reformating hard drive question

[Guest]

ive been having major problems with my computer restarting, its fairly new
and shouldnt be acting the way it is and after replacing the mother board and
video card im convinced its time to wipe my hard drive and start over but i
was wondering.

will i have to reinstall windows when i reformat my c:drive?

i ask this because i cant find the windows cd that my computer came with and
i dont want to clear my hard drive if it means i wont be able to use the
computer at all.

any help is much appretiated

 

[Jim]

will i have to reinstall windows when i reformat my c:drive?

Reformatting cleans out everything. You will need to reinstall windows, any
drivers for your machine, all programs, and all data files.
It is a lot of work.
Jim

 

[Guest]

alright, thats what i was afraid of, im not worried about the work, just
finding that stupid disk, will microsoft send me a replacement disk if i
still have my product key?

 

[Talahasee]

alright, thats what i was afraid of, im not worried about the work, just
finding that stupid disk, will microsoft send me a replacement disk if i
still have my product key?

"Jim" wrote:

That is a possibility, if you get the right tech on the
phone and promise your undying love!

(kidding)

I got an OEM copy of 98 awhile back, then realized it was no
good because someone had stolen all my other software (a 15
year collection) including all my 95 diskettes.

I called Microsoft, whined, and he gave me the key for the
full version.

It is doable.

Count on paying a nominal fee for a replacement disk.

On the other hand, a new XP disk can be had on Ebay dirt
cheap. I paid less than $60 for mine.

And contrary to what some in here have commented, I
registered it, I have validated it several times, and I have
downloaded all my downloads/updates with NO problems.

It is a legal copy of XP Pro for under $60.

The trick on Ebay to getting a cheap copy, look for "XP Pro"
in the search engine. You are likely to find HUNDREDS of
copies.

Look for the low-priced ones, look for "Buy It Now" (in
red), and mark half-a-dozen of them over 10 or 15 pages.
Check the "watch this item" feature at the top of those that
interest you, then go to "My Ebay" page, and compare. When
you find the lowest priced, with the features you want, (Sp
1, Sp 2) (I avoid SP 2), "Buy It Now".

The guarantee you have AGAINST pirated copies of XP is that
Ebay will join Microsoft in prosecuting anyone who is caught
selling bootleg Microsoft s/w. So if you DO get ripped off
(HIGHLY unlikely), you are guaranteed (by Ebay) to get your
$$$ back

This presumes that a "generic version of XP will work on
your machine.

Good luck!


Tallahassee

 

[decoder]

ive been having major problems with my computer restarting, its fairly new
and shouldnt be acting the way it is and after replacing the mother board
and
video card im convinced its time to wipe my hard drive and start over but
i
was wondering.

will i have to reinstall windows when i reformat my c:drive?

i ask this because i cant find the windows cd that my computer came with
and
i dont want to clear my hard drive if it means i wont be able to use the
computer at all.

any help is much appretiated

The WindowsXP disk is the most important element!
As an example, with the problem of restarting PC, you
could've booted from your WinXP disk.
"fairly new" and already the Mobo and video card replaced?
If you format, You will most definately have to install Windows
and you cannot install anything else until you install windows!

Who replaced the mobo and video card? The OEM? Retailer?
Were they exact model replacements? If not, then it is highly
probable that Windows was reinstalled then?

Who was the original supplier of the PC? Was it a "package"?
Many PC's are supplied with Windows preinstalled, and NOT
with an original Microsoft WinXP disk, but a licensed preinstalled
version to that OEM manufacturer, if so:
You would've been supplied with a "system reset disk", OR...
A partition may have been configured to hold a "mirror set-up".
To reset your PC to either of these types of XP installation:
Your PC's hardware configuration must be as purchased as
the "reset" will try and configure as it was when the "mirror-
image" was compiled. If you are sure the mobo and graphics
are identical to the original set up, and you haven't made any
other hardware changes:

If you have a "reset" disk, place in dvd tray, restart PC.
Your PC will now boot from the "reset" disk, follow the
onscreen prompts and your PC will be "reset".

If No "reset" disk:,
Double-click "My Computer",
Listed will be your hardware configuration.
If a partition is configured with the "mirror-image" it will
usually be a seperate sector of C drive and will be given
the Letter "D".
If so, RIGHT click on it, and in the sub menu, select "open"
This will now detail all the files and folders in that partition.
there will always be a "read me" file - Read it!
To reset, there will be a specific icon which will have an
obvious title such as: "System reset"/"Original set up" etc
Double click it, your system will be reset and XP reinstalled.

If it was indeed an OEM preinstalled licensed version of XP
but you do not have a "reset" disk, nor a "reset partition",
all is not lost, many OEM's allow a download of an "reset
image" from their support sites (HP, Advent and many
others do.) But..........
If you have a Compaq, or a UK product from Time or Tiny
these OEM's are now defunct.
But........
If you are absolutely confident your PC is configured as
originally purchased, and it was an OEM preinstalled
version of XP, then they would've installed that licensed
version in all specific models. IE: If your PC is model
BunionPC zx2121, all you need to do is find online
another owner of exactly the same model, and kindly
request a DVD copy of their reset disk.

The Proviso:
Your PC's hardware must be EXACTLY as the Mirror-
image on reset disk or partition, if not then it won't work!
The replaced mobo and video card cause doubts........
They have to be exact same replacements as originals.

But, If your WinXP installation was from an Original
Microsoft winXP installation disk, your only option is
to find that original XP disk, or buy a new one!

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

alright, thats what i was afraid of, im not worried about the work,
just finding that stupid disk, will microsoft send me a replacement
disk if i still have my product key?

If yours is a retail version,yes. See
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[ln];326246.

But if it was an OEM version, Microsoft won't support it and you're probably
out of luck. However it doesn't hurt to try asking the OEM you bought it
from if they can replace it.

 

[Plato]

will i have to reinstall windows when i reformat my c:drive?
Yes.

i ask this because i cant find the windows cd that my computer came with and
i dont want to clear my hard drive if it means i wont be able to use the
computer at all.

Time to buy a MS CD for the OS you want to use.