Formatting fun

So, Windows started acting up, and I started running out of space on the Windows partition, and then the Wacom tablet driver started not running (WTF?), and Lifehacker conveniently ran an article on nLite, and it occurred to me that I hadn't backed up anything in years...

So, yeah, blinking neon signs.

Anyway, I formatted my computer over the weekend. This is basically a journal entry so I'll know what (not) to do the next time. Of course there'll be a next time. Despite the hair-pulling the re-installation induces, formatting itself is a joy to me. The thought of a clean hard drive with nothing but what I put there... *ahhh* ^__^

1. Prepare OS
   nLite feeds my anti-crap & tweaking glee. I got rid of IE! XD Sadly, I also removed the Smart Card service only to spend several teeth-gnashing hours trying to figure out why iTunes wouldn't startup. Hello, an error message of some kind would be good! :P
   
   Anyway, a test installation took up 600+ MB (yay!). But installing it for real on C:\ and it takes up like 1.5 GB (WTFBBQ?!). Maybe the test installation is shifting some of its temp files to C:\ automatically? Anyway, F-itall, I'm not going to do that again, painless though it was.


2. Get updated drivers
   Ethernet - D-Link (on CD)
   Video - Geforce 4 Ti 4800
   Sound - SB Live! (EOL)
   Intel Application Accelerator (EOL)
   DirectX
   
   Naturally, I forgot to do this before hand. Worse, I forgot to check that I what I saved from years ago was what I still had. Thanks goodness the Ethernet driver was in some other cupboard. Don't want to have to open up the computer to look for the chip serial. That firewire card is finicky enough. Damn good thing that auto-installed, though. All the drivers were on the portable HD with the spoilt USB port -_- Also? I think 'Search for drivers online' needs the Windows Update which I naturally left out of the OS...


3. Get updated programs
   See list below
   
   Don't update these
   Nero (tried CDBurnerXP - did funky things to an audio CD, so fail)
   MPClassic (?)
   openCanvas
   Painter 9
   Photoshop CS2
   MS office
   ACDsee 3.1 (because Picasa is annoying and the zip browsing is better than with CDisplayEx)
   14arename


4. Back up everything
   Lotsa crap, the miscellaneous/unsorted folders need to be weeded out like whoa. I have so much music that I've not listened to, and it also annoys me that they're not easily tagged, especially the Chinese & Japanese ones. Lifehacker ran a few articles on tagging; check those out. Also, I need some kind of auto-backup script/program.


5. Format (yay!)
   Need temp/swap partition. 1-2GB?


6. Windows settings
   Move temp folder and page file.


7. Install drivers
   DirectX necessary for smooth scrolling in browsers -_- Oh, and the Smart Card service while I'm at it.


8. Install Crucial Programs
   7-Zip
   Opera
   Thunderbird
   Notepad++
   Foobar2000
   Wallpaper Master
   ACDsee 3.1
   Photoshop CS2 (key on file)
   MS office
   
   Install as needed
   iTunes
   iPhone Browser
   Firefox (flash, shockwave?)
   Free Download Manager
   CCleaner
   DeFFNetIzer
   VLC
   Foxit Reader
   Filezilla
   CDisplayEx
   Azureus
   mIRC
   Spybot S&D (avoid ad-aware)
   Clamwin
   Wampserver


9. Shift everything back to local HD

I've still got 10 or so programs I'll install as needed, and most of my stuff is still on the HD (if it dies, I'll cry). Lots of movies to burn.

nLite cut out a lot of the tedium, but it replaced it with other problems. Given the overall hassle, I'm tempted to not upgrade the hardware till I can afford a Cintiq (yeah, that'll be the day).

Also, make sure my next computer has more than two USB ports. And some on the front! The mouse doesn't work in the PS/2 port, and the tablet and iTouch won't bloody work with the USB extender. Eh, maybe get a powered USB hub? Are those even sold anymore?