Computer help? I Just bought used Dell,have disks.How do i erase all to start anew.like to keep only security.
484567
A PC restore will take your system back to the factory settings. During the PC restore all the information on your hard-drive will be erased, so it is essential that you get any of your important information backed up onto external media such as CD, memory key, or a zip drive.\n\nOnce you have all you data backed up you can continue with the PC \nrestore.\nTo run a PC restore please follow the below steps.\n\n1. Turn your system off. \n2. Remove all the cables from the desktop apart from the power lead, keyboard, mouse and monitor.\n3. Turn the system back on and as soon as you turn it on hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard and as you are holding it down start tapping the F11 key along the top of the keyboard once every two seconds.\n4. This will lead you to a screen with two options, one for restore and one or reboot. You click on restore,\n5. You will notice a progress bar at the bottom of the screen counting up from 0% to 100% this is the process wiping all the data on the drive. When this process has finished it will then take you through the windows set up procedure.\n6. During the windows set up you follow the on screen instructions. It will ask you for some basic information such as setting the time and the date, picking a country and a language, giving you computer a name and a company name (you can give it any name you want). It will also ask \nyou if you want to set up an Internet connection (It is recommended that you select no at this point and do it later).\n7. When the procedure is finished it will leave you back at your Windows desktop and hopefully every thing will work as normal. You can then go ahead and install any of you own software or hardware.
49005
go to start and then to programs and then to accessories and then to system tools and then to disk clean up.the rest is self-explanatory\n\n\ncid
984490
How about plugging the old  hard disk into the new PC. Offcourse this may not be desirable if you have a far upgraded & new hard drive.\n\nI have used connected data protector. It restores everthing, but I did not restore applications.\n\nAnd it does allow you to select directory by directory\n\nBut a suggestion. try to re-install the software if possible. Sometimes a restored software may not work. \n\nI do not know the cost for a single user though
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Hi,\n\nAt http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1747010,00.asp\nyou have a guide for doing this. \n\nBelow is the first page. Visit the above link and you will see the complete guide. Visit the link for the complete guide.It is from PC Mag. and a good source of info.\n__________________________________________________\nBuild an XP-SP2 Recovery Disc \n01.12.05 \n \n \nIf you have questions about this article, see the answers to some common questions here: http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/pcmag. \n  Total posts: 88  \n  \n\nBy David A. Karp  \nOdds are your PC came with a recovery disc, a CD with all the programs and drivers that were installed on its hard drive when it was new. The odds are also that you have absolutely no idea where that disc is.\n\nThe good news is that it probably doesn't matter. First, the recovery discs provided by most PC manufacturers are designed for a single purpose: to restore your computer to the state it was in when you bought it. This process typically involves wiping your hard drive clean and then reinstalling Microsoft Windows and the handful of programs originally included with your PC. Unless you're preparing the whole kit and caboodle to sell on eBay, this is probably not something you'll ever need.\n\n\nSecond, the hardware drivers on your recovery CD are probably out of date, either made obsolete by newer and better versions available online, or simply irrelevant because of new hardware you've installed.\n\nSo, instead of fretting about the old recovery CD, why not take a few minutes and make one of your own?\n\n*** see site for the rest
732427
you should have been given some restartin disks! and you put them in and press restart computer and it automatically deletes the whole of the computer memory for you. but if you havent got the disks then im not sure. sorry x
1092654
No.  The software on the recovery disc is OEM licensed.  Putting it on a different computer is a violation of that license.\n\nI liked the suggestion you obtain a replacement recovery disc from Dell.  Seems like the easiest safest thing.
924039
Clean your cache,  = http://www.stevengould.org/software/cleanup   and/or\n Disk Cleaner = http://www.robertenfemke.nl/~diskclean\n\nthen Boot into safe mode, = http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2001052409420406  , then go to Start/all programs/accessories/system tools/disk cleanup , and run disk cleanup ,\n   \nThen enable CHKDSK, = Click your "My Computer" in the start menu, R-Click the C: Drive, go down and click on properties in the drop menu. When the properties folder opens, click on the Tools Tab, The first item in the list is to do CHKDSK. Put a check mark in all the boxes/start/yes/apply/ok .      The PC should be rebooted in safe mode to do the scan.  To view the results of a CHKDSK go to Administrative Tools > Event Viewer > Application, look for the most recent Winlogon event and double-click on it.\n\n          Then run Disk Defrag from safe mode.   After  booting into safe mode go to  Start/all programs/accessories/system tools/Disk Defragmenter. When you open "Defrag", click on "analyze", and it will tell you if you need to defrag or not.
724079
You can't really just copy the os or certain programs to disks... you can either make a whole hard drive backup using a program like Norton Ghost, or reinstall everything. To erase all of you info permanently, (assuming you're on windows) click on the start menu and click run. Then type in cmd and press enter, and it should give you a black window with white writing. Type in "format c: /u" to completely and permanently erase everything. DO NOT try this until everything's backed up and you are completely sure you don't need anything on that computer.
