[Armonijones]

Hi to all you computer Experts out there!!!!
I need some one to take me step by step "SLOWLY" and tell me how I can wipe my Hard Drive completely Clean, as if it was right out of the box.
I am not all that bright when it comes to computers......But come on.....How tough can it be, if you are taken through it one step at a time?
Please don't use computer Lingo while holding my hand through this...Just tell me as simply as you can, how a computer browser type of person can do this task all by themselves........there has to be some one out there that wants to share the secret?
I have a few buddies who do it all the time, and when I ask them how to do it...they just say, that it is to difficult to explain....as if it is a Big Dark Secret.
I would Love to be able to do it myself...........can some body tell me the easiest way to do it?
Or.......is there any Software that I can purchase that will do it all for me?
I really need your HELP!!!!!!
Looking forward to hearing all about it.
Rick

[prodsupptech]

Is this harddrive going to be your primary harddrive eventually?

[Old Rich]

Lets see how much this helps . .

Enter BIOS ( Setup ) and set the first boot device as CD/ROM. Put your XP Disc in the drive and disconnect all external peripherals except the monitor, keyboard and mouse, and be sure those are not USB, or wireless. Any internal USB card should also be removed.

Once you set your BIOS to boot first from cd . . when it restarts you will see a black screen with a prompt "Press any key to boot from CD" . . do that and you will be able to delete partitions and recreate one or more, then proceed to formating and installing XP.

That message can pass quickly, so have a finger on the keyboard when you boot. This will delete all data on the drive so be sure you have your important data backed up. The prompt will appear after every reboot, but do not press any key on subsequent reboots. The setup process will continue with no action required from you.

If you do not get that message, and you have another optical drive, try the XP CD in the other drive.

This is a site that walks you thru a simulated XP installation:
http://www.echoproject.net/en/software/catalog.html

These are good guides to reinstalling XP . . you might want to print one for reference during the install.

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase...p_sg_clean.asp
http://www.socrtwo.info/cleanxpinstall.htm
http://www.theeldergeek.com/xp_home_..._-_graphic.htm

You will likely have to reload drivers (Chipset first) and applications, If your XP installation disc does not include SP2, after the installation, you will need to download and install SP-2, while windows is clean. Prior to connecting to the internet be sure you enable the XP firewall.

If you want to save your files and settings, you can use the XP Files and Settings Transfer (FAST) wizard to create an image of them and save to cd or other removable media. This is a good guide to using the FAST wizard. Just be sure you have an up-to-date antivirus before you re-instate them!

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase...xp_sg_fstw.asp

For help entering BIOS: http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

[flavallee]

Rick:

Which Windows CD's do you have available and which Windows version do you plan to install?

Do you plan to use the entire hard drive as a single C: partition?

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[Armonijones]

Originally Posted by Armonijones

Hi to all you computer Experts out there!!!!
I need some one to take me step by step "SLOWLY" and tell me how I can wipe my Hard Drive completely Clean, as if it was right out of the box.
I am not all that bright when it comes to computers......But come on.....How tough can it be, if you are taken through it one step at a time?
Please don't use computer Lingo while holding my hand through this...Just tell me as simply as you can, how a computer browser type of person can do this task all by themselves........there has to be some one out there that wants to share the secret?
I have a few buddies who do it all the time, and when I ask them how to do it...they just say, that it is to difficult to explain....as if it is a Big Dark Secret.
I would Love to be able to do it myself...........can some body tell me the easiest way to do it?
Or.......is there any Software that I can purchase that will do it all for me?
I really need your HELP!!!!!!
Looking forward to hearing all about it.
Rick

Hi again Guys
Thanks for the advice so far..........."But".......I still need to have my hand held, and be walked through this thing in basic terms and in steps.......#1-10 if that is what is required?
I am running Windows XP "Home Addition", and I would Love to be able to completely erase my Hard Drive and have it as Fresh as the day that it had come from the store.
I am not all that computer smart, when it comes to doing things with my PC....BUT......I am able to follow step by step and instructions, and with your help...I hope to learn how to completely clean my Hard Drive and eliminate any Viruses that I may encounter along the way.
We all have friends that we take our computers to, when ever we have a virus or a problem........and they all act as if..........it is very difficult, or that they have been sworn to some kind of oath, not to divulge this Secret to their Stupid less talented Buddies? LOL
I am sure, that there is some one out there, that is able to teach an old dog some new Tricks, in very their terms.
I guess my biggest Fear is, doing some thing out of order or just wrong....and screwing the whole thing up in the process.
I'd love to be able to Shock my Buddies and myself, by being able to wipe my Hard Drive clean, and re-install my software with out their Help or assistance.
What do you guys think........can any one guide me through this and have it be simple at the same time???
I have confidence that some body can.
Baby steps.......would work for me.
Thanks for any help that you can send my way.
Rick

[flavallee]

A new factory-brand computer does not come "fresh and clean". It is loaded with unwanted and time-limited and demo programs that can be a real pain to clean out and get rid of.

