Reinstalling Vista

I want to install a fresh install of vista on my xps m1530 but i want to keep all my files on another drive. I have partitioned my single hard drive into three different drives (c,d,f drives).

Just wondering if i can keep the d and f drive intact and install again on the space available on c drive? And will my games still function properly if they are installed on d drive?

 

Yes and Most Games would work perfectly

 

If you're going to fresh install Vista you also have to re-install the games. Your data file will be intact but then you have to tweak the programs to point to it... again.

 

I recommend that you also have an external backup of all of your data before you do this. It can be easy to select the wrong partition, then everything is gone.

 

Keep your personal stuff in an external media. Its so easy to accidentaly format a whole partition clear with just a single click

I had to reinstall vista on my C: drive before. Most of the games/programs that was saved in D: still worked. No guarantees though because some games need the old registry from before. A new install of vista will make a new registry. What games do you have?

 

So far i've got COD4, BF2, Colin McRae Dirt, Pro Street, Carbon, Virtua Tennis 3, Fifa 08, UT. I really don't want to and have the time to install these games again.

Do any of these games need the old registry?

 

No one is going to be able to answer that for you, except maybe the developers of each game. What's relevant here is that you need to know that if you reinstall windows, you will likely have to also reinstall all of your programs. You might get lucky and some won't have to reinstall, but assume that you WILL have to reinstall them. That's just the way it is.

 

Games and registries aren't the only problems. Sometimes the game programs will also install some drivers in some directories which won't be present in a new install. The games won't be able to play without these files so you have to re-install them.

 

Its just that when logging on to vista, there are black lines across the screen. I have tried installing new video drivers and have updated everything but still happens. Also, when typing in the password at the login screen, it lags a lot (up to 3 seconds before each key is actually entered). Some starforce protection keeps coming up telling me there is a problem with it, even though i removed it (don't know how it got on to my system).

That's why i want to reformat my computer. Or is there a way to fix all of these problems?

 

BF2 is the only game i have similar to yours. Unfortunately its the only one that actually didnt work

If you have steam games, its really cool cause they will still work. You just need to reinstall steam and thats it. Also you just gotta do the game settings again cause this was saved in the old registry