How to reformat your computer

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Cheerio

n00b
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Sep 9, 2004
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i have xp professional cd i want to reformat my computer, i have a serial key

i just wanna know wat to do when i get to the startup? what button do i press?
does anyone know a guide or a link?

thank you very much.
 
1) You want the appropriate forum in the future, say Operating Systems. This one is for forum-related help.

2) Put in the CD, boot the computer, and follow the instructions.
 
thanks guys for the links

but i have one problem left

i have a Hewette-Packard (and HP 512n)

and i have 2 drives
my main one is C:\
and i also have a recover drive D:\
and some HP stuff that came with it such as
HP Memory Disc, HP Record now, just HP stuff

i also have this program called Python 1.5FINAL and PC-Doctors for XP
dunno if thats XP or not, i dont wanan uninstall something that i dont know.

thanks for the help.
 
Yeah, ok. I think that you are asking "what happens to my software if I format the drive and install XP on there clean?"

Well, easiest answer is that it goes away. A lot of that software that is on there comes with HP machines and is OEM'd that way. There is a chance that once you have put XP back on that you can access the restore partition (sorry, forgot they don't come w/ restore CD's anymore) and see if you can reinstall the programs that way. However, I don't see that as likely.

If you do follow the path of clean install, you'll probably have to pick up separate programs to do what you want or make use ofthe tools built into XP.

disclaimer: it's been awhile since I've played with HP's, so if the above is incorrect, sorry. In any case, you'll need to play around w/ the software on that restore partition to see what you can do.

djnes or Eigtball might be able to point you in the right direction, or drop by where you bought the machine and see if they have any more info.

Cheers.
 
The pre-installed software "should" be on the restore partition. They usually have an option to burn restore CDs...as I'd do this to make sure anyway...so you always have them. The software companies don't let us give install CDs for their software...just a fact...don't blame us :D . As mentioned before, if you format your drive, any and everything on there is gone. If you need more help, just let us (or me ) know.
 
But, making those restore CD's needs to be done BEFORE the format, otherwise the tool for making those CD's is gone, correct? Also the tool for selectively reinstalling programs will be gone.

I also don't remember if you can selectively reinstall programs from the restore CD's or not. I know that some models allowed it, some didn't.

Ah, system restores. I see the good and the bad in them. Still, I think it lowers costs for the major PC makers which menas lowers prices for most, I suppose.

Cheers.
 
arkamw said:
But, making those restore CD's needs to be done BEFORE the format, otherwise the tool for making those CD's is gone, correct? Also the tool for selectively reinstalling programs will be gone.

I also don't remember if you can selectively reinstall programs from the restore CD's or not. I know that some models allowed it, some didn't.

Ah, system restores. I see the good and the bad in them. Still, I think it lowers costs for the major PC makers which menas lowers prices for most, I suppose.

Cheers.
Click to expand...


Yes, the CDs must be made before the format.

And, yes, it does lower the cost of the PCs, which, at least in our HP's, is passed on to the consumer. Microsoft would charge us a lot more to include an actual XP CDs. This is part of the reason why boutique PCs (Alienware, etc) are often so outrageously expensive).
 
Cheerio said:
i have xp professional cd i want to reformat my computer, i have a serial key

i just wanna know wat to do when i get to the startup? what button do i press?
does anyone know a guide or a link?

thank you very much.
Click to expand...

You're able to reformat a computer? How is that done? I always thought you could only reformat a hard drive inside a computer. :D
 
djnes said:
Yes, the CDs must be made before the format.

And, yes, it does lower the cost of the PCs, which, at least in our HP's, is passed on to the consumer. Microsoft would charge us a lot more to include an actual XP CDs. This is part of the reason why boutique PCs (Alienware, etc) are often so outrageously expensive).
Click to expand...
lol yay u work at HP? nice
ok
first off
Is reformating an HP the same as reformating a DELL?

cuz i know HP has some extra stuff, like an extra harddrive, a Recovery Drive, when i reformat an HP, will the recovery drive install by itself since its an HP? and all the bundles and stuff? that's how i got it when i first brought it.


thamls
 
No. You have the option of deleting the main drive (and the restore partition if you want) and installing an OS clean, OR you have the option of running a full restore off the restore partition and getting all that fun software back with a clean version of windows, just like you had it when you took it home.

If HP has been extra friendly, they may let you access that partition (after formatting and installing XP clean) to install programs from, or if you have created restore CD's and are lucky, HP may let you selectively reinstall programs from those CD's. That's iffy and the only thing that you can do is try.

ps. Don't beat up on djnes too much, he only works there... he's not their customer support.

Cheers.
 
Cheerio said:
lol yay u work at HP? nice
ok
first off
Is reformating an HP the same as reformating a DELL?

cuz i know HP has some extra stuff, like an extra harddrive, a Recovery Drive, when i reformat an HP, will the recovery drive install by itself since its an HP? and all the bundles and stuff? that's how i got it when i first brought it.


thamls
Click to expand...

The recover partion or CDs...however you choose to do it, will restore your computer to exactly the way it was the day you bought it. Keep in mind, any data you add or change since then (pictures, downloads, etc) will be lost, unless you back them up first. And yes, it should be similar to a Dell. The CDs are bootable, and you just follow the instructions.
 
djnes said:
And, yes, it does lower the cost of the PCs, which, at least in our HP's, is passed on to the consumer. Microsoft would charge us a lot more to include an actual XP CDs. This is part of the reason why boutique PCs (Alienware, etc) are often so outrageously expensive).
Click to expand...

Uhh... you can buy single OEM copies of XP for about $150, probably less in bulk. That doesn't come close to explaining how these guys double the fair price of their systems.
 
ameoba said:
Uhh... you can buy single OEM copies of XP for about $150, probably less in bulk. That doesn't come close to explaining how these guys double the fair price of their systems.
Click to expand...

That's why I said it is "part" of the reason why they charge so much. The sell less than 1% of the PCs of a company like HP or Dell. We can buy the parts cheaper than they can. We also have other products and services to make money off of. I work in the Services group...where we deal with outsourcing for other companies. It's where HP makes a good amount of it's profit. Companies like Alienware have to make all their product on selling computers...so they need to have one hell of a mark up.
 
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