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reformatting computer to like new

havns3

havns3

friction lover
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northeast missouri
my wife has a 2005 model gateway that has gotten real slow on start up and while using. i have the original disks that came with the computer how do i go about deleteing everything from it and reformatting it to the way it was when i bought it so that it only has windows xp and the needed drivers?
 
Reformating

Do you have the instructions that came with the disks ? There are certain steps that must be done in order I have had to do mine twice in last 18 months due to virsuses and maulware. Let me know what you have maybe i can help.
 
Most of the time if you wan to restore back to original, just load the CD and when it starts just follow the prompts. You will lose any data unless you back it up and it will restore you computer back as it were new. Some disks are only the OS and drivers and requires you to load these manually. Just follow directions and if you have any doubts don't do it.
 
thanks for the replies. at work right now but i think i will try it when i get home. slot of the speed problem seems to be the mcafee security on it it runs a updater as soon as windows starts up i would like to dump that for norton instead.
 
Hey Tim, the local pawn/gun shop took a laptop in on pawn and now it's overdue. It has a windows password set and they'd like to "scrub" it for resale. Would an OS reload off CD get them there?
 
Idle_Chatter said:
Hey Tim, the local pawn/gun shop took a laptop in on pawn and now it's overdue. It has a windows password set and they'd like to "scrub" it for resale. Would an OS reload off CD get them there?
Click to expand...

Yes if you do a "restore" or wipe and re-install all previous data will be erased including passwords...
 
havns3 said:
thanks for the replies. at work right now but i think i will try it when i get home. slot of the speed problem seems to be the mcafee security on it it runs a updater as soon as windows starts up i would like to dump that for norton instead.
Click to expand...

mcaffee and Norton are resource hogs IMO...

I would use the avg free or Avira Antivir virus protection software...
 
Clark20ry said:
Yes if you do a "restore" or wipe and re-install all previous data will be erased including passwords...
Click to expand...

It depends on how clean they want the HD...there are ways of recovering info from the HD...and if the previous owner did some bad things with it and the govt ever had a reason to search his HD, the new owner would have some explaining to do...

Tom...It's better to just get a new HD IMO
 
Pepperidge said:
It depends on how clean they want the HD...there are ways of recovering info from the HD...and if the previous owner did some bad things with it and the govt ever had a reason to search his HD, the new owner would have some explaining to do...

Tom...It's better to just get a new HD IMO
Click to expand...

Good thought, Pepp, but I'm sure they aren't interested in HD swaps, they just want the unit unlocked for resale. I have a "neutralizer" program somewhere that overwrites the entire drive with null data, I may recommend that to them.
 
As much as I dislike Norton...they had a good program in their suite called Wipe info...It would do a govt wipe that would write the drive several times with whatever sequence of numbers you chose...basically what you are saying...writing null info several times to prevent reading...

HD's for newer laptops are relatively cheap...it's the old ones for obsolete laptops that get expensive...
 
Pepperidge said:
mcaffee and Norton are resource hogs IMO...
That was my experience with those 2 also

I would use the avg free or Avira Antivir virus protection software...
Click to expand...
Another free one that's getting good reports now is 'Windows security essentials'.
 
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