If I have to restart Windows, do I lose all my games that I have bought and installed?

Question

I have too much spy wear on my computer and my son wants to clean it totallly out and restart everything what do I do with all my games I have bought and installed (3 from Yahoo) I don't have the registeration numbers except the the last one I bought. Can you restart them if I have to clean everything off my hard drive.

Answer 1

Try this:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/SpyBot-Search_&_Destroy_Tools_d2471.html
Lots of other freewares on that site.

Now, if your Win XP is damaged, you do not have to reformat. You could try this:
http://www.informationweek.com/shared/printableArticle.jhtml?articleID=189400897
All your files will be intact. Worked for me 3 times in different PCs.

Answer 2

I think “Restart” means formatting the hard disk and install Windows from the beginning. If so, you’ll be loosing all the stuff in your hard disk! All installed games and applications. You can easily backup the data files you have to a CD or DVD but the programs can not be backed up like that. Once the OS installed, you have to re-install every thing (games and Applications) so that requires the serial keys.

But you can try something like this. Install SpyBot and update the product. (I know this product because I used it for sometime) Then search the computer for the Spy wares and remove them. You can work as normal without “staring all over”. So your games and applications are saved!

Hope this helps!

Answer 3

Well, I don't know about the registration numbers part but I think its best that you make a back-up of those games of yours in a CD before restarting it so you won't lose a thing.
Also, make sure that the files you are going to back-up aren't affected by the spy ware as well or something like that or else it will keep coming back if ever you place these files again on your hard drive.

Answer 4

YOu dont have to reinstall windows. All you need is a good program to get rid of the spyware. Like Spyware Sweeper or something. But to answer your question. If you bought the game off the internet. You should not have a problem. Because you already registered them. But Tell me what Site you downloaded them from maybe I can help you. Email. me at [e-mail]

Answer 5

Unfortunately the answer is no, unless you contact Yahoo and they let you download the games again. If you have that much spywear I would still recommend doing a fresh format and reinstall. You might want to contact Yahoo and see if you can save the games to backup before you do it. I am not familiar with how the games are saved. If you downloaded them to a zip file or have the setup you can just transfer that.

Answer 6

Yes! Just make sure that you have all of your registration keys! The games you buy these days online give you a chance to install it on a new computer..in this case yours will be new once it is cleaned out. I had my computer cleaned out and EVERYTHING was gone.

Answer 7

If you restart the computer, that will not erase any info saved on the server. Antispyware anti virus scans will not change your games either. If you need to do an operating system reinstall, you will lode that if stored on the local machine

Answer 8

If u just restart, they dont lost. But if u mean that u reinstalling the windows and whole system, yes.. they WILL LOST..

define restart, do u just restart the PC ( from the start menu ) or really erase everuthing and reinstall everything?

Answer 9

If everything is cleaned off, nothing will stay but the factory settings.
I did that to my computer.You need to back up your hardrive.
I tried "Data Deposit Box"
It worked great!

Answer 10

yea you will