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Cleaning your computer

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by nyrangers424

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Is there any possible way I can delete all my files and clean out my computer entirly so that it was when I bought it new? I want to completly wipe everything and start from scratch.

10 replies

by w2ktechman

You can fdisk/format your HDD, then re-install
or you can replace the registry keys (backup)which should put it back to the state of when the OS was first installed.
I personally prefer the first way, and add that I prefer to do a drive scrub first to clean off all data

by nyrangers424

How can I go about doing the 1st method? Is there a website with a step by step procedure? Im not really fimaliar with computers, I just know that I have a virus and need to clean out my machine

by badco1980

then wouldn't it be easier just to run a anti-virus program? or have you tried that already?

by georgeou

When you first install Windows, there is an option to nuke the partitions and create new ones. Delete all the partitions and create new ones. For XP, I personally like to use an 8 to 16 GB partition, and the rest for a large data partition.

by quaint_data

Yeah sure can, if you really want clean, the regestry and all those hidden places of windows never really get cleaned out unless you delete the partition and clean install windows. then you have to reset the bios to factory defaults.
An easier way is to buy a new hdd keep this one and slave it.
Here 's how I do this:
I add the new hdd as a slave first,
unpartitioned, but windows will see it as raw, go to control panel administrative tools computer manager disc managr here you can see the new hdd now partition it/format it using the wizard NTFS. once its done it will tell you.
Take it out and swap them.
Do you know about changing the jumper to slave and master?
Set the bios to boot from cd first boot order?
Install xp straight onto the newly formatted hdd.
Now you have two booting hdd old as slave and new clean.
You can delete most things off the old now, and can also import your old emails from it too.
Hope this helps you.

by danlm

Here's a url that might help.
[url]http://www.jrwhipple.com/sup_startover_xp.html[/url]

I looked through it quickly, and it had all the things listed that I would worry about.

Make sure you have all your computers cd's.(drivers/programs).
Backup any data you can.
Make sure you have the cd's for any other programs you might have installed.

Then it walks you through what to expect.

PRINT IT OFF FIRST. Lol, seriously. print it off, look through it. If you don't have all your cd's. Then dont reformat and reinstall yet. You will need to find the stuff you are missing.

Dan

by ni70

Then use DBAN to wipe your drive clean from http://dban.sourceforge.net/. DBAN is an acronym for Darik's Boot & Nuke. Once you've nuked your hard drive, reinstall Windows. Make sure you have all your device CDs for drivers. Good luck! Oh by the way, DBAN is free!

by borginva

If I felt the need to do so...

Since I keep all personal files (which includes software, games, documents, drivers, etc) in my own directory (not this MY DOCUMENTS trash), I would backup all my stuff (CD/DVD/2nd drive). One directory easy!

Use a boot disk of mine and FDISK. Wipe the drive and reformat it.

Install the new OS clean.

You can also put in your Windows CD and should be able to boot from it and do a format and clean install.

Now I have done this many times before as I have these items: W98 boot disk with FDISK, regular boot disk with FDISK, WXP SP2 slipstream CD.

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