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04-12-2006, 12:36 PM
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#1 |
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Member (3 bit)
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 4
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Wiping Windows XP
Hi, I'm a university student and I admittedly don't know a lot about computers. My laptop is on the fritz and I was wondering if someone could tell me how to wipe my harddrive and start from scratch, I'm not worried about losing anything so that's a non issue. I have a rough idea how to do it on older operating systems like windows 98 but I'm not sure about Windows XP, any help would be greatly appreciated.
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04-12-2006, 12:44 PM
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#2 |
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Professional gadfly
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 6,364
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Do you have a real Windows XP installation CD? If so, you can do a new install, delete all existing partitions, and start over.
If you want to get rid of all the data on the drive, you can use a zero-fill utility like DBAN or the Ultimate Boot CD. |
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04-12-2006, 12:45 PM
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#3 |
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Staff
Premium Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Doncaster, UK
Posts: 3,563
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The whole process of a wipe and re-install can be achieved with the Windows XP CD. The potential problem here is that some laptops don't ship with one; instead, they come with restore disks, or even a restore partition. What is the make and model of your laptop?
FK
__________________
-FK- "Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw, The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die, We shall not sleep, though poppies grow, In Flanders fields." - John McCrae, May 1915 |
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04-12-2006, 12:50 PM
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#4 |
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Member (3 bit)
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 4
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It's a dell Inspiron 6000, I don't think it did come with the windows XP install disc.
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04-12-2006, 12:51 PM
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#5 |
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Professional gadfly
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 6,364
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Then all you can do is use the Restore CD to restore everything to how it was when you got it.
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04-12-2006, 12:54 PM
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#6 |
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Member (3 bit)
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 4
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Hmmm, and this mythical cd is supposed to have come with the laptop? I didn't actually buy the thing, I gave my mom money and she got it for me so I'm assuming the disk would be at home.
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04-12-2006, 12:57 PM
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#7 |
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Staff
Premium Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Doncaster, UK
Posts: 3,563
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You might have a restore partition on there, that contains all the information to restore the system to as it was when you bought it. Check your laptop's documentation to see if you have this....I believe on a DELL you activate the restore process by pressing a key combination when you power on.
FK |
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04-12-2006, 01:35 PM
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#8 |
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Member (10 bit)
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 810
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According to the Dell Support Website, when restarting your computer, wait until the large blue DELL logo comes on the screen.
At that point, press Ctrl-F11 immediately, which will bring you to the restore screen that Freakitchen referred to |
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04-12-2006, 02:24 PM
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#9 |
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Member (3 bit)
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 4
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Thanks very much for the help
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04-12-2006, 03:49 PM
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#10 |
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Moderator
Staff
Premium Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 2,918
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Moved to the XP forum.
For future reference, you may want to take a look at this sticky in the Mobile Tech forum: http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=143137
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