reformating xp

since installing SP2 my computer has various problems which maybe just a coincidence i dont know. im going to reformat. whats the best way to do this? i have my windows xp disk, can i just do a repair? or should i just use the recovery disk?
i dont know anything about partitions, should i do a partition? and if i do, is there a way of keeping an image of my os on the second partition, so if i have a problem in the future i can use the image on the other partition? if not why do people partition their HD? thanks

 

Apparently Window XP SP2 home edition slows down Dell Inspiron laptop so much so that many on Dell forum are encountering this problem.

Sorry not answering your Q... just some info. I picked just now.

Nahh ... I don't think I will upgrade to Win XP SP2 Home Ed. I am happy and will stay with 3rd parties Anti-softwares and stuff.

 

Hi iceni60,

Here is an overview of reformatting from a security perspective: Can a trojan hide in backup files & then re-infect your newly formatted hard drive? (post 3)

Well, it depends on how bad your problems are. A repair (from the XP disc) may very well fix your problems. The recovery disk will set you back to square one when you bought the computer (depending on who you bought it from, also loaded with a bunch of useless junk). If the repair doesn't fix it, then you could reformat.

Partitions are just a logical way of organizing a hard drive. Right now you have a hard drive and it probably has one large partition (C: ) that contains the OS, all your programs and all your data all together. If you want to make a backup image, you have to backup EVERYTHING. This is fine for some people. Having multiple partitions can make things much easier when you need to backup, recover from problems, and just keep it more orderly.
In my opinion, yes, you should partition. Depending on the size of your HD, here is how I would partition it:
OS: 10-20 GB
Programs: 20-100 GB
Data: 20-160 GB
Adjust the sizes depending on your needs.
I have done this many times and is extremely efficient for me. I put all data files in the data partition: Email, favorites, my documents. I can reformat the OS partition and not lose any data.

Yes, just make an image of the OS partition (it creates a large file) and save it to another partition. Better yet, save the backup image to a different hard drive or to CD/DVD so you will be covered if the HD fails.

 

thanks, Devinco. i had just found that link you gave. great posts. my situation isnt serious yet, so hopefully i'll have time to read up on and understand all your advice before i reinstall. very helpful, thank you