Installing new components - Cpu; hardrive

[Darksolace]

I am building a new system once the UPS guy gets here.

My question is, I am changing out just about every thing except my optical drives and hard drives... Do I HAVE to format my hard drive? I know it is recommended... but is there a way I can stave off doing that? I know that I will have to install all of the new hardware drivers and what not, but I just can't find a non-easy way to back up my info... I have about 13 gigs of stuff that I don't want to delete and would rather be able to just swap stuff.

I'm pretty sure the answer to this one is to not do it, but I just wanted some other opinions on it.

 

[Pain]

You should always reformat when you build a new machine, unless the board is the same.

With that said, you should have backups of your critical data anyway, so no harm done, right?

You can get a 40-80G hard disk for $50, so get a new disk for the OS and keep this current disk in tact until you load the OS and get the new box running.

 

[jitpublisher]

I would definetly spring for another inexpensive hard drive, install it in your current system, and copy everything you don't want to lose over to it. Reformat and do the Windows reinstall on your current drive in your new rig, then add the second drive with all your saved info. This will only work with your saved data, all your programs will have to be reinstalled as well. And, now you will have a backup in case your main drive ever fails.
For all the trouble and problems you will have, it's just not worth trying to migrate a Windows installation on a drive to a new motherboard.