Reformat with XP - unforseen issues?

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Darknyt

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 10, 2004
Messages
400
Seriously in need of a reformat on my gaming box. I just plan on going with a clean wipe and reinstalling my OEM student version of XP Pro I've had for years.

Are there any possible issues or complications I'm overlooking? I know official support ends mid-April, so I supposed I need to do it in the next week in case I have to call tech support to authorize a new install.

Not very interested in Vista, so I'm kinda waiting out Win 7.
 
is your drive over 128GB and is your Windows a Pre SP1 disc?
that is the only issue I can see.
 
Also if you have SATA drives you may have to slipstream your drivers onto the install disk using nlite.
 
Zepher said:
is your drive over 128GB and is your Windows a Pre SP1 disc?
that is the only issue I can see.
Click to expand...

This is my situation, but worst case is I will just end up with first partion of 128gb and then second will recognize later, right?. That's what happened to me last time I was too lazy to slipstream.
 
bigdogchris said:
I've never had to do this. There's always IDE compatibility mode.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately if you start with AHCI disabled (IDE emulation mode) and install XP or Vista you are more or less stuck in emulation mode and lose some drive performance as a result.

Sure there is a registry hack that avoids the bluescreen resulting from enabling AHCI after install, but some have reported stability issues after doing this and I've never had good luck with it myself. I'd strongly recommend slipstreaming if you can, if only to speed up your install; slipstreaming through SP3 and a basic set of drivers can make setup after install much less painful.
 
Darknyt said:
This is my situation, but worst case is I will just end up with first partion of 128gb and then second will recognize later, right?. That's what happened to me last time I was too lazy to slipstream.
Click to expand...

Yep, install on a 128gig partition and then install SP3 then format the rest of your drive.
 
I'm going to agree with others here, just slipstream the drivers in.

Also, am I the only one who thought of G-man when I saw the title? Maybe I've just been playing way to much HL.

/off topic
 
Unforseen stuff...just review and review again the things you'll need backed up. Once you wipe C and begin the reinstall, it's done...hope you got what you needed.

Other things like slipstreaming SATA drivers or service packs or getting the NIC driver ahread of time...those are all easy no brainers that really aren't show stoppers....you can overcome those as you rebuild. Getting data back that you should have backed up...that's what you should strive to prevent.
 
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