can anyone tell me how to completely delete everything on my computer and restart with a new system?

Question

I have the system cd that came with the computer... all I need to know is how to delete whats on here and reinstall it. I've tried and the computer says that there is a newer version on here and the disk wont work. The problem is that this "newer version" isn't working correctly

Answer 1

I should have read your question with more care. I would call tech support for your computer manufacturer and complain that you received the incorrect emergency restore disk for your computer. They will try to convince you that you don't need it, but you should be persistent and tell them that you need it in case something bad happens to your computer.

Format and reinstall Windows XP
Before you begin you will need:
Windows Installation OS Disk
Hardware driver CDs for stuff like your video card and sound card (can be downloaded as an alternative)
About 45 min to 2 hours of free time depending on proficiency of computers

First save all important data you will want to keep because everything after this will no longer exist such as things like:
•Pictures, Music, and Video
•Financial information
•Word documents for work or school
•Web browser bookmarks (you can export them and then import them on the new installation)
•Passwords from your web browser
•Anything else you can think of that you don’t want to lose
Save these files on a CD, DVD, or separate hard drive such as D: or to an external hard drive. You might also be able to save them to a location online such as your email if the files are not too big.

Next restart your computer and enter your bios by pressing delete or F2 before your computer boots up. You need to alter your boot settings to boot off your CD drive. Save and exit your bios.

Before your computer boots up you should place the OS disk in the disk drive. The computer will boot off this disk. Let the temp drivers load and the screen will come to a halt informing you that you already have windows loaded. Press enter, press F8 to agree, C: should be highlighted then press enter to install, press enter to continue, press L to continue deletion of existing partition, press enter to format C: partition, select “format partition using NTFS file system” press enter, the drive will format and computer will reboot automatically or with your assistance by pressing enter, let the computer reboot and windows will begin reinstallation. The rest of the steps are up to you to customize your windows installation.

When windows is all done reinstalling, remember to perform necessary updates after installing all your necessary drivers.

Answer 2

What you are referring to is what is called a hard drive re-format. Hard drives are formatted for the Operating System that is installed on it. Re-formatting essentially wipes your hard drive clean be overwriting the original "formatting" and writing in a new format. Sounds confusing, but it is really pretty straight-forward.

All you have to do is put the system disks that came with your computer in the CD-ROM drive and restart the computer. Once you do that, the computer should read the CD and ask you if you want to boot off of the CD. Say yes and follow the instructions on the screen.

If you have a Dell, the disc you need to put in will be purple or maroon.

My suggestion is to find the disks then call the technical support for your computer manufacturer and they will step you through it.

Answer 3

Hi the best way would be to have your original windows xp cd in the cd-rom drive, and boot it, if it's not booting from your cd-rom then you need to go on the bios or set up by pressing the delete key and then just change the boot priority to cd-rom, and then it will boot from the windows xp cd, and before it's installing windows xp, it will ask you if you want to format, then just do a quick format or even full format, after that it will guide you through to install windows xp, and your computer will be like brand new like it never had any files or anything and every file will be erased there will be no tracks nothing.

Answer 4

Insert your OS (Operating system) disk and restart your computer. Follow the setup process and when confronted with the choice, select reformat and another option will appear later asking you to partition, give everything available to your new OS. If anything else is still there (which is above 7 mb) then delete following the onscreen instructions...
Hope this helps!!!
Chris

Answer 5

You can reformat your hard disk with a utility program such as MaxBlast, erasing all data on the disk, including programs and the operating system. Then you can install an OS and programs, and it will be like a new computer, virus free.

Answer 6

hi, you do not say what form of computing device it really is,or the operating device, yet i'm assuming its a private computer with a separate sound card? there are various things you may try. were given to regulate Panel>>device manager and seem on the list of things, there should be a 'Sound and on line sport Controllers' line, in case you click on the '+' signal it really is going to expose you what Sound card you've and through double clicking on it, it really is going to allow you to recognize even if it really is operating properly even if it isn't shown, I propose you turn off your computing device, remove the aspect and remove the sound card from the computing device (that's basically one screw and that's going to pull out - undergo in concepts the position it got here from) Reboot your computing device and then close it down lower back. Re-insert your sound card, making particular it really is totally pressed domicile and screwed decrease back in. Reboot your computing device. the computing device might want to recognize it as a 'new' card and hit upon a motive force for it this may remedy your problem, yet with out more desirable information, it really is complicated to operate more desirable.

Answer 7

That's very easy, but do you have your O/S CD and all the relevant drivers you need to install, as well as all of the applications that you will reinstall?

Answer 8

yes put you windows cd in the drive and reboot when it asks do you want to install say yes when it says you have another copy of windows install and ask where you want to install it pick the same disk c:\ and folder c:\windows. when it asks do you want to format say yes press F key and take it from there

Answer 9

Boot to your Restore CD if you have one.
Else, boot to your XP CD, repartition and reinstall the OS.

Answer 10

Ya, got to my computer, right click on local disk c and then click format