How can I clean out all user installed programs?

[Mort]

I just received a computer from a friend who recently purchased a new
machine. The computer is an older Dell machine which has XP Home SP2
with 512 mb ram.

I would like to clean out all the existing programs, data, etc since the
computer runs quite slowly. Also, I have no need for most of the
programs which have been loaded over the past few years. I would like
to wipe out all the user-installed programs and end up with a "clean
machine" with only the standard Windows loaded.

I would appreciate any step-by-step information for accomplishing the
above. I consider myself an intermediate level user.

Thank you.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I just received a computer from a friend who recently purchased a new
machine. The computer is an older Dell machine which has XP Home SP2
with 512 mb ram.

I would like to clean out all the existing programs, data, etc since the
computer runs quite slowly. Also, I have no need for most of the
programs which have been loaded over the past few years. I would like
to wipe out all the user-installed programs and end up with a "clean
machine" with only the standard Windows loaded.

I would appreciate any step-by-step information for accomplishing the
above. I consider myself an intermediate level user.

If I acquired a used computer, the first thing I would do with it
would be to reinstall the operating system cleanly. You have no idea
how the computer has been maintained, what has been installed
incorrectly, what is missing, what viruses and spyware there may be,
etc. I wouldn't want to live with somebody else's mistakes and
problems, possibility of kiddy porn, etc., and I wouldn't recommend
that anyone else do either.

 

[Leonard Grey]

You're doing the right thing. I don't mean to cast aspersions on your
friend, but the only way to be really sure that a new-to-you computer is
free of unwittingly installed malware and incorrect configuration is to
erase the hard disk and start from scratch.

Someone way smarter than me has created a clean install guide - complete
with screen shots! Here it is:

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

512MB of RAM is fine for Windows XP. If you can up it to 1GB, so much
the better.

 

[Mort]

Thanx for the quick reply.
You mention "erase the hard disk and start from scratch". How do I do this?

 

[Mike Hall - MVP]

I just received a computer from a friend who recently purchased a new
machine. The computer is an older Dell machine which has XP Home SP2 with
512 mb ram.

I would like to clean out all the existing programs, data, etc since the
computer runs quite slowly. Also, I have no need for most of the programs
which have been loaded over the past few years. I would like to wipe out
all the user-installed programs and end up with a "clean machine" with
only the standard Windows loaded.

I would appreciate any step-by-step information for accomplishing the
above. I consider myself an intermediate level user.

Thank you.

Use the recovery media originally supplied with the computer to reformat and
re-install 'back to factory'

--
Mike Hall - MVP
How to construct a good post..
http://dts-l.com/goodpost.htm
How to use the Microsoft Product Support Newsgroups..
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=newswhelp&style=toc
Mike's Window - My Blog..
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/default.aspx

 

[Leonard Grey]

"How to partition and format a hard disk in Windows XP"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313348

 

[Leonard Grey]

I forgot to tell you(my old, old brain, lol) that you need a Windows XP Disk,
or the computer's Manufeaturer's Recovery disk to install windows Vista.

What was your name, again?
What am I doing here?