Wiping old computer

[StJoDennis]

I have a new computer, and am ready to wipe my data, files, and programs off the old one. I have the Win98 recovery disk for the OS. Can someone give me a step-by-step outline of what I need to do? I am thinking I need to reformat the C: drive and reinstall Win98 from the recovery disk, but would like to avoid some of the surprises I'm sure will occur. Thanks for any help!

DKC

By the way, I am giving the old computer to my daughter, so any messes will come back to haunt me.

[slingslingbinks]

hello stjoedennis go to
http://www.muisejt.com/fdisk/fdisk.html
hopr this work's and btw, cricket know's the addy, if this doesn't work c-ya slinger

[GaryRouth]

Hi StJoDennis

Sounds to me like the computer for your daughter is a store-bought, major brand model? If so, you're instinct to use the Recovery CD set from the manufacturer is the right one. Don't worry if you've already begun trying to manually fdisk and reformat - Recovery Disk sets usually will offer to completely reformat the hard drive (regardless of whatever steps you've already taken) and reinstall everything back to the condition the system was in when it arrived home from the store.

This works best if all the hardware is still the factory original hardware. [Doesn't matter if you added extra RAM memory]. Usually, you just enter your system's Bios Setup screens (by pressing a key listed on a message banner "Press F1 [or DEL, or f10, etc.] to enter Setup"). Look for a menu item such as "Boot Order", or "First Boot Device". Set the computer to boot from the CD drive. Then put in your Recovery Disk & follow the instructions. Since you want this computer as cleaned up as possible, if you see an option to "Format and Recover" - that's the one you want. You want it to completely erase everything & start from scratch.

Nice thing about those Recovery CDs is that you don't have to hunt all over looking for the correct drivers for all the devices in your system: they are all there on the Recovery CDs.

Unplug any extra printers, external modems, USB speakers, scanners, network cables, etc. that have been added since system purchase, before you run the restore. [also, before you restore: Replace the original ps/2 mouse & keyboard if you've switched to a USB mouse & keyboard set.]

Post again if I've been as unclear as usual.
Best of luck
. . . Gary

[StJoDennis]

Thanks for the advice. I'll let you know how this works out. DKC

[GaryRouth]

Hope it goes well.

I did remember something to do if the recovery is successful. It would be a big favor to your daughter if you downloaded and installed all the security patches and updates from Windows Update for her, as well as updating her AntiVirus definitions. And if you found some newer drivers that showed improvement over the older ones, you could upgrade to those for her, too. Might save her a lot of time. [more time for homework ]

. . . Gary

[StJoDennis]

Here's a final update. I finally got up enough nerve to do the HD format, etc. Everything went fine!...Except! I had installed a CD-RW on the system so I had to CDs. I ended up physically removing the CD-RW, and everything went like clockwork. Thanks again to everyone who gave me advice. DKC

[GaryRouth]

Thanks for the update. Nice work.
. . . Gary