Then I stumbled on advice somewhere on here about making an image of a disk and installing it after a reformat .
If this is true it would solve every problem I'm having.
Please tell me, if I understand correctly, with imaging software (Acronis, Ghost etc.) I could:
1- Load my original version of XP - install all the updates from microsoft - install newest drivers for add'l hardware - install the programs I regularly use - customize all my user settings the way I like them... then make a 'disk image'.
2- Reformat (next time I need to).
3- Reboot using the 'image' and Windows would install - ready to go - without all the hoopla of updating, installing, waiting, etc.?!?!?
please say yes please say yes please say yes please say yes
Thanks,
-Lisa