Okay if i was to Format my Local Disk what would it do?

Question

i have a Windows XP and and its Runs slow everyslow i it comes with 37.2 GB and 22.3 GB is Free.. so i need help on how to get it to act like it was when i first got it and that was n Febuary this year

Answer 1

Keep your own Anti-virus up to date, and check the status regularly.

Get and update several Anti-spyware solutions. I use AD-AWARE and SpyBot Search & Destroy. I use the free versions from http://www.download.com Update and run these regularly. Especially IMMEDIATELY after an upexpected pop-up.

Download and install FireFox free from http://www.mozilla.com This is a browser that is safer to use than IE. Use this for general surfing and google searching. Only use IE when you MUST have IE, such as Windows Updates.

If you have Windows XP with SP2, activate the Windows firewall and check the status. If you don't, get Zone Alarm the free version from http://www.zonelabs.com

Take these steps to keep your computer ALIVE.

But if you want to reinstall everything from SCRATCH, insert the RESTORE disk that came with your computer and restart and BOOT from that disk. Go through the steps to install Windows XP on a new partition, which means that you will want to DELETE the existing partition.

You will gain some performance with more RAM.

Go to http://www.coastmemory.com and look for your computer and model. MAXIMIZE what your computer will take.

Answer 2

Most new PC's have so much junk in startup now some applications won't run effectively.

The problem with reloading XP from scratch is drivers and data.

Make sure you have good backups of your data, (docs, spreadsheets, images, and music files and any other thing that you will need if you format.

Check all Hardware Devices and download any pertinent drivers (PRIOR to format)..

You may want to download Boot and Nuke or so other drive killer that does a multipass format.

The other option is to buy a NEW drive as a new boot device, and load it leaving the other intact, daisy chain the orginal drive off the ribbon cable.. You'll need to set jumpers to Cable select or Master/Slave.. Doing it this way save the hassle of losing data or having to restore anything except the drivers, applications and the OS.

I'd put the new drive in with the old one disconnected while loading and getting the OS ready.


Just a thought

Answer 3

Use a program like CCLeaner to remove tmp files.
Defrag your hard drive.

Does your computer run better? If yes then you are done. If no they you might want to reload your OS.

First, make sure you have all the device drivers on hand since you will need to reinstall all devices.
Download a utility called Belarc Advisor. This will provide you and inventory of all devices on your system. Print this out for reference.
Do you have the Windows XP CD with Product Key?

How to - Format a Hard Drive!
The steps, Tips & software!

Dell computers ship with a drivers disk. HP computers do also. This will make your job easier.

Answer 4

If you were to format your local hard drive, you would wipe out everything on it (all your pictures, music, documents, etc.) unless you have backed them up. Then you would have to reinstall Windows.

Try this first:

1) Check for spyware. Run both Ad-aware (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/) and Skybot (http://www.safer-networking.org/) to remove any spyware. Run both as one may caught something the other missing. Then go to microsoft.com and download Defender to protect against future infections.

2) Check that you have a least 10% of your hard drive free. Go to My Computer and right click on the Local Drive (C:). Look at the properties. If it has less that 10% free space, you will need to delete some files, or move them off the hard drive and on to a CD or DVD. Start by running the disk cleanup, which will remove temporary and other unneeded files. Go to Start, then All Programs, then System Tools and click the Disk Cleanup icon.

3) Run the msconfig utility. Go to Start, then Run and type in: msconfig
Go to the startup tab
You will see a list of all the programs that are loaded when your computer starts up. Uncheck any that you do not have to have. (Usually you can uncheck them all). If you decide you to need one, you can go back and recheck it.

4) Defrag the hadr drive. Go into My Computer and right click on the Local Drive (C:). Select Properties and go into the Tools tab. Click the Defragment Now button to start the defrag program. If you have not defrag recently (or never) it may take several hours for the program to complete.

Answer 5

oh my god.
hi
i love ppl who wanna learn by theirself.
ok
first i should tell you , it s not important to have 22 G free.
but it s important to have 1 G free in C:/
make your C small. just install what s neccessery and unistall carefully and quick. and have 1 - 2 G free in it.
ok
now it guess you wanan install new windows.
ok
very good.
you need to have a windows cd.
but before that you must be sure it s a bootble cd.
you know what s bootable?
it means you can come up with that.
that s a very little OS and you can work on your hardwares by that.
if your bootable cd s new (2003 or upper) so go to install windows and when you should check drive what you wanna install on, delete c and make it again (or just check taht free space). istallation knows what to do.
but before all, copy what file you want from c to others.
have fun