[purplefag]

You dont need to format the hard drive at all, you can just a copy of windows pro over your current installation. Only format if you really need to. When you pop your disk in select the partition where your current windows install resides, and you will get a message saying that there is already an installation there, with system files etc. Just select that you are ok with overwriting them, and proceed with the install. Once finished you should have a fresh copy of Win 7 pro, along with all of your stuff in a separate folder on the same hard drive called windows.old or something like that.

You will need to re-install your old programs again, but you wont lose any data from the hard drive.

Hope this helps :)

PF

[purplefag]

Formatting the partition before will not leave a Windows.old folder behind, which would take up useless space on the HDD, so might as well format it. Also, this operation takes what, 5 minutes, not even ?

I was under the impression that the OP wanted to keep his/her original files, hence overlaying a new install without formatting.

PF

[purplefag]

So if I copy my steamapps folder, etc with all steam games across, and reinstall steam, will I have to download the games again, or will steam find them?:D

If you DL steam, then copy the steam folder across, overwriting everything, all your games should be there.