1. Log on as Administrator. For those of you who run with admin privileges, shame on you, but you will need to log onto a different account with admin privileges.

2. Copy profile root to a backup medium. I used a server on the network, but this can also be done with a CD-R (or DVD-R if you have a lot of stuff). Your profile root is at C:Documents and Settings[your username].

3. Reinstall windows. If you are using software that only allows a certain number of installs, make sure that you uninstall it first so that you can install it again once the installation is complete.

4. During the install process, you will be asked to create a list of users who will be using the computer. Go ahead and set up all the users you will need.

5. Once you have finished the installation, log into the account you made the backup of. This step is necessary as it will set up all the folders and registry values you need in order to finish the backup procedure.

6. Log on again as Administrator. Copy the contents of the backed up profile into C:Documents and Settings[your username]. If it asks you to overwrite anything, say yes. Since this is a fresh install, there is nothing in there of any importance.

7. Install your software. It should automatically recognize your old profiles on the computer.

That's it. You are now able to pick up right where you left off, with the advantage of a clean install of XP.