from scratch.
>
> Before I do that, is there anything important I should do apart from the
> obvious (backup all of my data)?
>
> Cheers.
>
> Bobby
>

Although you were of course given correct advice...I can't imagine how you
could have ruined your system
in less than a year.
I'd think a cleanup would be a lot faster than backing up your data...
reinstalling the OS...
then reinstalling your apps and data.

Heck...I've still got my original Win2k going just fine by running a few
simple utilites
such as Ccleaner etc

Don't forget to back up your Outlook Express mail and address files.

I did that once- forgetting that Windows stored them in a different
directory to My Folders.

> Although you were of course given correct advice...I can't imagine how you
> could have ruined your system

It's not ruined. Just running slow - and I'm running it on old hardware (AMD
64 3000+ CPU) so it needs to be kept in top condition.

I like to do a clean install every year - it's a small price to pay for a
something that saves you a great deal of time over the long run - and much
increased daily pleasure when using your system.

The whole process takes a morning and has a handy by-product - a fully
up-to-date backup of all of your data.

"Bobby" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Although you were of course given correct advice...I can't imagine how
you
> > could have ruined your system
>
> It's not ruined. Just running slow - and I'm running it on old hardware
(AMD
> 64 3000+ CPU) so it needs to be kept in top condition.
>
> I like to do a clean install every year - it's a small price to pay for a
> something that saves you a great deal of time over the long run - and much
> increased daily pleasure when using your system.
>
> The whole process takes a morning and has a handy by-product - a fully
> up-to-date backup of all of your data.
>


Well if you like to perform a clean install once a year...that's fine.

Obviously you are going to backup all your data and drivers.

That said, there are a few options you have to make things go quicker the
next time.

On any machines that I use as "test" machines...I usually create a small 2nd
partition and keep all the drivers etc there.
That way I can format the main drive and when I re-install...all the drivers
I need are right on the drive...and I don't have to hunt around for them.

Another thing you might want to do is to create an automated install DVD

Since I am still evalutaing Vista I've been using Vlite and that saves me
time during re-installation.

Finally...you may want to consider keeping a cloned HD to use:

After you have your new Vista installation up and running...with all the
updates, drivers and applications running just right...
clone the entire drive to another using an app such as Acronis.

Then a year later...once your data are all backed up...
pop in the cloned drive...then of course clone that one to the other