Formatting a pc with WinXP???

[Alon Cohen]

How is it possible to cleanup a pc properly and then
reinstall the OS (winXP Home)?
It seems that a reinstal is not erasing all the old files
and leaves remaiders from the old setup/installation that
is not always wolcomed.
Also virus remains... very bad.

What to do??

Thanks,
Alon Cohen

 

[Gary Tsang]

Hi,

Easiest way is to take your Windows XP Installation CD, and boot your
computer off of the CD.
You may have to go into your BIOS to tell your computer to boot off your
cdrom.

Once it starts booting off the cd, this will startup the Windows XP
installation process.

During the process, it'll ask you where you want to install your Windows and
options are given if you want to delete the partition and format the hard
drive.

Choose the format hard drive option and continue the setup and you'll have a
fresh brand new install of Windows XP.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

The Windows XP CD is bootable and contains all the tools necessary
to partition and format your drive. Follow this procedure and allow
Windows XP to partition and format your drive:

NOTE: It would be best to physically disconnect all your peripheral hardware
devices, except the monitor, mouse and keyboard, before installing XP.

1. Open your BIOS and set your "CD Drive as the first bootable device".

===> Accessing Motherboard BIOS
===> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

2. Insert your Windows XP CD in the CD Drive and reboot your computer.
3. You'll see a message to boot to the CD....follow the instructions.
4. The setup menu will appear and you should elect to delete all the existing
Windows partitions, then create a new partition, then format the primary
partition (preferably NTFS) and proceed to install Windows XP.

5. Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]

6. ==> Immediately after installing Windows XP, turn on XP's Firewall.
==> http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

7. After Windows XP is installed, visit the Windows Update website
and download the available "Critical Updates".

8. After installing the critical updates, be sure and visit the support website
of the manufacturer of the computer to download and install any
available Windows XP compatible drivers, such as video adapter
and audio drivers.

9. If you happen to run into any installation difficulties, use the following resources:

How to Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;310064

Troubleshooting Windows XP Setup
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_setup.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Kelly Theriot]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| How is it possible to cleanup a pc properly and then
| reinstall the OS (winXP Home)?
| It seems that a reinstal is not erasing all the old files
| and leaves remaiders from the old setup/installation that
| is not always wolcomed.
| Also virus remains... very bad.
|
| What to do??
|
| Thanks,
| Alon Cohen

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Simply boot from the WinXP installation CD. You'll be offered the
opportunity to delete, create, and format partitions as part of the
installation process. (You may need to re-arrange the order of boot
devices in the PC's BIOS to boot from the CD.)

HOW TO Install Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;316941

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm


Bruce Chambers

--
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