The only way to get a "fresh and clean" computer is to format the hard drive and do a fresh install of Windows with a Windows CD, and not with a recovery/restore CD.

You still have not answered my questions in #4.

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[littleangel]

If your harddrive is the sole harddrive, ie not the secondary harddrive you will basically ave to do a reformat using your XP disc at boot up, as someone else said earlier, you need to enter the bios i order to change the system boot device.

If however it is not your Sole Hard drive but your secondary one(I have 2, an 80Gb and a 40Gb and the 80GB runs my operating system where as the latter(my secondary) has all picture and music files etc on it, a data drive mainly, no system data at all) You can wipe it clean simply by the following:-


1) Go into my computer, right click on the hard drive you wish to wipe clean.

2) Select the Format option..

and it's pretty straight forward from there, the pc will d the reast.

But as I said before you CANNOT do that if you are only running one harddrive and defiantly not the harddrive that runs your system (XP)

hope thats not too confusing.....

I would tell you the other way but I'd be here all night..lol

Good Luck

[Armonijones]

Originally Posted by flavallee

Rick:

Which Windows CD's do you have available and which Windows version do you plan to install?

Do you plan to use the entire hard drive as a single C: partition?

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Well........Yes....I guess I plan on using the Hard Drive as a single C.?
And I had planned on re installing the Windows XP recovery Disc that came with my Computer.
Is that alright to do?
By any chance.......do they happen to market any Software that will do all of this for you?
And if not........why not?
It would seem to make perfect sense to have a program that you can run , that would make it Super Simple for us guys that only know how to answer our emails and look at the occasional???.......Adult related site! LOL
How can we simplify all of this, for some one like myself?
Still hoping that one of you Computer Gods, can talk me through this?
Rick

[flavallee]

If you're going to be using a Windows XP recovery CD, there should be directions in the owner's manual and on the website for that computer to tell you how to do it.

Using that recovery CD will revert that computer back to the exact same condition that it was when you brought it home and set it up.

Make sure to disconnect any printer, scanner, webcam, camera, etc. before you start. All that should be connected is the tower, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and speakers.

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[jmwills]

Two good tutorials are at:
www.theeldergeek.com and www.djdenham.com

The later deals mostly with Dell.

[Armonijones]

Originally Posted by flavallee

If you're going to be using a Windows XP recovery CD, there should be directions in the owner's manual and on the website for that computer to tell you how to do it.

Using that recovery CD will revert that computer back to the exact same condition that it was when you brought it home and set it up.

Make sure to disconnect any printer, scanner, webcam, camera, etc. before you start. All that should be connected is the tower, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and speakers.

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Mmmm.........Once again, I have limited knowledge when it comes to the inner workings of this Computer, or if the light stays on, once the fridge door is shut?
But, I do know that the recovery disc does not Restore or Clean Out your computer to Brand New condition, as if it just arrived from the Computer Store.
I am trying to wipe off and clean my Hard Drive to eliminate any virus's that may be hiding in there, a restore Disc does not do that "Completely"..........!
If it was that simple, I would have done that years ago.
But Thanks for the advice.
I am looking to Clean Off my Hard Drive of "Every Thing" and then I can re install all of my software, once that is done.
There has to be some one out there, that can send me a Step by Step list of things to do, in plain "Non - Computer Language" in order to complete this task?
I am not into tracking down various sites that deal with this subject.....I would rather hear it all from one of Forum Buds, who actually does this task on a Bi Monthly basis.
If I am able to take your hand and teach you, or coach you through a landing of a 767 in plain simple terms, and have you and your passengers walk away safely, then I am sure
that one of our Friends can teach me how to wipe off my Hard Drive, in simple terms?
My Computer has already Crashed, now I need some one to teach me to fly it again.
Looking forward to seeing who can do this for me.
Thanks again
Rick

[jmwills]

Did you look at either of the links I posted? (they have pictures too!)

[Armonijones]

Originally Posted by jmwills

Did you look at either of the links I posted? (they have pictures too!)

Thanks Jim
I'll have a look.
Rick

[flavallee]

Rick:

Once you have a "full" version copy of Windows XP SP2(which costs almost $200.00 at most computer stores), it will allow you to completely wipe out the hard drive and do a fresh install of Windows XP SP2. I can provide you with step-by-step instructions for doing that.

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What version of Windows is currently installed in that computer?

How old is that computer, and what is its brand name, model name, and model number?

What is the processor speed and the amount of RAM?

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[Old Rich]

And . . one of the ones I gave you will walk you thru the installation, screen by screen . .

http://www.echoproject.net/en/software/catalog.html