How Do I Clean Out My Computer?

BIG-AL · 09-12-2009, 07:28 PM

How do I clean out my whole computer, and get it back to how it was when I bought it?

Thanks!

Loaded Boarder · 09-12-2009, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BIG-AL

How do I clean out my whole computer, and get it back to how it was when I bought it?

Thanks!

You mean physically, or virtually?
Physically, you just open the case, and blast everything with a "can-o-air"
If you mean you mean the virtual hard disk space, all you have to do is format your drives, and then use the disks that came with your computer to reinstall windows.

mrmag11 · 09-12-2009, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loaded Boarder

Physically, you just open the case, and blast everything with a "can-o-air"

I LOL'ed

HP_Lovecraft · 09-12-2009, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loaded Boarder

and then use the disks that came with your computer to reinstall windows.

I think most computers today come with the backup on a partition.

Thats good in that you do not have to worry about loosing discs, and license nonesess. Bad in that it means if your harddrive crashes, you loose your backup...

But anyway, you can access the backup partition on some computers by pressing control-F11 during bootup. This will format the drive, and reinstall windows back to the factory settings.

To state the obvious- You will loose everything, so backup what you can.

Orpackrat · 09-12-2009, 09:14 PM

Backup your files on an external drive, reinstall your OS.

What OS do you currently have and does it have the key code on the side of the case?

Jaan · 09-13-2009, 01:25 AM

When you bought your computer you paid for a license to run Windows on that machine. In essence; you didn't buy Windows, you bought the unique key code on the sticker.

You can re-install Windows clean as long as you have the key code, and the versions match. XP Home O.E.M. and so forth.

I do this all the time. One of the big reasons I do this is because I DON'T want it back to the way it was new...I don't want all the extra crap that it came with new. AOL 3 month free trial and whatnot.

I've installed a clean version of Windows on every PC I've ever owned, even brand new right out of the box.

The only trick is to find the version of Windows. You conscience is your own.

09-12-2009, 09:14 PM	#5 (permalink)
Orpackrat MCB Member Join Date: Jun 2007	Backup your files on an external drive, reinstall your OS. What OS do you currently have and does it have the key code on the side of the case? __________________ http://walkons.proboards.com/index.cgi?

09-13-2009, 01:25 AM	#6 (permalink)
Jaan XYZZY Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: People's Republic of Massachusetts	When you bought your computer you paid for a license to run Windows on that machine. In essence; you didn't buy Windows, you bought the unique key code on the sticker. You can re-install Windows clean as long as you have the key code, and the versions match. XP Home O.E.M. and so forth. I do this all the time. One of the big reasons I do this is because I DON'T want it back to the way it was new...I don't want all the extra crap that it came with new. AOL 3 month free trial and whatnot. I've installed a clean version of Windows on every PC I've ever owned, even brand new right out of the box. The only trick is to find the version of Windows. You conscience is your own. __________________ It was more disturbing than the frog raping chimp...and I never thought I would be typing a sentence remotely like that... My friend Becky after seeing the Zombie Dog Fish video.