20509
To wipe all data and make sure nothing can be retrieved, you will have to format the drive several times - I believe its seven times if you want to be absolutely certain that its wiped clean, and that no one can retrieve any data from the drive.\n\nHave a look for hard drive erasers on download.com or tucows.com.\n\nIf you wish to just reformat and reinstall, lets assume its Windows XP that you are reinstalling since you didn't say:\n\n1. Put Windows XP into your CD-ROM, reboot your machine.\n\nIf your machine doesn't boot from the CD-ROM drive, you need to change some settings in BIOS.  Reset the machine again, tap DELETE or F1 to get into your BIOS setup.  Change your boot priority to include your CD-ROM drive before the hard disk.  Save and reboot machine into Windows XP CD-ROM.\n\n\n2. When the installation disk finishes booting, follow the instructions from there to reformat your hard disk and reinstall windows.
836765
Not sure what the problem is but I would attempt reinstalling windows.\n\nBackup all your files you would like to keep onto cd/dvd/hd (if you have another or have your drive partitioned).\n\nThen do a full format and then install windows. Install everything you need and get all your security programs on first. Don't enable internet until you have done this. Unplug you're wire if you have to.\n\nNot sure why it would be doing this maybe something in the registry or some dirty little program running in the background. Maybe a system file as become corrupt. When i'm not sure though I revert back to reinstalling.\n\nGood Luck\nPaul
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WipeDrive\nCompletely eliminate\nhard drive data\nhttp://www.whitecanyon.com/wipe-your-hard-drive-help.php\nDESTROYING COMPUTER DATA\nhttp://www.howtowipeyourdrive.com/
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Before you start reformating your harddrive (C:&#92; -drive of the computer}, make sure you back up all important and needed files you have in the computer to a CD, another harddrive, or zip disks. There are computers made by manufacturers like Dell, Gateway, Compaq and others that came preloaded with the OS (operating system) that uses a Recovery disk to return the computer to its original factory condition. All of the programs that were installed after the first time you used the PC will be cleared out, and you will have to re-install them when the recovery process is completed. Always read the technical manuals it came with, and do not lose them. Most pre-manufactured PC has a hidden partition where the Operating System file is stored, therefore, if you reformat the harddrive you will erase the hidden partition and never recover your PC's functionality at all. So If your PC is preinstalled with the programs and Operating system from such manufacturers, DO NOT REFORMAT THE HARDDRIVE, instead read the manual and use the RECOVERY disk, and refer to their respective tech support by phone or on the web.\n\nIf the PC is self-built, or you built the PC from the ground up. Then it is safe to believe that you have your own original or copy of the operating system (OS - like; win98SE, ME, XP, and so on...), and also all the other 2nd and 3rd party programs that you have installed.  Proceed by backing up your most important files you made.  Then proceed with the reformating of the PC.  Most OS Installation are now autoinstalling, as long as the PC has the capability to auto-seek the CD ROM drive first, if installing from a cd disc. Some OS installing procedure uses a floppy to start up and prompts for the cd disc later. Some PCs may not do an auto-seek because the BIOS is not set up to do so, Since Bios are made by different manufacturers, the procedure in getting into its configuation utility may vary.  Most common is pressing the 'DELETE' key simultaneously on the keyboard, when the computer is just starting up (POST -post operating system test), just know when to stop pressing the key. From inside the bios utility, you can change many features of the motherboard that will affect the performance of you PC, or destroy it and other components, if you set something out of place, or out of the recommended parameters. It is best to approach this procedure with extreme caution, if you are not technologically familiar with this, ask someone who is familiar with BIOS settings. Once the auto-seek is set save the settings, open the cd rom drive place the OS cd in, then shutdown and restart the computer, continue with your installation. After the installation is completed, you may want to reset the auto-seek to go back to its default for the A:&#92; floppy drive, as most PC are expected to normally do.\n~meow
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If it's haging on the formatting, then likely the cause of that problem *and* your initial problem is hard drive failure. You'll need to get a new hard drive in order to get back up and running. \n\nNote: Those cds that come with your computer are keyed to that machine, and wont work on another. I'm not sure what they use to identify the machine, but changing the hard drive *might* make it think it's a different computer, and prevent you from reinstalling. But, unless you want to send it back to dell, it's what you'll need to do.\n\nEdit: Ahh, good, thanks pngarrett. Out of curiousity, do you know what they do use to identify the system? CPU id perhaps? Or does Dell not do that?
1124271
Just take out the floppy drive. Its your best bet!
853921
Yes, there are a number of programs that will wipe your hard drive and let you start afresh. Have a look on www.tucows.com
1102249
when i get probs like that i just start from fresh if your pc works the same as mine just restart comp and pressf8 or f11 continuously and follow instructions.only problem with this is it wipes everything off.ie .security downloads etc so will have to put all back on but its like having a new comp but make you got discs you need first .good luck.allways works 4 me.
586632
WITH CARE!! Be aware that this will most likely erase all your data files and documents, so the most useful answer is: you don't. Unless you have backed up all data before. And then, doubt... do you have all drivers around? If it is a brand PC the original cd must be around, with the "reinstall" process outlined in some brochure or manual. If this is a brandless pc, then make double sure to have the drivers for all your pc's devices. The most important one: the NIC driver, or the modem, so you can eventually connect to the internet in order to download the rest of them.\n\nYou can "reinstall" windows XP over an existing one, without erasing what's there except the current state of XP - loosing all new drivers and similar stuff. When asked to Install a new ... or Reinstall, choose the second so not to loose your data. It your pc's still crazy, then go ahead and install as a new system, erasing everything.