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Format PC and reinstall Windows XP

  • 19-06-2007 4:28pm
    #1
    Ballyman
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,822 ✭✭✭


    Hi

    My pc is infected with all kinds of crap and runs so slowly that it takes 60 seconds to open a word file.

    I have run AVG, Norton and all kinds of spyware removers but it's still as slow as a week.

    What I want to do is copy any important stuff from it onto a USB stick and reformat the HD and start again.

    My dilemma is this though. I haven't got the original Windows XP disk anymore. I do have however one from work. It is missing the Microsoft Certification sticker and it says only to be shipped with a new PC but it doesn't state which one so I imagine it's a generic disk??

    Can I install this onto my PC and use the activation code on my Microsoft Certification sticker with this disk??

    Or.....would I be better off getting a keygen copy from a bitTorrent site instead and installing that??

    Also, to do this, I imagine I only have to format the dist and reboot from the WIndows XP cd or is this much more complicated than I think?

    Any help would be greatly appreciated.


Comments

  • #2
    Heinrich
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,577 ✭✭✭Heinrich


    Download AVG anti virus - uninstall Norton - reboot - install AVG. Then download Zone alarm firewall, Spybot and Adaware and install these three. That should make the machine more stable. Norton is really the pits.

    That is worth a try before the great format/ Windows reinstall.


  • #3
    Ballyman
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,822 ✭✭✭Ballyman


    Heinrich wrote:
    Download AVG anti virus - uninstall Norton - reboot - install AVG. Then download Zone alarm firewall, Spybot and Adaware and install these three. That should make the machine more stable. Norton is really the pits.

    That is worth a try before the great format/ Windows reinstall.

    Norton is long gone. This and more has been done numerous times and the machine is anything but stable. It's not even connected to the net now.

    It's format time i'm afraid.


  • #4
    Saruman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,389 ✭✭✭✭Saruman


    As for the question about the license code. Thats hard to say. If your PC came with an OEM copy of XP (pre-installed by manufacturer) then it should work, unless the cd is bios locked to be a particular brand PC (some are).

    Anyway when you uninstall norton you will see a big difference right there in speed. Oh and when running your scans, make sure you do it in safe mode as well because you cant remove something thats in use.

    Do NOT get a keygen... firstly you will probably just download more crap trying to get one. Secondly you have a legit key right there so just need a disk.
    is your PC a brand like Dell, hp etc or a self build?


  • #5
    Heinrich
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,577 ✭✭✭Heinrich


    And while you are in safe mode you should defrag the machine. Is your hard disk nearly full. I would suggest removing and old stuff and uninstalling old programs.

    Use the Spybot after Awaware. Both programs cohabitate but not anti virus...


  • #6
    Ballyman
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,822 ✭✭✭Ballyman


    The PC is a packard bell.

    So, I format the PC and reboot with the Windows XP disk I got from work?

    Heinrich, not being smart or anything, but I'm blue in the face of trying all of what you suggest and much much more. My only solution that I can see is to format and start afresh. Thanks for your suggestions but they are not what I need at the moment.


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  • #7
    Heinrich
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,577 ✭✭✭Heinrich


    Ballyman wrote:
    The PC is a packard bell.

    So, I format the PC and reboot with the Windows XP disk I got from work?

    Heinrich, not being smart or anything, but I'm blue in the face of trying all of what you suggest and much much more. My only solution that I can see is to format and start afresh. Thanks for your suggestions but they are not what I need at the moment.

    Most of those suggestions have worked for me. Reinstalling is the final act and just make sure you have all your drivers handy.

    How full is your disk? When was it last defragged? What AV are you running?

    Give your machine to someone who is reasonably adept with software and he/she will get the machine up and running. Guaranteed.

    Keep us updated on your progress.;)


  • #8
    Voipjunkie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,062 ✭✭✭Voipjunkie


    Does the PC have a reinstall partition if it did not come with a win XP install disk it should have a partition on the hard drive to put it back to its original condition


  • #9
    Ballyman
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,822 ✭✭✭Ballyman


    I have no idea. How would I find out this??


  • #10
    Voipjunkie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,062 ✭✭✭Voipjunkie


    Ballyman wrote:
    I have no idea. How would I find out this??



    http://support.packardbell.com/no/item/index.php?i=topic_02201&ppn=PB25M00116


  • #11
    Ballyman
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,822 ✭✭✭Ballyman


    Thanks for that. So will this effectively format the HD and reinstall XP itself and thus cleaning my PC of infected files??

    I see also that there are options to save personal files and drivers etc. What would you recommend to do??


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  • #12
    Voipjunkie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,062 ✭✭✭Voipjunkie


    Ballyman wrote:
    Thanks for that. So will this effectively format the HD and reinstall XP itself and thus cleaning my PC of infected files??

    I see also that there are options to save personal files and drivers etc. What would you recommend to do??


    The recovery will put the PC back to the way it was when you first had it

    So any files/pictures/music etc that you want to keep you will have to save to somewhere else ie another hard drive or CD/DVD

    The recovery will also put on the drivers that originally came with the PC so for example if you have updated drivers for anything or installed anything that did not come with the PC you might want to keep the drivers for those devices


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