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Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Office, Productivity, Freeware, Windows x64

Easily install popular programs after a reformat with Smart Installer Pack

Windowsby Lee Mathews Apr 24th 2009

At work, I usually either use a drive imaging program to load the operating system and applications onto a machine. If I'm reformatting a customer's machine, I use WPI (Windows Post Installer) to silently install programs. At home, however, I'm a little less cautious when I reformat and often forget to back up my program installers.

That's when something like the Smart Installer Pack might come in handy. It's a pre-packed set of popular applications that you'd likely want to install on your own system (or a friend's) after a fresh format.

It includes a host of apps like Firefox, Chrome, OpenOffice, Winamp, Skype, Daemon Tools, Picasa, Winamp, Thunderbird, Adobe Reader and Flash, WinRar, Rocket Dock, CCleaner, and more. Everything downloads in a single file, so you won't be cluttering up your drive with a bunch of separate installers.

SIP has two drawbacks. First, the installers are interactive, not silent, so you'll have to click through manually. Second, there are a few apps I'd normally install instead - like 7zip and Sumatra PDF. Shortcomings aside, this is still a handy way to get a system up and running quickly with a solid group of commonly-used programs.

Tags: ccleaner, chrome, firefox, flash, openoffice, picasa, reader, reformat, reinstall, SIP, skype, smart-installer-pack, thunderbird, winamp, winrar, wpi

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Microsoft, Freeware

Can't get Migwiz to run? Fab's Autobackup to the rescue!

Windowsby Lee Mathews Oct 2nd 2008

I love Windows XP's file and settings transfer tool. It makes backing up customer data prior to a reformat a painless procedure, and I've never had any problems with the app itself. I've forgotten it doesn't automatically grab .pst files, but that's my own damn fault.

But what can you do when Windows won't boot? Running a repair isn't a great option: the setup could run into trouble, and then you're right back where you started.

Fab's Autobackup is a slick, free utility that I wish I'd come across a long, long time ago. It's available as a PE Builder plugin or as portable application.

The portable version is a nice alternative to FST, and it's intelligent enough to gray out options that you don't need to back up - either because the program in question isn't installed or the user's profile doesn't contain any pertinent application data.

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Tags: backup, migration, reformat, xp

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Microsoft, Freeware

5 Apps For Painless Windows Reformats

Windowsby Lee Mathews Sep 1st 2008

Thanks to customers who can't avoid spyware and trojans to save their lives, I've gotten pretty quick at backing up, reformatting, and finishing off Windows installs. I've got five core tools that I use to get the job done, and here they are.
  1. DriverMax. After going through the install process, the first thing I shoot for is a complete set of functional drivers. Running DriverMax before the format lets you back up all the drivers on a system. It's a great app, and it even loads drivers for non-present devices - meaning my customers don't have to fight with a printer or webcam install CD when they get their computer home.

  2. Migwiz. Oh god, I can hear the screams. Truth be told, I've only had three problems with migwiz, and they were all my fault. Microsoft's file and settings transfer utility works extremely well, and I've never had a problem since changing my method.

    Copy the USMT folder from the computer's c:\windows\system32\ and save it to a USB drive. Alternatively, do what the wizard wants you do and create a wizard disk. Run the exe from there both before and after the reformat. It's critical to use the exact same version of the executable to avoid problems.

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Tags: reformat, reinstall, windows install, WindowsInstall

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Filed under: Windows, Microsoft

Rebuild a clean Windows XP install without losing data

Windowsby Jordan Running Jul 20th 2006

Rebuild Windows XPAn unfortunate fact of Windows life is that any Windows install will slowly wear out through use, getting more and more bogged down until finally one must take drastic measures. My own Windows XP install is coming up on a year of use and abuse and has for some time been showing signs this phenomenon, but what I wasn't aware of is that it's possible to create a clean Windows install without the reformatting-and-reinstall method that most people are accustomed to. It turns out that hidden behind blind corners and poorly-worded dialogs in the Windows XP setup is an option to repair and rebuild the OS, but leave applications and settings intact. This isn't the same repair mode that can be used to fix boot problems and other minor issues, and actually getting to it is a marvel of poor design on Microsoft's part. Fortunately, Fred Langa at Information Week has penned a step-by-step tutorial on accessing and using this functionality. In the end, it probably won't make for results quite as good as a complete reformat and reinstall, but it looks like a good option for those who aren't yet ready to take that bigger step.

Tags: rebuild, reformat, reinstall, repair, windows, winxp, xp

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