Re: OT: Computer\'s...gotta hate \'em.
 

The MBR is in there, at least on the IDE0 master drive.

=0=

Why do you need 40 GB for Windows partition? Just move Program Files (and things like My Documents, Desktop, possibly even Start Menu) to a different partiton with TweakUI so you don't have to reinstall most apps when you reinstall Windows. Just change the pointers over and you're back in business.

Re: OT: Computer\'s...gotta hate \'em.
 

Any Apps that write to the registry during install will need to be reinstalled with the OS anyway. And most fully compliant windows apps will install some files to the system drive regardless of where you point the installer. I went with 40 because it's so hard to resize the system partition, and doing so puts your system at risk. He could go with 20 or even 10, but if he runs out later, it's a long process to increase that partition. He has space to burn, so why not 40?

Anyways, once we move him to using image files, his reinstall/reactivate day are done. If it hoses up, blow the image back onto it. 15min tops and you’re done.

Re: OT: Computer\'s...gotta hate \'em.
 

Most apps I use don't need to use the registry. The tiny number that do can just be reinstalled as needed. Using the registry for user level apps was a terrible invention anyways. Hopefully Vista does away with it and makes apps keep their own data (hopefully in a sensible manner using XML or so)...

The goal here is to separate the operating system from the user level apps as much as possible. *nix makes this easy with mount points. TweakUI can let you approximate it tolerably.

Re: OT: Computer\'s...gotta hate \'em.
 

Success!! Well, mostly. Windows has been reinstalled onto it's own partition, except oddly enough it chose the F: drive to do so http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif That may be my fault, I created three partitions (40,50,50) with 50 GB left over, then accidently started the installation before creating that final partition (the one that would have been F:). I'm assuming Windows took all that unallocated space as it's own, so now it's sitting on a 50GB partition. Oh well, if I choose to it'll be simple enough to just redo it all over again, properly. Might do that if I decide I have an hour to burn tonight.

The important thing is that Windows is restored, will be properly partitioned soon, and I'll be smart enough in the future to actually back my stuff up!

Re: OT: Computer\'s...gotta hate \'em.
 

Windows will run equally well from any of the Partitions. Actually, we often boot public servers from drives other than c: just to keep the hackers at arms length. If you really want to mess with them, you can have a little c: drive complete with system files just to keep them busy if they get in. All the while the server is running merrily along off of another partition.

Re: OT: Computer\'s...gotta hate \'em.
 

Last I heard, weren’t you a CS major?

I don’t have any idea what apps you use, but based on your statement, I have a good idea about what you don’t use.

With windows XP and to some extent 2K, the whole idea is to gain app performance by integrating applications into the OS. All of the major applications I work with daily use windows integration. Office 03 and XP both use it. Autodesk uses it. Micro station uses it. Adobe uses it. Roxio, Intuit, Adaptec, Cisco, Firefox, Plextor, Symantec, Peachtree just to name a few. I can’t recall seeing an app come out in the last couple of years that didn’t write to the registry. There is just too much to be gained from integration not to go wit it. I’d have to go back to something like Office 97 probably, before finding one without it. In the business world, if it installs locally these days, it’s integrated. Even some of the big web front-end’d db apps install clients to integrate themselves with windows.

Just out of curiosity, what apps do you run?

Re: OT: Computer\'s...gotta hate \'em.
 

Ah, the simple pleasures in life http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: OT: Computer\'s...gotta hate \'em.
 

And you know, you can always just export all the registry keys that your programs put in, and then apply them should you need to wipe the OS partition.

And really, who needs the registry? As long as you got vi, pine, lynx, ssh, perl, gcc, and nethack, you're set.

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: OT: Computer\'s...gotta hate \'em.
 

Tsk Tsk. You left out wine and SE4.

Re: OT: Computer\'s...gotta hate \'em.
 

Ya....I'll just fireup the ole AS400 and start using vi..........NOT.. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/Sick.gif