Wipe a computer(format)

Healy Boy

hi

can anyone tell me how to format a computer properly wipe it clean back to its original settings??

Thanks

Serephucus

Reinstall Windows.

When you're computer's booting up, hit a certain key (if it doesn't tell you, odds are it's Delete) to get into your BIOS.
Select your DVD drive as your first boot device.
Insert your Windows DVD into your drive.
Follow the steps.
(When you get to the screen showing your hard drive, delete the existing partition and create a new one)

This will wipe all of your data, and restore the computer how it was when you got it. After that's done, you might have to reinstall drivers for a few bits and pieces such as your graphics card. You get these drivers from the manufacturer's website.

Healy Boy

i dont have a dvd for the windows its actully my gf pc i just taught if i go into the local internal harddrive right click and click format what would that do??

B0X

It won't allow you to format the drive windows is installed on. Maybe you could borrow/download the disk. Did she get a restore disk with the PC, sometimes they are actually just the windows CD.

Unregistered.

B0X wrote: »

It won't allow you to format the drive windows is installed on. Maybe you could borrow/download the disk. Did she get a restore disk with the PC, sometimes they are actually just the windows CD.

Download a copy of Windows and then "burn" it onto a USB stick.

Leman

Just to make it clear, you can LEGALLY download an ISO if you have a valid Windows Key. You can then use the Windows 7 USB tool (google it) to make a bootable USB stick.

DoesNotCompute

Healy Boy wrote: »

i dont have a dvd for the windows its actully my gf pc i just taught if i go into the local internal harddrive right click and click format what would that do??

Does the PC have a hidden restore partition on it?

Unregistered.

Leman wrote: »

Just to make it clear, you can LEGALLY download an ISO if you have a valid Windows Key. You can then use the Windows 7 USB tool (google it) to make a bootable USB stick.

What he said. Sometimes finding a decent place to download it from is tricky though - if you haven't downloaded a copy before or if you're not a member of msdn or something like that. I would suggest not downloading via torrent unless you know what either of the terms "md5sum" or "sha1" mean


Edit: I'm working in Glasnevin today if you're nearby. I will put a copy on a USB for you.

Skerries

just download a free format program like Boot and Nuke which wipes the hard disk completely

http://www.dban.org/