Giveaway of the Day Forums

1. 

   triviaace11
   Member

   When you reinstall your OS you lose all programs on your HD. Is there any way to reinstall previously saved GAOTD programs? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

   Posted 12 years ago #
2. 

   Dragonlair
   Member

   The simple answer to your question is NO. when you re-install or install your operating system, you have to re-install all your other programs as well. For non-GOTD programs, it's just re-running the install programs and registering where needed using the registry codes you have (hopeuflly) saved.

   GOTD products are only the one day. It is possible that a copy of the installed folder (not installer) will work but there is no guarantee and only at best a 50-50 chance of it working. Most likely, you must either wait for the product to repeat here or purchase the ones you want. After all, that is the intention of the GOTD project - give you a hint of what's available and if you like it, purchase it and other products from the company.

   Posted 12 years ago #
3. 

   ChrisS
   Administrator

   If you image your hard drive then you can reinstall the OS and programs as they were on the date of the backup. But with a clean install you'll lose the GAOTD programs plus all the updates to the OS and other programs that were previously downloaded, and you'll also lose the account settings for your email and internet programs.

   You didn't say why you need to reinstall but if you can image your drive then do so, it will save you much grief.

   Posted 12 years ago #
4. 

   triviaace11
   Member

   How do I set up an image drive?

   Posted 12 years ago #
5. 

   ChrisS
   Administrator

   You'll need two things to create an image file:

   You'll need another hard drive to store the image. An external USB drive is the easiest as you just plug it in but an internal drive is faster. The prices are similar so get whatever suits you.

   You need a program to create/restore the image. The free version of Macrium Reflect works well and it includes a utility to create a boot disk that you'll need if your hard drive dies. If you're using Windows7 then you already have imaging software.

   Posted 12 years ago #
6. 

   BenSando
   Member

   When you reinstall your OS you lose all programs on your HD. Is there any way to reinstall previously saved GAOTD programs? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

   An image drive is normally used for backup and will include the original OS - not an updated OS.
   So I don't think that an image drive will solve the problem stated in your first post -
   but maybe I got your problem wrong ?

   - Ben

   Posted 12 years ago #
7. 

   Michelle
   Member

   But I don't see how a drive image is going to help him, because there has to be a reason why he is taking his computer back to factory settings. If he images the drives and then restores that drive image he is left with exactly the same image that he is trying to get rid of by taking his computer back to factory settings. It is not going to help him. It would have helped him before his computer was messed up. If he did it then, but doing it now will do absolutely nothing.

   Posted 12 years ago #
8. 

   graylox
   Moderator

   You are right, an image will only put everything back as it was - you can't re-install a giveaway to a new OS or machine. Except some single programmes, when the developer gives us a normal reg.-key.
   Though a lot of the games are free-standing and can be re-installed.
   The reason of the GOTD project is not to minimise the developers income by changing their programmes to freeware, but giving the developers a chance to get better known and getting some feedback.

   BuBBy sums it up completely in a very good comment on this in another thread :

   In some cases the developers of the software might only agree to participate on the condition that the period permitting the software to be installed is limited to 24 hours.

   graylox

   Posted 12 years ago #
9. 

   ChrisS
   Administrator

   The purpose of an image is to restore the system to the state is was in at the time of the image. That includes the OS, all programs, all updates, all data, all trash, all deleted files... ie everything on a given partition. It's a sector by sector copy of the logical drive.

   It's not intended to allow the reinstallation of stand-alone, time-limited GAOTD programs -- it's intended to prevent losing the programs in the first place.

   Posted 12 years ago #
10. 

    BenSando
    Member

    Hey triviaace11

    Maybe this article could have some interest:

    Never Re-install Windows Again

    - Ben

    Posted 12 years ago #

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