[acidic]

This years model, dont know for sure what kind. My idiotic family decided to click on every thing and I would rather not go through all the trouble of removing every bit of spyware, adware, keyloggers, viruses.

Can anyone just tell me how I wipe the harddrive? The Dell Dock is no longer useable and everything is all gone to hell.

<edited by ETAF Moderator for content
- also I appreciate your frustration, but have edited your post .....please refrain in future posts, does not add any value to solving your problem >

[etaf]

whats the make and model of the PC
Dells often have a hidden partition and by pressing F11 as it boots you can reinstall the software and reformat the harddrive
OR
you may have had recovery CDs/DVDs with the machine of created when you first got the machine you can use them

- also I appreciate your frustration, but have edited your post .....please refrain in future posts, does not add any value to solving your problem

[acidic]

I will try the F11 thing.

I cannot find a model thing, all it says is Dell. I just got it this year so I do not know for sure.

P.S.: Thank you for editing my post.

[Triple6]

Welcome to TSG, I've edited you post for language as this is a family forum.

[etaf]

If you got it new this year then its 99.9% certain it has a hidden partition to rebuild the PC back to factory settings

[acidic]

Ok, I tried to use the F11 and that does not work. My family has lost any disks that the computer had come with.

[etaf]

OK - so maybe F11 is not correct for that PC
it would be good if we could see the model

is it a desktop or laptop

if desktop - you should have a model on the back and a TAG number
laptop - on the bottom

its possible the machine may use FN+F11 or F8
But there should also be a program on the machine called something like
dell backup and recovery manager
You can create the rcovery DVD/CDs from there and I think you can reformat and re-install to factory settings as well

i'm not a dell expert - so not sure if this is only loaded on laptops and not desktops

Backup any data you want to keep, it WILL BE LOST

[acidic]

All I could find is:

Service Tag; BN3L5J1
Express Service Code: 25341353533

It was on the back and front.

[Frank4d]

These instructions from Dell for a PC with your service tag should help:
http://support.dell.com/support/topi...svcTag=BN3L5J1

See Step 1, and if that doesn't work Step 2.

[etaf]

NOTE you will lose all DATA , and any setting for websites, passwords etc - so make sure nothing important on there, like TAX return , company information , Homework, etc etc etc - you know all the passwords etc
you maybe upset right now with family - BUT they will not thank you if you delete info you could have saved,.....

I went onto the dell site
support
technical support
entered the TAG number
and had a number of options
1) recover PC
clicked on that
its an XP PC model
Inspiron Desktop 537MT

if that correct

http://support.euro.dell.com/support...t?docid=181316

about half way down the page

Turn on the computer.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2 When the Dell splash screen appears during the computer startup process, press and hold <Ctrl> and then press <F11>. Then, release both keys at the same time.


--

so its control Key + F11 key

follow the instructions on the page

NOTE you will lose all DATA , and any setting for websites, passwords etc - so make sure nothing important on there, like TAX return , company information , Homework, etc etc etc - you know all the passwords etc
you maybe upset right now with family - BUT they will not thank you if you delete info you could have saved,.....

[Frank4d]

You might also consider posting a HijackThis log (link is in etaf's post). We might be able to help you fix some Malware issues in 4 hours instead of you having to spend several days reinstalling software.