Reformat and reinstall

[genekle]

I am wanting to wipe my hard drive and reinstall windows xp. I tried to do this using Webroot. but I still have the same problem. The computer is running like it has a 333 Hz processor. The system info says I have a 2 gig processor with 3 giggs of memory. So I want to do a complete reformat and reinstall. But I do not know how to back up the drivers. So that I can reinstall them after the wipe and reinstall. Can anyone tell me how to do this ?

Thank you

 

[Tmagic650]

The drivers are for the motherboard and any installed cards. If you can give us more detailed hardware specs we may be able to better help you with this. Computer make and model and motherboard number might help

 

[LookinAround]

You can backup the currently installed working drivers using DriverMax. Use the backup (or export) function to backup to removable media as i recall. Then you can import drivers to new install.

@Tmagic
I believe genekle had downgraded computer to XP (in a different thread). And HP (his computer) doesn't support XP so drivers were a "hunt"

@genekle
The only gotcha to the driver backup is sometimes the driver file you installed might have more in it then just the driver (e.g. it might also have included an application install - in which some devices might still require finding the original "driver package" to reinstall. But these are the exceptions rather then rule. (e.g. you might find that sound is one of these "exceptions") But driver backup will help/be good/still save time for most devices

But you might also save some grief by first creating an image of your current hard drive so, in worst case, you can always simply restore the current image if need be. You could use EASUS Disk Copy freeware

 

[Tmagic650]

"@Tmagic
I believe genekle had downgraded computer to XP (in a different thread). And HP (his computer) doesn't support XP so drivers were a "hunt"...

I just tried the XP downgrade with a Vista basic Toshiba laptop. I could not find ethernet or sound drivers for XP for this Toshiba so I reinstalled Vista Home Premium and all is well Thanks for the heads up LookinAround

 

[LookinAround]

You bet.. I;ve found the big pitfall in downgrading to XP
1) Not checking ahead to see if their m/b supports it
2) Then at least checking to see how easy alternate drivers can be found
3) AND most important: imaging the drive before attempting anything. Some people start the XP reinstall and then realize they can't get XP to work nor get back to Vista!

 

[LookinAround]

btw.. am glad you get back to Vista (tho i know you would have been prepared for that problem )

 

[genekle]

Sorry, this is for my desktop which came with windows xp. I did down grade my laptop. I left that info out. will try drivemax. thanks for all the info