save programs before formatting.

[mark]

is it possible to save programes onto an external hardrive before doing a
clean install of xp, so as to transfer them back onto c:\ after ? is so how
do i do this. reg`s mark.

 

[Anteaus]

In some cases this may be possible, but many programs make alterations to
Windows itself (termed 'invasiveness') and hence won't run with just the
program folder alone.

You will find the programs (mostly) in folders under 'C:\Program Files'

 

[John John]

No, this will not work, you will have to reinstall the programs after
Windows is installed. Almost all programs write to different areas of
the registry and the only way to reliably write these entries to the
registry is to reinstall the applications. Furthermore, many of these
programs also copy files to other areas on the hard drive, it would be
quite difficult to identify all of these files and save them also.

What you propose is only feasible for self executing programs or for the
smallest programs that write nothing to the registry and keep all of
their files and user files in their folders.

John