rec.autos.simulators

--
dave henrie
Free the ICR2 source code!

You should make one or two just to be safe.

Save your garage setup files for GPL and N4 for sure!

If you can ZIP you important, highly customized sim directories and save
them to HD or another PC.  You will save alot of time getting them up on
your new PC.  For example, I would ZIP GPL.  Back it up to wherever.  On
the new PC, install GPL to the same folder.  Now just extract your
GPL.ZIP file over top of the fresh installation.  Voila, your back on
the track.

If you have special drivers like network cards, you may want to make an
installation floppy of them.  Assuming you have cable or ADSL.

Make sure you remember you're email passwords.  Some people use the
auto-save password option and forget them.

--
Jason Monds
http://www.proracingclub.com - Pro Racing Club! (N3, GPL, Fun Run Sims)
http://www.racersdomain.com  - Race hosting.
(Please remove 'no extra spork' when replying)

If you use Outlook Express, export and back-up your adress book and the
C:\Windows\Application Data\Identities folder so you import everything back
in after the rebuild.

Back-up the data files of any online banking software you use, time logging
software, any office documents. Basically any user created or added
document.

Back-up your setups/savegames/mods and patches relating to games.

That's about it I think... as a minimum ;-)

BTW: unless you want to repartition the drive there's no need Fdisk it. Use
"format c: /q/u" (Unconditional Quickformat) to quickly erase your bootable
partition.

Jan.
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Here's an excellent resource for backing up OE5:
http://www.tomsterdam.com/insideoe5/

Not all Win98CD's are bootable...

-Larry

Here's what I do:

1.  Back up anything important.

2.  Boot from a Windows 98 Emergency Disk.

3.  Format the drive.

4.  Create a directory called c:\windows\options\cabs

5.  Inside the Options Folder, create more directories for the following,
and copy the appropriate files into them:
    a. Video Drivers
    b. Sound Drivers
    c. Network Drivers
    d. Controller Drivers
    e. ETC... for any other drivers that are typically needed to get a
green-board in the device manager.

5.  Copy the contents of the \Win98 directory on the CD to the above
directory.

6.  Launch the setup program from the folder in the options directory.

NOTE - At this point, because you have already created the Windows
directory, Windows will not automatically select "c:\windows" as the install
directory.  It will use c:\windows.000.  Select the option to choose your
own directory, and set it back to c:\windows.  It will complain, but the
complaint won't apply.  You'll understand when you see it.

After Windows is installed:

1.  Install drivers from the above pre-built options directory until the
Device Manager is at a Green-Board status (meaning, no errors, no question
marks, no red X's).

2.  Use Windows Update to update what I feel is appropriate.

3.  Clear out the c:\windows\temp directory.

4.  Defrag the drive.

At this time, I use PowerQuests Drive Image to create a "Base" Windows 98
Image.  1 CD will cover this one.

5.  Add Applications as necessary.

6.  Add Games as necessary.

7.  Add Utilities as necessary.

At this time, I use PowerQuests Drive Image to create a "Full Working"
system Image.  This one is usually 5 or 6 CD's.

Copy documents back to the system.

I usually only have to go through the above routine if I change the hardware
configuration, which is exactly what you are doing...

-Larry

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Dave,

Oh, one other thing...

You probably noticed that I declined to tell you what to back up.  That's
because this is a dangerous thing to do.  It's YOUR system, and only YOU
know what you can or cannot replace.

I can offer some _MINIMUM_ requirements, though.  The rest is up to you:

1.  My Documents Folder.
2.  C:\windows\favorites (Zip it first, it's a lot easier to manage that
way).
3.  If you are using Outlook (not express), make sure you back up your PST
files.
     Microsoft likes to hide your data from you (bastards - why do they do
that?)
     so you have to be careful to get it all.
4.  If you are using Outlook Express, it's a lot harder.  I recommend one of
the
     utilities available that assists in backing up Outlook Expresses
nonsensical data
     storage scheme.
5.  If you are using Netscape 4.x, your
c:\windows\options\netscape\users\<profile name> directory.
6.  If you are using Netscape 6, it's similar to the above, but Netscape has
started hiding
     your data from you like Microsoft does.  I think it's buried somewhere
in that damned
     Application Data directory structure.
7.  Any save-game data from any of your games.
8.  Any other program's data that does not normally store it in My
Documents.  I guarantee you
     that you will miss AT LEAST one of these, so be careful!
9.  You're on your own from here...

-Larry

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If , however , you'll be using a new HD then your best bet will be to use a
Win 95/98 boot disk to load CD-ROM drivers onto your system so you can
install Windows . If this is the case then I'd recommend that you use your
current HD as secondary HD . I use my old HD as a backup for net downloads
such as the tonnes of MP3s and sim-related downloads I have . It's a comfort
to know that if I have to re-format my C drive then at least I won't have to
spend a month downloading on the net again .

You could also set up a small partition on a new drive for backups .

Andrew

Jan.
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