Trouble Creating Slipstream Disc

[Big Al]

Seems like it would be less updating than if I did a clean install.

A clean install is always IMO the best way to do it.
Of course I've learned what files to grab to CD backup before
formatting. I know where the data is that I need, I have the registry
hacks exported to a .reg files to reload, I'll bite the time to reset
some config / color settings.
I don't mind. If my PC is screwed up, I want to get back to work asap.
And I don't want to do it 12 times.

Just a word of experience.

 

[dnamertz]

:

A clean install is always IMO the best way to do it.
Of course I've learned what files to grab to CD backup before
formatting. I know where the data is that I need, I have the registry
hacks exported to a .reg files to reload, I'll bite the time to reset
some config / color settings.
I don't mind. If my PC is screwed up, I want to get back to work asap.
And I don't want to do it 12 times.

Just a word of experience.

So what files should I backup? I've already backed up my photos, documents,
music files, bookmarks, important emails, etc., but what else will I need?
I've never done a clean install before so I'm guessing the only thing on my
computer after I do it will be Windows. How will I access the internet at
that point? I assume Internet Explorer will not be on my computer at that
point, so how do I get on the internet to download a browser if I don't have
a browser to access the internet?

 

[Big Al]

:



So what files should I backup? I've already backed up my photos, documents,
music files, bookmarks, important emails, etc., but what else will I need?
I've never done a clean install before so I'm guessing the only thing on my
computer after I do it will be Windows. How will I access the internet at
that point? I assume Internet Explorer will not be on my computer at that
point, so how do I get on the internet to download a browser if I don't have
a browser to access the internet?

Impossible to say, nobody knows your pc and software. No implication on
you, seriously, but its a problem a VAST majority of the users of any
computer have. They are ignorant of where the data is. Microsoft
hides it so nicely. And in some ways, you really don't need to know.
Until it dies!!!! But this is why so many people talk about doing an
image backup, it saves everything. And after a crash, you can get back
those odd ball files you forgot.

Any pictures, docs, excel etc, you want.
Email. Depends on your emailer.
I use ICQ and AIM, so I save the settings.
I save a proprietary address book,
Some games save statistics.
I have a password program that I update and I save the data file for it.
I make .rdp files for connecting to clients. Those have to be saved.
Downloads of my software like Nlite, I need to save. But that's save
months ago, still the new ones.
..... it goes on and on and on.

Look at the start menu, and just ask yourself, what here "CANT" I
replace unless I back it up. You can load Microsoft office, but where
are the things you created using it. Any Tax programs etc.

We'll all leave you to that question. Its too hard to give you
anything more than this.

 

[Big Al]

:



So what files should I backup? I've already backed up my photos, documents,
music files, bookmarks, important emails, etc., but what else will I need?
I've never done a clean install before so I'm guessing the only thing on my
computer after I do it will be Windows. How will I access the internet at
that point? I assume Internet Explorer will not be on my computer at that
point, so how do I get on the internet to download a browser if I don't have
a browser to access the internet?

And yes. Functionally a full install of windows will make the computer
internet'able (if that's a good word) and you can use IE etc. You
could even use outlook express as that is default.

 

[dnamertz]

Impossible to say, nobody knows your pc and software. No implication on
you, seriously, but its a problem a VAST majority of the users of any
computer have. They are ignorant of where the data is. Microsoft
hides it so nicely. And in some ways, you really don't need to know.
Until it dies!!!! But this is why so many people talk about doing an
image backup, it saves everything. And after a crash, you can get back
those.

What is/how do I do an image backup?

 

[PD43]

What is/how do I do an image backup?

Image backup requires third-party software and another hard drive and
will be of little use to you until you reinstall Windows and get
everything up and running the way you want.

More on reinstallation: you WILL need the drivers for your sound card,
your video, and possibly for other items in your motherboard.

To get back on the Internet and email, you will have to know how to
set that up... and will need all the login/password parameters.

 

[Big Al]

What is/how do I do an image backup?

Again, you have to install this, but I like Acronis True Image.
Seagate has a disc wizard that is a clone of TI, and its free but its
limited. You didn't buy it so you can't bitch, but it does the basic
thing, backup the HD.
Acronis allows you to make an image of a HD. It backs up every little
byte of data. EVERYTHING. And if you put in a new HD after a crash, it
will restore it all. EVERYTHING. It even makes adjustments for
changing from a 80 gig drive to a 320 gig. Its a great timesave if
you change drives. Thus why Seagate allows you to download it. They
want you to buy their hardware.
With TI, you can restore single files too. Thus if you do both an
image and a backup of individual files (even with XP's backup) you have
the best of both worlds. If you forget some file with Xp's backup,
you got it on the image.
Note, an image is only good if you have a good system. Imaging a bad
system is stupid except for restoring individual files. If the OS is
troublesome, then an image is troublesome.

