PC info

[Tom Cornwall]

Someone wants to "clear their hard drive and re-install their discs", is this a simple job or is it complicated? any advice would be handy
Thanks in anticip
Tom :confused

[EDDIE]

It really deponds on your operating system like if you had windows 95 or 98 it can be a hasstle trying to get the drivers back in but if its windows millium or xp it install quite easily the computer regonise the drivers or disk ure installing and tends to go back in fairly easy.
The trouble with most people is they hear the word computer and then think its technical when its not. Once u have wiped a computer and reinstalled it for the first time after that its a doddle.Ive built my own computer up from scratch and i am not qualifed or I.T literate its just more of a hobby for me and i like messying with pc.
The best way to look at your question is if your going to be cleaning out your computer and reinstalling windows anyway then have a go theres nothing to be lost buy doing it u wont damage anything buy trying the worst delema would be getting some one to finish it of for u that all.And remember we all get problems now and again installing windows and useally stupid little things but u just put things like that down to experience.
But u will manage it.

[luskentyre]

I would mention that you should backup any important files you might have, and settings as well. Things like:

Any documents you have created and want to keep
Dial up settings
Email account settings (and emails/contacts)
Browser "favourites"

It does depend on which version of windows you've got, as to how difficult/easy it'll be.

Hope this helps.

[moshmosh]

I would mention that you should backup any important files you might have, and settings as well. Things like:

Dial up settings


Please, please, please take note of your password, I've had trouble before because I just allow my connection to connect automatically as you may do.

:)

[Riffman]

Like it's been said: BACK UP!!

Apart from that installing windows is fairly straight forward. Just make sure that you have all the serial numbers for the operating system. XP has to be activated, no problem if you haven't changed the hard drive. Could have problems if you have.

Using the XP disk is the best way to format your hard drive. Set the BIOS to boot to CDROM then put in your XP disk and hit the restart button. Follow the on screen instructions to format the drove for FAT32 or NTFS. I have done this for two of my compters, one in FAT32 so that I could install 98se and one in NTFS for the XP. You don't need the serial number to format the hard drive so you can use any XP disk.

Hope that is not to complicated.


Riff

[Zael]

Might also be worth actually trying to work out whats wrong with the PC before doing this, its a nightmare job if things dont go smoothly and learning about fixing whatever problem there is can be more beneficial in the long run. (not that learning to format your drive isnt a good thing 2)