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2 Dec 2004, 23:34
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#1
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1up on you
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Birmingham, UK
Posts: 4,007
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How do you reformat your pc?
Ok i have a 2.6ghz samsung laptop, 512mb ram, 30gb hd, windows xp etc, etc, etc. Problem is my comp is running slow, done virus/adaware etc, defraggin, so was wondering how one would format the computer which I hear makes your computer feel like new.
Can anyone help?
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pig
[ 1u p]
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3 Dec 2004, 00:01
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#2
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crashed computer
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,257
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Re: How do you reformat your pc?
Rtfm
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IRC quotes:
<Walrus> Let's all poke him next time he appears.
<Heiro> I think that is wise, Master Walrus
<Gryffin> ungrateful wretches
<Gryffin> they should be here!
<Gryffin> so I can grace them with my presence
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3 Dec 2004, 00:05
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#3
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#planetarion
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Birmingham, UK
Posts: 1,538
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Re: How do you reformat your pc?
If it's a laptop then chances are you have a "recovery CD" somewhere around. Backup the files you actually want, stick that disc in, and reboot. Then follow the prompts on screen and it generally restores it to how you found the PC when you got it from the shop. (ie. you'll have to de-fluff it again)
Make sure you've got the CD Key to go with the recovery CD before you do it though
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- A2
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4 Dec 2004, 02:31
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#4
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Weeeeee
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: leeds
Posts: 586
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Re: How do you reformat your pc?
boot to dos
type
format c:\
press
y
profit
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:gollum: :gollum: :gollum: :gollum:
One load of gollums is enough for anyone.Ta
DM.
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24 Jan 2005, 12:00
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#5
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The Harsh Light of Day
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Behind my comp in Hertfordshire, UK
Posts: 101
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Re: How do you reformat your pc?
Put in Windows XP disk. Where is selects partition to isntall on delete it, create a new one in same space and it will reformat it.
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"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds"
You'll never see me but I am everywhere
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24 Jan 2005, 15:25
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#6
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Rawr rawr
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Upside down
Posts: 5,300
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Re: How do you reformat your pc?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deathjam|wee
boot to dos
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We're not all as old as Dead_Meat FFS.
As far as I know XP doesn't have any DOS except for the emulator DOS-prompt.
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"Yay"
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24 Jan 2005, 15:51
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#7
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Born Sinful
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Loughborough, UK
Posts: 4,059
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Re: How do you reformat your pc?
S/I wins points for correctness.
XP has NTVDM (NT Virtual DOS Machine) which is a DOS emulator... and consequently doesn't run outside of Windows. What XP does have is a command line mode which you can get to using my favourite tool (heh), the recovery console.
HOWEVER:
It's not needed for this.
Please read both sections below as there is some crossover.
If your machine is a laptop (or a desktop from a less 'technical' dealer) then follow the previous advice, to recap:
- TAKE NOTE: In most instances you will lose everything stored on the machine, including the OS, programs, documents, music, the works. If the machine has more than one drive (either logical or physical) you may only lose the contents of the primary drive, but I've seen restore CDs that completely wipe all drives and reset the partition table to a factory default. Make sure you have backed up anything you wish to keep before proceeding.
- READ THE MANUAL! Laptops are tricky things using all sorts of odd drivers, and many vendors do not supply a Windows installation CD. Instead they tend to either supply a recovery CD which contains an image of the harddrive including windows and other preloaded software, or a boot utility which recovers the system from a hidden area of the harddrive. Removing this partition would not be a good move, as you would lose all the drivers required and have to go find them on the internet by yourself.
- Locate your restore media if you have any, and follow the manual.
- If you don't have restore media but have a proper XP CD then see the desktop instructions below.
If your machine is a standard desktop:
- TAKE NOTE: You will lose everything stored on whichever partition you decided to install windows on. If you installed any programs to other partitions, although the program files will survive they probably won't work as their information stored in the registry will be wiped too. Make sure you have backed up anything you wish to keep before proceeding.
- Locate the XP CD and your XP CD-Key. You cannot reinstall windows without it.
- Make sure your machine is set to boot from the CD drive before any other (it'll be a fairly obvious option in the BIOS).
- Insert the CD, restart the PC, and allow it to boot from the CD.
- If prompted, press a key to boot from the CD otherwise it will boot the current install still.
- Go through the setup steps. When prompted to decide where to install windows, select the partition it is currently installed on. You will be warned that an installation of windows already exists but continue anyway. You will then be given the option to format, so format the partition with NTFS.
- You have sucessfully formatted the partition and installation will continue as normal
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Worth dying for. Worth killing for. Worth going to hell for. Amen.
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24 Jan 2005, 18:18
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#8
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Held Back
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Ankaa Millers
Posts: 799
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Re: How do you reformat your pc?
The process I've always gone through is creating a boot disk, in order to get your PC to restart without loading windows, (I'm using ME, so no "real" DOS?), problem is I have no floppy drive (yanked it when it started acting up) and Windows in it's infinite wisdom won't direct the files anywhere other than the A drive slot. I want to burn them to CD though, would they be google'able ?
I've tried booting the Reinstallation CD from startup, but doesn't seem to want to find the setup.exe. While running the program within windows results in errors on the scan disk stage. Something that probably needs defragging to sort, which in turn needs scan disk to clean to a sortable level. Which is the reason I want to reformat the damn thing, heh.
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The dark wind howls...
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24 Jan 2005, 19:45
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#9
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Born Sinful
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Loughborough, UK
Posts: 4,059
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Re: How do you reformat your pc?
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Worth dying for. Worth killing for. Worth going to hell for. Amen.
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