How do you Reformat your Computer?

Question

My comp has been sluggish and my internet cuts out, someone told me i should reformat.. But i dont know how?.. or even what it is. I have music and pictures and games on here, those will all be lost wont they? and i read somewhere you need a cd or something.. i dont have one.. Can someone please help me?.. tell me what to do please.

Answer 1

Yes you need a CD
Yes you will lose anything on the drive so back it up first.
Have you tried removing program that you don't use or defragmenting the hard drive? There are other things you can do to help performance with out reformating the computer, if your PC just got slow oneday, you may have spyware or adware on it that you don't even know about.
If you really want to re format this is what you need to do.

Put the cd into the drive and restart the computer

... when the install disk boots up, you’ll see a message asking if you want to repair your existing installtion. You don't, so press ESC to bypass the repair option.

Now select the partition where Windows is installed, then press D to delete it. Press L to confirm the delete. Next you will have to create and format a new partition. Select the unpartitioned space and press C to create a new partition. Allot the maximum amount of space available, then press Enter.

Now select the partition you’ve just created, and format it. Choose the NTFS option, go for the "quick format" then sit and wait. When the new partition is formatted, you're ready to install Windows

Answer 2

First off, if you haven't got a clue, find someone that does - and not just 'a friend' I'm sick of trying to put systems back together that 'a friend' tried to sort!

One or all of the follow are possible, before even thinking of wiping everything...

It might simply be getting old
It will certainly need defragmenting.
It will definitely want scanning for trojan and viruses
If may well want it's registry cleaning up (Never, ever let 'a friend' touch your registry!)
You obviously need to back everything up, and properly. Then get into the habit of managing up everything.

Everything includes all the things you only remember when 'a friend' formats your computer and you try to do anything O.o

Pictures
Documents
Game save (most people forget this)
Email (almost everyone forgets this)
MSN / IM contacts - including any and all extras you've found/bought
Favourites (browser)

If the person you get to look at your computer can't instantly reel off how to do this they don't know what they are talking about. (And I'm not talking about blaggers and cowboys that advertise a mobile number in the local papers).

Note that I class most big 'get into the act' companies - and the clowns that advertise in the small ads in local papaers after doing a 20 hour course at the local college - as only marginally better than 'my mate who knows a bit' and generally actually worse. At least 'your mate' might feel guilty when he wrecks something!
Not naming these (High Street) names.

Answer 3

Before you reformat, try this. Go to start menu > run.
Type msconfig. Go to Startup tab and disable unecessary programs. You may also go to the Services tab and disable some services but this is not recommended (Use it at your own risk). After doing all this, press Apply and restart your computer. When your computer boots up again, a window will pop up. Check the box which says "Don't show this message again.....".

I hope this changes your mind about formatting your computer because formatting your drive and reinstalling drivers and programs is not an easy task.

Answer 4

No, deleting the account would not eliminate the virus. I desire it may although. What you could desire to do is.. a million. put in your restoration disk. 2. flow to the boot menu in the previous the homestead windows demonstrate comes up 3. decide on boot from force. 4. stick to the on demonstrate steps, which in some unspecified time interior the destiny will ask restoration or format. click format, or it won't eliminate the virus. 5. After that the re installation and format will start up. 6. whilst it quite is done, it is going to start like type new, without viruses. 7. in the previous YOU OPEN ANY internet CONNECTIONS installation YOUR ANTI-VIRUS application or you may desire to get yet another virus. once you have all of that executed, you could start up utilising your computing device like widely used returned. it is quite useful to verify for updates on your working device although. wish I helped, -hoot- ;)

Answer 5

Go to www.support.microsoft.com and try to get the instructions. If it does have to be reformat ed, you must have the Windows disk. Contact the manufacturer of the computer and if you can prove you bought it from a legal source, you may be able to purchase a disk. Good luck.

Answer 6

Be careful. Even if you have the recovery disks, this can be tricky. For example, HP has a little partition it uses to validate itself and if you do the traditional format, you can't reinstall with their CD's. Also, formatting will erase your entire hard drive. Backup your data to an alternate source (like a CD) but ensure you do a complete virus scan first.

Just asking this question leads me to advise you to take it to a computer repair shop and have them load it for you.

Answer 7

It sounds like you may have some junk software running on your PC that you may have picked up somewhere. It is probably running in the background and using up resources (processor and internet). Trying system restore and restoring to a date when your PC was running well could take care of the problem. If you are unfamiliar with this feature, take a look at this page on Microsoft's site. http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/306084

Good Luck

Answer 8

Take your computer to a "certified" repair person. You do not want to do this yourself unless you REALLY know what you're doing!!