how to link old apps to a new XP

[snypercore]

ok its about time i reformatted and i have aQuestion.

my XP is on its own 30GB HDD, however all my games are installed on a partitions on another disk, if i reformat how can i still use the old games as all the reg keys etc.. will be gone?

 

[kwinkle]

I would back up everything you have on the partitions to an external HD or if the size permits to a large USB drive. In fact, you can run the games that way instead of using the PC HD all the time. You can get some nice external hard drives for very reasonable prices...

 

[kwinkle]

I just re-read your post - you can say your reg keys in a TXT doc and then put them in again after reformating

 

[snypercore]

wait maybe i didnt explain very well:

drive 1 30GB IDE = Windows XP

Drive 2 250GB IDE in 3 partitions
PART1 = storage
PART2 = Where games are installed
PART3 = Vista

if i format drive one and reinstalled XP how can i make my games on PART2 still work in my new XP?

 

[KSoD]

You will need the registry keys that is installed along with the games. Some games dont require them but most do. Without them trying to run the games will not work at all. Then you will be forced to reinstall the games.

So the only option from what i can think of is to go thru your registry and see if you can find the corasponding keys and back them up. A whole registry backup would do you no good as you would haev all the things you currently have install back up as well and then the registry keys for those apps would then be carried voer to the new isntall. Even witout those applications install you would still ahev the registry keys for them isntalled.

This could end up costing you as at startup Windows could then be looking for some applicaitons that are not installed and could hang. Which would then defeat the purpose of the reinstall.

It is a long and tedious task. But it can be done and in the end it is worth it. If done right.

 

[snypercore]

i was hoping you woldnt say that, what if..
i back up the whole reg, then reapply it on a new XP , then after a reboot windows will know what keys are useless then run Ccleaner and remove the bad keys?

 

[KSoD]

The problem with that. When you restart the old registry will already have taken affect. So when you restart the registry keys that control applicaitons that have services that start on Windows start up will also boot. So then you will run into errors.

Plus CCleaner doesnt remove the Registry entries. Ever notice how CCleaner always finds registry keys? Even if you never make any changes? That is cause it never finds them all. There are other out there that find more but you can never find them all.