Reinstalling windows?

[SpartanStrength]

Well i've had my laptop for a year now, and its been acting pretty slow lately. Non responding programs, browsers and programs freeze for a couple of seconds. I've defragmented, and ran spyware tools. I'm guessing its time to reinstall windows. My question is, how do I do this and keep all my music, videos, and few major programs I need? Is this the best option. Thanks!

[Kale]

You wont be able to keep the programs, you will have to reinstall them. As for your files, just back them up to an external hardrive or DVD.

[zodiac666]

external hard drive is definitely worth the 100$ or so, i have lost all the music on my computer twice and it fvcking sucks.

[zimmy]

external hard drive is definitely worth the 100$ or so, i have lost all the music on my computer twice and it fvcking sucks.

why external... just buy another hd and waste a lil time opening the case up :P

[SpartanStrength]

You can save files to a blank DVD? LOL never knew that! Im assuming it allows for alot more storage than a regular blank CD?

[zimmy]

yah 4.7 gig but you have to have a dvd burner
which runs for about 30 bucs now a days and the blanks cost about 15 dollars per 50 give or take.

[SpartanStrength]

yea my burner on my laptop is a combo drive, dvd burner. Should I get any certain prog to rip files to DVD cd's? I usually just use itunes to burn my cds

[rafael]

i love k3b and gnome baker for burning dvds

[zodiac666]

why external... just buy another hd and waste a lil time opening the case up :P

i am a complete moron when it comes to computers, are you saying put another hard drive inside your computer? if so wouldnt that kind of defeat the purpose since the reason you are backing them up is in case anything happens to your computer. and i am very clumsy, just about every delicate little cd i own is scratched to hell so backing it up on a bunch of dvd's wouldnt be good for me.

[Bryan2]

You can put all the files back onto your comp immediatley after you reinstall so its not that big a deal. dvd is the cheapest route. if you wanna spend the money then the external hd is the way to go. Plus if you only download to the external then itll keep your laptop running fast as well.

[fatrock]

you must have some kind of virus that the virus softwares you ar running wont pick up. I would save what you want wether it is on dvds, jump drive or a external hardrive. Wipe it all out download and reinstall just make sure you have you product Id for windows before you wipe it out.

[cfiler]

I'd just back it up onto DVDs. Or buy a cheap hardrive and use that.