Would First Defense work for this?

Hi. I reinstall Windows XP usually every 6 months when things get bogged down, and many problems are unsolveable in Windows, and various Operating System issues occur. The whole process requires me to backup EVERYTHING that I want to keep and then begin the long task of reinstalling and then installing all of my programs. At this point, I am pretty set in the programs AND versions of programs that I am happy with, those that update regularly can do so online.

Would FD-ISR work for this?: I want to get a clean install with all or most of the programs that I want and everything working good. Could I create a snapshot of this and then rollback to this snapshot, INSTEAD of reinstalling Windows all of the time?

I have 4 partitions on my drive: C:Windows, D:Apps, F:Music, and E: Downloads. Only C: and D: would need an image. Is this possible? And is FD the best choice for ONLY this functionality? I don't really need all kinds of restore points being saved every day, maybe once a week.

 

Perhaps I will just try restoring ONLY partition C: then, because First Defense seems highly recommended.

 

I have this setup :
1. Harddisk #1 [C:] = WinXPproSP2 + Applications
2. Harddisk #2 [D:] = personal data files, browser settings and bookmarks, emails and email-address-books, downloadings.

So FDISR takes care of my system partition [C:], FDISR ignores [D:]
If something bad happens on [C:], I use FDISR to fix it, if that isn't possible I use Acronis TI to fix it, but it won't affect my data partition [D:]

I use Acronis TI to backup both partitions. I backup my data partition alot more than my system partition.

 

I agree. This is the best way to setup your system. Keep your system and applications together on one partition or hard drive and your data on another.

Easy to restore the system if a failure occurs and your data, which can be backed up in seconds more often, will remain intact without having to use Anchoring.

Silver

 

Yep, but don't tell it to Peter, he has only one partition with everything on it.

 

There are as always, differing opinions and I think that all depends on how you use your computer. The people over at Ultimate Defrag agree with Peter in setting up everything on one partition.

 

So if I basically want to replace my XP reinstall procedure, I should use Acronis True Image? And First Defense should be used to protect against system failure or the like?

 

I think you might tighten up on your computer maintenance like use a registry cleaner, use the clean disk, do a chkdisk etc. to keep your computer in good shape. Re-installing Windows all the time is pretty drastic.

 

Peter2150, I use Regsupreme as well. I like the backup feature, in case Iever delete something in error. A few of the other registry cleaners scare me.

 

I'll tell you. I would love to find a solution to the different problems that I end up having with Windows XP a few months after a clean install. I'm talking about problems that are UNHEARD OF! And when I try to get help at forums such as this, no one knows what I'm talking about! Such as the following
-Windows no longer recognizes my cd drive
-Program files are corrupted and change size
-Every time I boot Windows, the desktop partially loads and the taskbar is unresponsive; I must logout and then log back in to use Windows

There is no way to search for such vague problem terms, and the problems are not documented or solved. Also, I try running things such as Adaware, and Adaware would not complete a DEEP scan of my registry. This problem IS well documented and I followed ALL of the suggestions in like 20 threads with NO success! I can't starve off problems when even my spyware software has a virus! The quickest solution ends up being reinstalling, which takes a day, and then couple of extra days to reinstall software as needed. But solving these STRANGE Windows issues takes DAYS in forums such as this, and checking and replying to posts and just being frustrated. I really wish there was just a SECURE environment for computing (what a joke right). The Windows conundrum is WAY out of hand, with 1000's of known viruses, and many arriving by the day. I'm somewhat of an advanced PC user, and it is STILL trouble for me to handle the problems occurring in Windows. Who would have thought that this was the fate of the PC in 1996 when the internet was blossoming? What if watching cable television was as complicated as trying to manage spyware and viruses on the PC?

 

Sumpm1, I can't imagine what your computer's problem is. I'm on my third computer and I've had maybe 4 incidents of a virus or malware since 1997. The only thing I can imagine is that you keep getting re-infected with something every time you re-visit a certain web site, after doing your re-install. If that isn't a possibility, I would think about whether it's time for a new computer anyway and a good excuse to get Vista. In that event, I would be careful what I imported from the crazy computer.

 

On your third computer? I'm on my 5th computer (new hardware and additional systems for family members) and my 20th install of XP! ALL of my systems have the same problems. I DESPISE antivirus software though, it is too CPU hungry. I run anti-spyware software frequently, but firewalls and antivirus ARE viruses to me. It's like a pop-up blocker that POPS UP every time it blocks a pop-up lol! I don't want to have to tell some software permissions EVERY time I use the internet.

 

If I'm reading you right, you don't have an AV or firewall, but you do have antispyware on your computer.

 

I'm only on my second pc, that's two in eight years, and have NEVER, EVER had to reinstall Windows; that's thanks to, initally, GoBack, and now, FirstDefense.

Acadia