I have an older Dell desktop by older i mean it was bought in 2002. It actually belongs to my G/F and has all kinds of virus' n shit on it. She doen't have the system restore disk for it and it will not restore to any of the previous points on "system restore". On my new laptop there is an option to just plain out restore the comp. to factory settings. she has all the software to reload all the os stuff so is there any way to just wipe everything clean and start over.??? thanks for the help

4/27/2006 12:06:41 PM

back shit up

put in os cd

press any key to boot into setup

wait for shit to load

hit enter to do new windows install

accept the eula

it will then scan and find you existing install and ask if you want to repair it.

fuck no we're blowing this shit away.

When you get to the drives, select the drive windows is currently on and d enter l to wipe it out.

this will bring you back to the drive listing and you can see there are no longer any partitions on the drive.

If at this point you want to slice up the drive a little different, then go ahead.

Otherwise just hit enter on the drive to install windows

choose ntfs quick format

it will format and copy over files. then it will reboot

do not hit any key so that it will skip passed the cd boot

it will then load up the windows installer

enter in cd key, name, wtf ever

let it rock.

once its done, remove the cd, reboot.

it will go back into windows.

have fun reinstalling drivers and software

4/27/2006 12:11:43 PM

So she has the OS and driver disc from dell correct? Those older ones are a bitch. Leaving off from the last post... The drivers are all compressed on the dell system discs I've used, so most likely you'll have to manually select the drivers for your system through a menu on the disc after reloading windows. If you don't, your ethernet won't work (why standard drivers don't work with those, I'll never fucking know) and basically nothing else will work completely either.

For the older dell's I've restored, the driver disc pops up an html menu system. You select your model and then individually select which drivers to install. It's kind of annoying. I'm sure there's a faster way, but as the drivers on the discs I used were compressed in archives, windows didn't automatically detect them when I pointed to the CD as my source for drivers.

After installing all the drivers you'll want to plug the thing into the net and immediately download updates to the virus checker and to windows.

You will likely want to remove the trial version of whatever came with the machine then install symantec from ncsu.edu/antivirus.

You will also want to install some anti spyware tools. Spybot, adaware, hijack-this, and the microsoft anti spyware programs are all good things to have.

You should also remove the crappy-ass trial version of office that likely came on the system. Having that on there and then installing a real copy over it can cause some annoyances. Best to remove the trial, then install the full version. If the dell discs actually came with a full version of Office, then this step is not needed.

[Edited on April 27, 2006 at 12:35 PM. Reason : ]

4/27/2006 12:34:26 PM

ok. so i have already tried reinstaling everything. i do have the orginal OS discs and driver stuff only for the actual reinstall windows cd i don't hav the "key" required anymore. She actualy hasa new dell laptop with the windows insstal disk on it and i used this instead, i said no to repair and just wanted to erase evrything . now that t is done nothing has changed. after all this i tried downloading macafee onto the system and deleted the trial version of norton. ran a virsu scan deleted evrything and nothing has changed still. i take it from the replies i have gotten that there is no cut and dry, factory restore option like on my toshiba? we;re trying to get thisdesktop working again because it is a decent pc with lots of extras and i want to sell it. thanks again for al the help

4/27/2006 1:00:01 PM

HELP!!! I CAN"T GET THIS SHIT TO WORK!

5/2/2006 12:41:09 PM

Use this to find your current key:

http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml

Back shit up.

REFORMAT THE DRIVE.

If you simply try to "reinstall" Windows you will end up with the same mess all over again.

In Windows Setup you can do this by deleting all partitions on the drive then making a new partition for XP.

5/2/2006 12:51:53 PM

Usually, the key is printed on a label on the side of the caseunderside of the laptop. If not, refer to ^, or simply bring it to one of us geek types, and we'll fix it for a little $$/Box of Doughnuts or some $$/Fritos and Mountain Dew

[Edited on May 2, 2006 at 4:00 PM. Reason : duh...didn't read. What he V said]

5/2/2006 3:52:00 PM

on a dell desktop the serial key is on the side or back of the tower. i'd say it's time to bite the bullet, back up what u can and reformat with the XP CD. if you need a copy of it, just ask in here and someone will let burn u a copy or let u borrow one.

5/2/2006 3:56:16 PM

allright, one more time cuz i'm a retard and just can't get this to work. i have tried running the XP home edition i got with my new laptop onto the old desktop and followed instructions from earlier in the topic. as said above the "mess is still all there". I don't give a shit about anything on the pc rght now. none of the files, programs, nothing is needed to save. i want all that shit to be wiped out. now as far as running the newxp disc. can someone explain to a "newbie" A) What reformating the drive is? B: what is deleting all partitions on a drive and then making a new partition for xp C) If everyone is tired of my ignorance and i get no where with this what would someone charge to do this for me. D) on my laptop there is a simple "factory Restore" option, is this not present on th older pc?

5/2/2006 5:12:21 PM

when u insert the XP cd and restart the computer get into the setup by pressing a key, making sure ur 1st boot device is set to cd-rom in ur bios settings. go to where it says to delete partitions. delete all of them. u do not want to do a repair, just delete them all. then when u want to reinstall XP it'll ask you to set up a new partition and will go through the whole process. this is not a difficult process. i've done this lots of times and is easy to follow the instructions.

reformat = wiping all information completely from the hard drive and starting over

partitions are parts on the hard drive set up to store the information and store the OS.

the factory reinstall option is new on dell computers. older models will not have that option.

[Edited on May 2, 2006 at 5:18 PM. Reason : .]

5/2/2006 5:15:35 PM

excellent, i'll try- thanks a ton dude

5/2/2006 6:21:22 PM