My Dell XPS laptop performance is decreasing. I want to clean it all up. Advice?

Question

When I first got my laptop a year ago it was blazing. Now it is slow. I want to use the included CDs to restore my Dell XPS laptop to factory settings. I have no data on my hard drive as I keep it all on a separate networked drive. I need advice on how to do it. I've reformated HDs before but I want to use the Dell included CDs. Is it as easy putting them in the drive and following directions? Will I need to do something else?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Yes it is as easy as following the directions, and it does speed things back up. I just did this with my Dell Inspiron 9300 laptop. It's easy but make sure you've backedup those easy to forget files: your browser's favorites, emails you may have moved onto your hard drive from a server, those one or two photos you saved to the hard drive, that address book that might have a few updated or different names from the other computer's etc. Once you've got it all:

Thing's you need: Windows CD, product key from under laptop, and disc of drivers for your computer. Software you'll want to reinstall such as Office.

1) Put the windows XP disk in the drive and boot from it. Be sure your BIOS is set to boot from a CD. Follow the prompts. WHen asked about the parition in which to install, use the arrow keys to select your partition and press D to delete it. Create a new NTFS partition and do a quick format (or a full one if you want to, takes longer but checks entire disk for physical errors). When finished, follow prompts to install.

2) when Windows is finished installing, reboot (not from the cd). Put your drivers disk in the drive and the autoplay should bring up options. Install the audio and other drivers for your system.

3) To finish, open internet explorer, click Tools, click Windows Update, and make sure you're system is up to date, as any downloads that you previously updated'll be gone.

That's it, other than reinstalling other software and reconfiguring to taste. Some of the first programs I download from the net on a new installation include Lavasoft's Adaware and Spybot Search and Destroy, both high regarded spyware and adware removers. You can get both for free at http://www.download.com

Answer 2

It's super easy. It's pretty much like using a normal Windows CD, but it already has some software, etc set up.

Hoep this helps!
Tailor

Answer 3

Shame you have such a system, you shoud, get an imac.