[Windows Central Question]

I've been having a lot of problems with Windows and my programs. I think it's time for a reinstall. However, I have about 100 GB worth of files I'd like to save and get back after a restore. What would be the best way to go about doing this? Would my files be safe if I stored them on a separate partition on my main hard drive before a restore? I don't have an external hard drive large enough to hold these files during a restore.

[dKp1977]

What OS are you using? If it's Windows 8.x, you could perform a simple refresh. This way you'll keep all your files and won't even have to worry about backups. Otherwise, or if you really want to be entirely safe, create an additional partition - or in case you already have one large enough, use that - and move all your files over to it. Now perform your new installation of Windows. Just make sure you don't delete the partition containing your backup files. Windows won't touch it.