How to preserve users in new install?

[Don R Maxwell]

John L. Pierce wrote:
> Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 10:47:12 -0500
> Subject: Re: How to preserve users in new install?
> To: fedora-list at redhat.com
> Someone should also direct this user to setup separate partitions on the
> physical disc(s) so that in the future preserving user data will be much
> easier.
> 
> Then when doing a new install the user can just omit formatting the
> /home, /etc and other necessary directories.

If /etc/ is not reformatted, then isn't there an opportunity for the fresh
install to get scrambled?  Particularly in /etc/init.d and the rc?.d sub-dirs?