How do I re-install OS w/o losing my settings?

[daft monkey]

When I first put my PIII 533 together, applications opened very quickly. Now it takes forever. Someone told me that re-installing my OS or reformating my HD and starting with a clean slate would do the trick. How do I do that w/o losing all of my settings? I'd have to find and install the upgrades and patches for all of my programs all over again. That is a lot of trouble. Any advice?

[spigidygak]

Mmmm. . . I don't think that's possible. But what you may want to do for future reformats is get drive copy. Do all your reformatting and junk. Then when it's all good and set. Use drive copy do make cd's of your clean hd. Then next time you need to reformat. . . just restore with your cd's.

[revil]

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:heh: Thanks, I needed a good laugh.

[Blu]

Now that you are starting with a clean slate, it would be interesting, as well as useful, to track the install of each app. That way, you can find the one that is slowing things down....

[spigidygak]

Uh. . . what's so funny?