Fresh install steps?

[Mike 1025]

Hi ???what steps & in what order should be done to install a fresh OS?..like drive prep etc.

 

1. Low level format.

 

2. Install windows.

 

3. Install all its updates.

 

4. Install Office & its updates.

 

5. Install a defragger???defrag the whole drive before partition creation.

 

6. Create partitions.

 

7. Perform CHDSK.

 

8. Install antivirus & anti malwares.

 

9. Install Utilities.

 

10. Windows disk clean up.

 

11. Take a back up image??.would would you suggest hot or cold imaging??.using a IsoLinux bootable CD?

 

Kindly correct & suggest the steps & what softwares whether antivirus/security/utilities do you personally recommend........waiting to learn from your experience.

 

The reason for making a complete back up of my newly created machine is avoid the hassle of reinstalling & customizing the softwares etc.

 

Thanks.

[Mike 1025]

I prefer to turn off system restore, hibernation, & disable some windows services from the very start..........

[Lucky10]

Hi ???what steps & in what order should be done to install a fresh OS?..like drive prep etc.

 

1. Low level format.

 

6. Create partitions.

Why a low level format? A full format will check your drive for errors/bad segments and mark it as bad so you can't put files there.

 

What are you using to create these partitions?

[Mike 1025]

Heard that a low level /zero full format is good using the drive manufactures software or Deban?

 

I use Acronis isolinux DD10 boot CD to create partitions.

 

Thanks.

[Mike 1025]

Plus the windows I got with my machines dont have the option to perform a complete format........Sony & Dell vista/XP MCE.

[marmite]

Somewhere before 5 ... install Windows Recovery Console.

[Mike 1025]

Somewhere before 5 ... install Windows Recovery Console.

 

Whats that.....how does one install it .........any advantges of that?

 

Thanks.

[marmite]

It can help you if you get problems with your system ... it doesn't take up much room and you may never use it but it's handy to have installed just in case. If you read some of the Spyware Hell posts you'll see it mentioned there.

 

This explains how to install it ... http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058. And some other info here ... http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000627.htm

 

You may not be comfortable using it yourself but it may help others to help you in future, should you have a problem.

 

The only thing I would add is that after you've installed it you'll get a choice of boot options in future; your OS or the Recovery Console. I'd edit boot.ini to reduce the time from the 30 secs it takes to take the default boot action - easy peasy and you'll see what I mean if you open up boot.ini after you've installed it Mine is set at 5 secs ... so after 5 secs it boots into my OS as normal.

 

Having said all this, you can do it at any time in the future if you don't want to tackle it now. I mentioned step 5 just to get it in before the defrag.

[aqua]

chkdsk--always before defrag.

first thing,,disable services if you need.

make an image fre macrium or paragon..

wipe drive...free killdisk or heidi eraser,,dban...create partition with paragon cd..install OS.

 

after all this..install antivirus....go get updates..

[Mike 1025]

Thanks I shall read about it.........you mean windows start faster?

 

What are your thoughts about taking an initial back up image after CHDSK i.e after Step 7........I have alot of room on my drives?

 

Regards!

[Mike 1025]

chkdsk--always before defrag.

first thing,,disable services if you need.

make an image fre macrium or paragon..

wipe drive...free killdisk or heidi eraser,,dban...create partition with paragon cd..install OS.

 

after all this..install antivirus....go get updates..

 

In what order??.......

 

Thanks.

[redhawk]

Somewhere before 5 ... install Windows Recovery Console.

I have a hard drive install of BartPE which beats the Recovery Console hands down in my opinion.

While on the subject of recovery tools a copy of BartPE / Hiren's Tools on CD is highly recommend, this can help you fix file system errors, cleaning/crippling malware or for backup/restoring an Operating System.

 

Richard S.

[marmite]

I have a hard drive install of BartPE which beats the Recovery Console hands down in my opinion.

Yeah I guess it could

[Mike 1025]

I plan to start a fresh install on one machine.....so that I have acess to you smart members & the forum for assiatance if required.

 

So to summarize what should be the initial few steps?, so that I could start with XP MCE?

 

Thanks.

[Mike 1025]

Marmite & redhawk kidly suggest the first few steps.

 

Thanks!!

[marmite]

kindly suggest the first few steps.

Well it's been five years since I've installed an OS from scratch, so I would suggest you take min with a pinch of salt and read around, but here's my view:

 

? Like Lucky10 I'm not sure on the low-level format. Why do this on a new disk.

 

? If I remember correctly, you can specify the size of (at least) your system volume early on. Do that if you can - you can add the other partitions later.

 

? Install Windows.

 

? Make sure your Windows firewall is on, even if you're going to turn it off and install something else later.

 

? Get Windows updates.

 

? Install the recovery console if you want to.

 

? Install your back up software and take a back up. This is your base OS build. If it all goes pear-shaped later you can go back to this.

 

? Install your security software and get the updates for it. If this includes a firewall, turn the Windows one off and make sure the new one is on.

 

? Now install the rest of your software stack.

 

? Run AV and malware checks.

 

? Create any additional partitions.

 

? Take another back-up. This is your base software build. Any problems here on in and you have a solid stack to return to.

 

? Personally I wouldn't defrag for a while - I'm sure you'll be shuffling things around and adding things for the first few weeks at least.

 

This is just a rough off the top of my head list which really isn't too dissimilar to your original one. At the end of the day everyone does these things slightly differently. There are many ways to cut it and if you'd followed your nose with your list you'd still have got pretty much the same end result.

 

There may well be better ways of doing it but the important thing is to learn as you're going along Just take the plunge and enjoy the ride

[Mike 1025]

Thanks marmite for your suggestions.

 

1. I don't have the option to create partitions while installing windows because the windows DVD I got is a Sony OEM version & not a retail one.

 

2. As to defrag Acronis support recommends to perform CHDSK & defrag before creating partitions so as to not get excess meta data if an image has to be restored.....strange though?

 

3. On my Vaio desktop I have a lot of space to create partitions & make full back up images at each step vs. my Dell XPS notebook running Vista where I cannot create multiple backups at each stage.

 

4. My aim is to install windows on both that would last a year plus.......trying to achieve a perfect clean install.

 

Regards.