[MacFromOK]

I keep a second copy of my Win95 on my C: drive
for emergencies. I make a directory called Winbak
and from explorer copy every subdirectory of Windows
into it (hidden and system files must be viewable).
If I have a major crash (who doesn't?), I boot to DOS,
rename my current Windows directory to WINOLD, rename
WINBAK to WIN95 (most people would use WINDOWS),
then reboot into Win95. I also do the same with the
Program files directory (PROGBAK), except I rename
it to "Program Files" after I've rebooted to Windows
because of the long filename. Rebooting once again
restores everything to normal. If everything works
OK I create new WINBAK and PROGBAK directories and
delete the messed up old ones. This has saved me
a lot of headaches, but you need to keep the WINBAK
directory fairly current and make sure everything
is working before you make the backup directories.

[Steven715]

Just to add you do have to do this in dos as widnows will not copy win386.swp as windows uses it constantley i think it is a part of the drive that windows uses if there is not enouth memmory!

[MacFromOK]

DOS has trouble with long filenames and unless
you have a utility that will handle them, DOS
COPY or XCOPY will pretty much mess things up.
You also have to make sure you get all the hidden,
system and read-only files. However, I'm still
using FAT16 (I have too many older utilities),
so DOS may work OK in FAT32 systems.

You are correct about the swap file. I had
forgotten that I use a separate drive for
Win386.swp, so I always control how much space
is on my C: drive. You could disable the swap
file before making the backup copy, though.

[Steven715]

That is a good idea for keeping you win386.swp on a diffrent drive i am just thinking that alot of other people have it in the samedrive as the windows Directory

Thanks for a good tip !

[MacFromOK]

Thanks for reminding me about the swap file.
I'm sorry if my oversight caused any problems.

[Steven715]

I just fort i better say in case any one trys

[mole]

There should be no problem with the swap file. If it does not exist, Windows will create a new one when it starts. I erase mine from autoexec.bat before Windows starts each and every time.

mole

[Steven715]

Sorry i ment for copying it in windows i did not mean deleting it and copying back but still a very good tip to what you just said!

[nirvana1]

the deleting thing seems to work since windows makes a new one every time virtual mamory is used but u said disabling it...as in going to the virtual memory thing and clicking disable virtual memory(which is what makes the swap file) dont EVER do that unless you like pretending that u have a 486

[MacFromOK]

Sorry, but I wasn't explicit enough again. I meant
disable it only long enough to copy Windows, then
enable it again. I assumed anyone who would attempt
this realizes that it's a good idea to have a swap
file.

[nirvana1]

haha just making it clear cause i was stupid enough to do that once, wouldnt want ne one to make the same annoying mistake...if u disabled it u would have to restart and that would take forever then when u actually got to where u could copy the files that would take forever too unless u have alot of ram.....actually im not sure if that would matter since i only have 48 megs but its a theory

[Steven715]

Your thory is absolutley right as i have done it on a pentium and it went as slow as a 486!!!

[nirvana1]

mine got really messed up when i did that so i decided to put linux on here and it formatted my comp for the partitions and i couldnt figure linux out so i went and borrowed a win full install disk and it was fine...the onyl way i know how to format is to try to install linux and delete the main partition...how do u do it through windows?

[Steven715]

To Partition your harddisk is to use Fdisk in dos
shut down you computer in to dos mode and type fdisk

and to format you hardisk you type format c:

/s is to make you hardisk bootable (System)
/q is to do a quick format
/u it makes the hardisk not to unformat (P.s you have to use a program to unformat sutch as unformat.com from MS-Dos 6.00

[nirvana1]

ok so if i type fdisk then format c:/q at the dos prompt after restarting it will make it so that i can put the windows oem disk in and have it format completly and reinstall windows from scratch?