curious question

[Bill]

I have just a general question to ask.....is it normal for when you do a
clean install (format hard drive and reinstall xp) for some settings and
such to be retained? For instance, when visiting windows update I used to
get driver updates for my modem, but now the update that used to show up
doesn't and just assorted other settings that seem to be retained upon a
clean install. Any info would be greatly appreciated.


TIA

 

[GSV Three Minds in a Can]

I have just a general question to ask.....is it normal for when you do a
clean install (format hard drive and reinstall xp) for some settings and
such to be retained?

=Nothing= is retained unless you put some cookies/favourites/data files
back afterwards, or unless you had more than one disk/partition/volume
to start with, and only formatted one of them.

For instance, when visiting windows update I used to
get driver updates for my modem, but now the update that used to show up
doesn't

So maybe you haven't got the same options set with 'customize windows
update', or maybe the new installation doesn't have the same modem
driver as the old one, (there are lots of things you probably installed
on the old machine after installing XP .. the trick with a
re-installation is remembering to do them all again, in the right
order).

and just assorted other settings that seem to be retained upon a
clean install.

For instance?