vista clean install

[MikeP]

I have read about clean install and everything says I will have to reinstall
my software after installing vista. Do I have to uninstall the software
before doing the clean install? If not, does the installation process wipe
out the software or is left hanging somewhere on my hard drive?

 

[John Galt]

I have read about clean install and everything says I will have to reinstall
my software after installing vista. Do I have to uninstall the software
before doing the clean install? If not, does the installation process wipe
out the software or is left hanging somewhere on my hard drive?

A clean install leaves you with only the new Windows installation.

 

[MikeP]

Hi MikeP

Wipes your hardrive of all software,etc.

Thank you for the answer. It was not clear to me if I had to remove my
software first.

MikeP

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, MIke.

SOME software is licensed for installation on only a single computer. That
software MIGHT require you to uninstall it on the original computer (with
the original media in the drive so that the uninstallation can be recorded
there) before it will install on a second one. And it might not know the
difference between a "new" computer and a "reformatted" hard drive with a
"new" operating system.

That limitation is NOT imposed by Windows, but by the application. I have
not run into this limitation on any software that I've installed in the past
dozen or more years.

Just make sure that you have your original installation disks or other media
handy before reformatting the hard disk. If you installed downloaded
applications, be sure you preserve that download - or that you can download
it again after the clean install.

And, of course, be sure that you have all your own data (which does not
exist anywhere else in the world!) preserved and that it can be recovered
after the clean install. (Many users have multiple backups - but have never
tested to be sure that those backups can be restored.)

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
Windows Live Mail 2009 (14.0.8089.0726) in Win7 Ultimate x64

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

I have read about clean install and everything says I will have to
reinstall
my software after installing vista. Do I have to uninstall the software
before doing the clean install? If not, does the installation process wipe
out the software or is left hanging somewhere on my hard drive?

Depending on whether or not you perform a format during installation the
software may still be there, but it will still have to be reinstalled in
order to use it. A truly clean install would involve deleting the partition
and creating a new one and performing a quick format during the first phase
of the setup.

 

[Justbob30]

I have read about clean install and everything says I will have to
reinstall
my software after installing vista. Do I have to uninstall the software
before doing the clean install? If not, does the installation process wipe
out the software or is left hanging somewhere on my hard drive?

If you have ANY nuance software, paperport, omnipage, dragon naturally
speaking, you must uninstall it first, otherwise they will not allow you to
reinstall, took me 2 hours to convince them I could not remove it from a
failed hard drive :-(...I think quick books does this as well.