win 98se repair install & registry questions

[poetdowns]

Will reinstalling the OS create a new registry?

Do i have to re-format the hard drive in order to reinstall win98SE?

Most programs don't run 'cause the comp doesn't recognize that they are there. If i have to reinstall all my programs, wouldn't it be more efficient to re-format the drive (as opposed to deleting and reinstall programs on case-by-case basis)?

Can i reinstall 98SE over itself?  Or do i have to delete the old one first?  It's same version, my backup/install OS is on a partition of the hard drive.

Is there a way to repair/reinstall 98SE and keep the current device drivers?


Regards,
Poet

[Broni]

You can try to repair Win 98 by installing it over itself, but you need Windows CD.

[poetdowns]

Does that mean burn what's on the partition to cd?


Poet

[Broni]

No. You have to have full version of Windows 98 CD.
I'm not sure, what you have on that partition, but I suspect, it's some kind of recovery partition, which will return the computer to its original state - all private data lost.

[poetdowns]

No, my comp was custom built, the hard drive was partioned and a full working version of 98SE was put there in case the OS was damaged or needed to be reinstalled.

[Broni]

full working version of 98SE was put there

What exactly is there? Some kind of CD image, or...?

[poetdowns]

omg, i don't know how to say it any more plainly than i already have 
You said: "full version of win 98"?
I said: "full working version of win98"
 
 

[JJ 3000]

Will reinstalling the OS create a new registry?

yes

Do i have to re-format the hard drive in order to reinstall win98SE?

yes

do i have to delete the old one first?

yes

[poetdowns]

Thank you,


Poet