Can I reinstall Mandrake 9.2 and not "format" it and not lose any of my existing apps etc.? Also which is better, the box "Discovery" 2 disc version or the download 3 disc?

You should be able to "reinstall" with the "upgrade" option and not lose anything at all. I have done it many times because I was too impatient to solve problems I couldn't find good help for otherwise.

Just be sure NOT to click "install" but to click "UPGRADE" when presented with that choice.

Even if you did click "install" you would not lose your home directory files (unless you specifically said to wipe out that partition), but by using the "upgrade" option you preserve most of the system stuff as well. It's similar to "repair" option in a program like OpenOffice.org.

As for the comparison between the two versions (2discs or three) I can't help you there. Pretty obviously you'd get more goodies with three discs. But be sure to verify the MD5sum of the ISO files before burning them to CD-ROM at SLOW speed for accuracy.

Thanks for the reply. I got my sound all messed up and I've tried "upgrading" several times but it doesn't fix it.
I have the 2 cd version and the download version on disc, there is some difference in apperance of the two.
I'm thinking maybe I have a kernal problem or something that's making my sound scratchy. It has worked fine for a year and I was messing around with kaffeine and installed a lib that removed some other stuff, I don't know what, and I haven't been able to cure it.

Well, a clean install might provide the solution. You still wouldn't lose any personal files but reinstalling all the applications that DIDN'T come as standard--which in my experience means almost everything, because as much as I like Mandrake I don't use almost any of their "choices"--reinstalling all those things is a real pain.

I have a list of over thirty items I have to manually reinstall every time I do a new install of Mandrake. I really wish a product could get GOOD ENOUGH and then just--stay that way. No more versions!

Nope. Such is human nature that everything keeps having to get improved. Which often means worsened.

I did the complete install. Lost EVERYTHING. Starting all over and now I find the sound it STILL F-ed up! And besides that all the apps in MCC have no files shown. What would cause that? For instance it'll show xmms and tell you what it is but shows no files. As long as I'm starting over maybe I'll switch to10. What a drag.

If you are starting over your best bet would be to go right to 10.1 as it uses a newer kernel with better hardware support.

I order the cd's for ten. Does 10 set-up partitions like 9.2? I'll have to delete the 9.2 partitions I suppose or can I install over the top of 9.2?

You can use the existing partitions. You need not lose your /home/[you] directory either. It will ask you if you want to wipe everything out or keep this or that, and you can answer however you wish.

But if you can possibly do it, install 10.1 Official Edition, instead of 10.0. Version 10.1 fixed a lot of things wrong in 10.0.

Thanks for the reply, the 10 Official is what I've got coming.

You can download the 10.1 CD's.

I'm using a dial-up, it's easier to pay a couple of bucks than to try and download then burn.