Date: 2007nov26 OS: Windows Keywords: re-install, DLL Q. What happens when you reinstall Windows Vista? I need to refresh some DLLs. A. The Vista installer will detect a previous version of itself but it does not gently update it. It will move:

c:\Windows --> c:\Windows.old\Windows c:\Program Files --> c:\Windows.old\Program Files c:\ProgramData --> c:\Windows.old\ProgramData c:\Users --> c:\Windows.old\Users c:\autoexec.bat --> c:\Windows.old\autoexec.bat c:\config.sys --> c:\Windows.old\config.sys

All other folders are kept intact. And create new folders and files:

c:\Windows c:\Program Files c:\ProgramData c:\Users c:\autoexec.bat c:\config.sys

So its overkill as a way to refresh some DLLs because you'll need to re-install *all* your programs and redo all your settings! Better to copy the DLLs from another Vista installation if at all possible. Also be aware that the "Disk Cleanup" feature in Vista (which is accessed by right clicking on a drive) will offer to delete "Previous Windows Installations" -- ie it will delete the entire c:\Windows.old tree.