Will reinstalling Windows save my sticky notes file?

Harper · 12 Jun 2015

Basically, for a few reasons, I am looking to reinstall windows on my main hard drive.
I am not looking to format the drive, just to 'clean it up' as some drivers are preventing me starting the computer up.

Will reinstalling Windows not allow me access to the saved sticky notes file? I know there is the WindowsOld folder but not sure if it would let me access the file. The sticky notes file has lists of some things I need to do so I really do need to recover it after (re) install if possible and then use it to replace to new sticky notes file (that came with the new install).

Thanks in advance for any help.

ignatzatsonic · 12 Jun 2015

You say you want to reinstall.

Without formatting.

"just to clean it up".

If my problem was drivers, I wouldn't normally consider a reinstall, but there must be more to the story.

I'm not sure of your actual intent.

Is there any reason you can't manually locate this "sticky notes file" and copy it to a safe place so you can do what you need to do without worrying about it?

Provide more details and fill out your system specifications as best you can.

Harper · 12 Jun 2015

Lol okay. So, my new motherboard has broken. The atx (?) cord must have overheated and the plastic connection of the cable has melted into the port. The other components of the pc got power properly whilst the mobo did not. Therefore I have reverted to my old mobo with my new components, however the computer is now stuck in a startup loop, whereby it does not get past the initial windows load up screen. We (being myself and my father) think that as the drivers may be incompatible with the old mobo it will not boot properly. It gets past the bios screen but windows will not boot. Therefore we thought that reinstall windows may fix the problem. My only issue is that I had a sticky note full of stuff I want to do over th e summer and would ideally want to keep it.

Th at is th e reason I cannot simply locate the file and put it on a USB.

Specs are rather irrelevant to the question I ask but will post if necessary

ignatzatsonic · 12 Jun 2015

If this "sticky notes file" was in an expected traditional location such as My Documents or some other location under C:\users, I'd expect it to be in Windows.old.

For what it's worth.

As for your PC problem, you can try whatever you think is a good idea and if you run off the rails, start another thread in the appropriate forum.

If I had melted connectors, I'd expect to have more problems than drivers.

Good luck.

Harper · 12 Jun 2015

Your patronising manner has helped enormously, so thank you.

tblob · 12 Jun 2015

You can save your sticky notes by grabbing and securing this file:

C:\Users\(YOUR USER NAME)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Sticky Notes\StickyNotes.snt

You may have to show hidden files and folders to see it. Then, after re-installing, replace the default .snt with the file you saved. I have done it many times.

GokAy · 13 Jun 2015

Hey, you can try Make Windows 7 bootable after motherboard swap

AddRAM · 13 Jun 2015

And you can always hook the drive up to another machine, then just browse the drive for your data, you should know where everything is :)

Get your data off, put the drive back in the other machine then just reinstall windows.

Sorry to hear about the new motherboard

I would check out the power supply too.

gregrocker · 13 Jun 2015

Whenever I want to move my Sticky Notes over to a new install I just ask google how to do it and it tells me which hidden file in Program Data I need to back up and then replace in the new install. windows 7 - How do I move Sticky Notes content to another computer - Super User

However the PAR disk offered above by GokAy almost always works to adjust Win7 to boot on new hardware, if you follow the steps.

Brink · 14 Jun 2015

In addition: :)

Sticky Notes - Backup and Restore