Anyone tried installing XP like this?

[shaolin95]

Hi!
I got TONS of programs and I am thinking on reinstalling XP but installing all my stuff and settings will take forever, trust me.
Do you think it can work if I install the OS and then just copy the ALL PROGRAMS (and other folders related to programs) and just import a copy of the old registry or will that just kill the whole concept of reinstalling windows?
Regards

[Demon10000]

You really, really don't want to do that. You're going to bring all your troubles back -- thats assuming if the machine boots after you import it. Who knows what will happen!


If you have reservations about reinstalling all your applications and reconfiguring your workstation, then you should look at automating it. Most applications these days can be installed by calling the MSI, and your options can be saved in a transform file (MST). All your settings should be able to be easily scripted with a CMD or VBScript script.

[bigdogchris]

If you could accomplish what you're talking about, you'd be right back to square one.

[Mithent]

That would defeat the purpose, yes. Importing only the HKCU hive might be less severe, but then that would still leave you having to reinstall programs to get them to work.

[shaolin95]

Yeah, I thought so..no short cuts...

[Joe Average]

The "shortcut" is called doing that one time, getting the entire box set up exactly the way you want it, and then make an image of it with something like True Image or Ghost, stash that image someplace safe and if for some reason you need to start over again, you can, in a few minutes compared to the hours it took to set it up the first time.

[Azhar]

The "shortcut" is called doing that one time, getting the entire box set up exactly the way you want it, and then make an image of it with something like True Image or Ghost, stash that image someplace safe and if for some reason you need to start over again, you can, in a few minutes compared to the hours it took to set it up the first time.

yup.. this is the only way. Install everything, make sure it's perfect, then snapshot it and store it on a locked drive or CD or thumbdrive if it's big enough.

I remember way back in Win95 and Win98 I could make scripts that installs everything in order, including CD Keys, drivers, and so on. You run the script from DOS prompt and go watch tv for a couple hours.

[Mister Natural]

Try the file and settings transfer wizard. It works pretty well but you will have to re-install some programs and the wizard will tell you some of the programs that will need to be re-installed before you try importing your file.

[Lazy_Moron]

+1 for installing it how you want it and then image it.

[Torquemada XP]

As has been mentioned, imaging is the only way to fly.

I do two images: one is a clean install of the OS sans drivers, even chipset. After the first boot into Windows, I image it. Then, I do a second one after everything has been installed, and tweaked, freaked, and geeked for performance.