Reformatting System Drive ?

[twonky]

HI-

I think its time to wipe my system drive. can someone please tell point me towards a guide or offer some advice on saving my plug-ins like the .dlls, so I don't have to install them all again? Every time I've done it i have had to spend hours setting everything back up. I think I might be too old for that.

Is that even a thing?

Thanks,
TWONKY

[nicholas]

This might help:
https://www.windowscentral.com/how-m...kup-windows-10

... but don't just rush out and do it. I've never done this, and before I would I'd also seek advice from someone who has!

[ripgtr]

Originally Posted by twonky

HI-

I think its time to wipe my system drive.

My first question would be - why?

You basically have 2 options -

A full system backup. This would include all the plugins, but would include everything else. When you restore, You may be back to where you started. This might include problems, if that is the reason for the reimage.

A clean install. This would get rid of bloat, junk in the registry, etc etc, but yea, it would be starting over. A lot of plugins, you just stick the dll in a dir, point Reaper too and and done, but a lot have to be installed.

So, again, why? If you are having issues with the OS, what have you done so far?

There really is no need to reformat and reinstall "just because" on a modern OS. If you are having issues, I would suggest dealing with those first. I would consider a reimage a last resort (and I've done a lot of re-images over the decades).

[jnorman34]

There is an option to reinstall windows and keep all your files. You might also try just repairing windows - there’s an option for that also. Otherwise, just copy all your significant folders to an external drive before reformatting - documents, downloads, app data, pictures, videos, music, reaper projects, all dll files, windows program files, etc. there are also ways to simply clone your existing hdd to an external drive to ensure you will lose nothing.

[twonky]

Originally Posted by ripgtr

My first question would be - why?

You basically have 2 options -

A full system backup. This would include all the plugins, but would include everything else. When you restore, You may be back to where you started. This might include problems, if that is the reason for the reimage.

A clean install. This would get rid of bloat, junk in the registry, etc etc, but yea, it would be starting over. A lot of plugins, you just stick the dll in a dir, point Reaper too and and done, but a lot have to be installed.

So, again, why? If you are having issues with the OS, what have you done so far?

There really is no need to reformat and reinstall "just because" on a modern OS. If you are having issues, I would suggest dealing with those first. I would consider a reimage a last resort (and I've done a lot of re-images over the decades).

ummm...cuz?

I need to have a good think.

Back in the day before Win 10 and my SSD a nice reformat would make things feel real snappy.

Theres no real issues, I guess. I mean a few things here and there seem a bit weird now and again.
Thanks for the info. maybe Ill look at it more closely and ferret out the few issues themselves.