computer help
Turbo Mini Forums

is it possible to wipe everything from my computer to take it back to the status of the day i got it? i.e. just with windows on?

if not how can i wipe everything, and start again?

i think i have a virus on it, as the internet keeps crashing, i get random pop-ups, keep hearing voices (lol) and get directed to random pages!

I have backed up everthing i need, so fire away!

You need the Windows CD, so hopefully you have it!!

You're also going to need your motherboard and graphics drivers, these should be on the CD's that came with the pc when you bought it or with the parts if you built it seperately.

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Formatting and Installing from the Windows XP CD
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Step 1

This section explains how to reformat a drive from the Windows XP installation CD. This can be used when installing a fresh copy of Windows onto a computer. Here it is especially important to backup all of your important information because upon formatting you will lose EVERYTHING that used to be on the drive. This includes all applications and device drivers, so you must back up everything you can.
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Step 2

Insert your Windows XP installation disc into your CD drive (Home or Pro--it does not matter).
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Step 3

Now as you computer boots a little more it will say “Press any key to boot from CD..” press a key to do so.
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Step 4

The CD will load up a blue screen and then spend a while loading files it needs. When it is finished it will list a few options, mainly “Press ENTER to set up Windows XP.” Press Enter or Return.
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Step 5

Now you will be at a screen to select where to install Windows to. This is where you can delete old partitions and format drives. The box in the bottom half of the screen shows all your drives and the partitions that exist on them. Use the Up and Down arrow keys to highlight your “C:” partition and press the 'D' key (if all that shows up is “Unpartitioned space” and you have no C: or D: partitions, skip this step). On the next screen press the 'L' key to finalize deleting the partition.
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Step 6

Now you are back on the screen to choose where to install Windows. The box on the lower half of the screen should no longer show a partition but simply have an entry “Unpartitioned space xxxxxMB.” Select this with the arrow keys and press the 'C' key to create a partition on the drive. The next screen tells you the minimum and maximum sizes the partition can be and lets you pick the size. The default size is the maximum, but double check that the number entered is the maximum and hit enter.
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Step 7

Now you will again be back at the choose where to install Windows screen. But this time you will have a partition that looks something like this “C: Partition1 [New (Raw)]xxxxxxMB.” Highlight this entry and press enter.
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Step 8

The next screen lets you choose which file system to format the drive with. Choose NTFS as it is faster and more secure. If the drive is brand new and has never been used before then use one of the options that ends in “(Quick).” Or, choose one of the lower down options. Use the arrow keys to select the proper one and press Enter or Return.
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Step 9

From here you are all set and the installation of Windows will proceed starting with a format of your drive. This will take a while (over half an hour) so you can take a little break.

Edited by richminiturbo. on 23rd May, 2009.

hmmmmmm have none of the driver CD's they were all set up when i got it. will it be bext to take it to a pro?

Why not try a virus checker firts if that's what you think is causing the problems.

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

or ccleaner

That fixed my problems when some anti virus software went tits up.
I started it up and used that to remove all traces of the cruddy anti virus program

downloaded one, just running it.

384 pc faults lol

Edited by Mini_Andy on 23rd May, 2009.

hmmmmmmmm this is where i think the virus is! i entered cclener in google, an it forwarded me to a clean-up page without me clicking a link. It all looked good and i ran it, and found the 384 errors above. Clicked the fix errors link nd it said i had to pay £100+.

so i exited it lol

then typed www.ccleaner.com into my browser and found the site, ran it and it found a load of errors before clearing them.

good i think, must ne all sorted....

as i typed this 2 pop up windows appeared (advertising fiat). i have no other windows up and this has never happened before??

does anyone know any free anti-virus software i can download?

a guy at my work said he will wipe the laptop and re-install windows when i get back form holiday, just hope nothing too bad happens to it beofre then lol

Why not stay off some of "those" sights you know the ones

im using avg but im not 100% sure of it, but its free

AVG is very good for the price :)

Kaspersky is the best though :)

http://www.jolyonway.com

I like Avast.

If something is worth doing, it's worth doing half of.

AVG Free

I'm using this at the moment,

http://www.free-av.com/

Can reccomend it.

Although I usually format my computer as a matter of course a couple of times a year, you'd be suprised just how much quicker it makes it and its nice to get a rid of a few niggles that have built up over time, like crashing or buggy programs etc. That way you know that its completely clean aswell.

I get paranoid though as ive had my paypal and other accounts hacked before, whatever you do make sure you dont choose to "remember" your internet banking details so they automatically get filled in when you go to sign on, as if youre PC is riddled with viruses you're asking for something to go wrong.

Edited by richminiturbo. on 24th May, 2009.

can you not do a system restore to a previous date?.

133.5 bhp 123 lb torque 116mph @6640rpm 9.5psi
Shakespear RWYB 14.995 91.83mph

Are any of the errors/viruses found root-gen kits? If they are you'd be better of starting again as it hard to be sure it's clear of these.

What make of laptop is it? If you've not already formatted it there may be a recovery partition you can use to restore it to it's original setup.

*edit for spelling :)*

Edited by Neil8p on 24th May, 2009.

andy if you get stuck feel free to drop it round mine and i'll reformat it and put all anti virus software etc on it for you

cheers for the comment guy, my mate at work is going to wipe the lot and start again

When he's done it for you, stop looking at porn on th'interweb. It won't fill up with shite then

noted

update!!!!

well today it has been wiped!!!

he got rid of everything, and installed windows xp (its what we use at work).

Now i have to sort out the drivers, i will look at home later to see if i have the CD to install them all, but what happens if i have lost it?

Can i run a checker to tell me what drivers i have, and then download the sortware indevidually?

Its and evesham Z7100 if it helps.

the laptop was brought from a work scheme, but evesham have since gone bust :(

tried that, problem being i don't have anyway of connecting to the internet from the laptop, so it don't work lol

god i hope i find the driver backup cd tonight!

Boy#1 suggestes running dxdiag and drop me a PM with the specs and he'll see if he can find a driver cd for you.

thanks for the offer, i was getting really annoyed trying to load programs on it, then searching the net. So i popped onto ebay, and would you believe it a driver disk for my laptop, less the £3 next day delivered!