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If you frequently format your harddrive and install your operating system like I do, then you should consider the following. I recently ran across a couple programs(FREEWARE!) that allow me to copy the information on my harddrive and save that image to a file, kind of like a cd/dvd .iso file. I install my OS(Windows XP), update my drivers, and install my basic programs. Then I use Self Image to take an image of my harddrive and store it for later on my backup hdd. If my system starts getting spyware, adware, or is loading slow I can fix it without going through the hassle of installing windows. I simply delete the partition that my OS is on, create a new partition, then boot up with Bart PE, run Self Image and write the HDD image to the HDD. Now I have a fresh fully functional OS again, with programs and drivers!

Here's how:




Go to these two websites and read.

• Bart PE
• Self Image

Then download the following.

• PE Builder(link does not auto d/l)
• Self Image for Bart PE(link does not auto d/l)

Restoration is another program that is good to have on a boot disk. It recovers a lot of deleted files if they haven't been written over.



Notes:
I tried storing the image file on my dvd startup disk and writing that file to the harddrive, but it didn't work. Self Image for Bart PE is still in an experimental stage. I think the .iso compression and the Selfimage compression are incompatable. I will probably try putting the HDD Image file on a second DVD and use that incase my back-up HDDs fail. I keep all of my vital files on a second(and third) harddrive and use the imaging software only to speed up the format/install time.

Warning:
Do not expect this to work. It can fail. Only use as an alternative to installing Windows. Mess around with it a bit and get comfortable before you rely on it.

Hehe. It is almost inevitable that Windows XP will slow down even a little bit over a period of time. I hate that and so I format about once every 2-3 months to keep my load times good. I do not run any anti-virus software either. I don't like virus software running in the background. At the first sign of slowdown/virus I just format.

I use ghost for this or if I want the pc to remain the same for ever I put deep freeze on it.