Sorry to be wordy but it seems you might like the additional verbage.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

No. You must boot with the cd to do that because when you run Setup from
the desktop it starts in stage 2 (graphical stage). The option to perform a
repair install is during stage 1 (textual stage).

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

An image backup of a problematic system will just restore that same
problematic system. You don't want to do that because you will be right
back where you are now.

You have backed up your essential files already.

Dell's image file will already have all the drivers installed. I don't
think you will have any problems getting online.

The next step will be to let Windows Update bring your system up to date.
Do that before you restore your files or reinstall your apps. Then run a
defrag (Installation of XP always heavily fragments the hard drive). Then
install your apps and restore your files. You may want to run a last
defrag.

That should give you a very nicely running system.

 

[Daave]

If the Dell cd contains an image file then it is not an XP
installation cd but a Dell restoration cd.

Yes, you can:

http://vbdotnet.home.comcast.net/~vbdotnet/XP_SP2.htm

When you follow these instructions along with the instructions from

http://www.tomshardware.com/2004/09/08/installing_windowsxp_and/

you can create a slipstreamed Dell disk. This method works with what are
called "Dell reinstallation" disks, which are essentially slightly
modified generic Windows installation disks (one of the advantages is
that activation is not necessary because of the nature of the OEM's
SLP). When you get to the "Extracting the bootloader step" from

http://www.tomshardware.com/2004/09/08/installing_windowsxp_and/page6.html

you will see Dell.img in place of MicrosoftCorporation.img .

 

[dnamertz]

:

To get back on the Internet and email, you will have to know how to
set that up... and will need all the login/password parameters.

I wrote down all my email setting, but I'm not sure what I'll need to get my
internet connection back up after I reinstall Windows. Isn't there an IP
Address somewhere...I can't find it. What other settings will I need to know?

 

[Big Al]

:



I wrote down all my email setting, but I'm not sure what I'll need to get my
internet connection back up after I reinstall Windows. Isn't there an IP
Address somewhere...I can't find it. What other settings will I need to know?

if you have a router, and its dhcp, then nothing to do.
A vast majority of users are DHCP.
But...
right click your network icon in the tray. goto 'open internet
connections'
double click on the nic card or wireless etc, whatever you use.
scroll to tcp/ip
do properties.
you may have two 'obtains.... automatically' set.
If you do you are DHCP, its automatic.
But these are your settings.

 

[Big Al]

:



I wrote down all my email setting, but I'm not sure what I'll need to get my
internet connection back up after I reinstall Windows. Isn't there an IP
Address somewhere...I can't find it. What other settings will I need to know?

I'm glad to put in my 2 cents, but you know, it really sounds like you
have no idea what you are doing. Have you thought of getting someone a
bit more experienced to do this?

 

[dnamertz]

I'm glad to put in my 2 cents, but you know, it really sounds like you
have no idea what you are doing. Have you thought of getting someone a
bit more experienced to do this?

Having never done this before, you are correct, I don't know what I'm doing.
That is why I'm on this site looking for help from people who are more
experienced, and I appreciate all the help. I know enough about using
computers to come on sites like this and get instructions from people who
know this stuff, but I can't bring myself to pay people to fix my computer
(or do my taxes) when I can do it myself by asking questions online.

 

[Big Al]

Having never done this before, you are correct, I don't know what I'm doing.
That is why I'm on this site looking for help from people who are more
experienced, and I appreciate all the help. I know enough about using
computers to come on sites like this and get instructions from people who
know this stuff, but I can't bring myself to pay people to fix my computer
(or do my taxes) when I can do it myself by asking questions online.

Okay here is a stupid comment. But a reallllly safe way to do this is
to backup whatever on CD. Buy a new drive, replace it and load the OS
and go from there and restore.
You can always go back to the old HD to get stuff if you screw up. Make
notes and you'll be 1000% wiser when done.
Then you buy cheap USB external drive enclosure (14$ 3 months ago) and
put the old drive it in and use it as a backup. (optional)!
If you bought the usb enclosure along with drive, you can use it to
retrieve data during the rebuild.

That's how I did it. I borrowed someones drive, I had the source. But
I did a mock load and found out my issues. It takes NO SOFTWARE.

You can even buy a small drive, as small as you can to just get the OS
on and working and your restore. And later you can image the whole
system back to the original drive if its larger. There are ways. But
that's not here and now.

 

[Daave]

I wrote down all my email setting, but I'm not sure what I'll need to
get my internet connection back up after I reinstall Windows. Isn't
there an IP Address somewhere...I can't find it.

That last sentence doesn't make much sense!

How do you connect to the Internet? Dial-up? Cable? DSL? FIOS?

Who is your Internet Service Provider? Do you still have the information
they gave you regarding how to go online?

What other settings will I need to know?

The settings were given to you by your ISP. What happens when you do the
following:

Start | Run | ncpa.cpl | OK ?