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Why should I reformat my computer?


Sometimes viruses, spyware, or other programs can corrupt windows to the degree that they cannot be fixed or would take too long to fix. Reformatting windows will wipe your hardrive clean and start Windows fresh again, removing any problems that previously existed.

Before You Reformat


1. Make certain that you back up all files that you wish to keep (papers, pictures, etc.) because they will be lost when you reformat. These are typically stored in the My Documents folder, although may reside in other locations depending on where you save files.
2. Make sure that you have your Windows XP CD, your Windows XP Product key, any driver disks that came with your computer or other hardware you installed, and the disks for any programs you installed.

How To Reformat (Click on the small thumbnails on the right to view larger screenshots)


      * Note: Some computer manufacturers such as Dell, eMachines, and Gateway have begun selling computers without an operating system CD. These computers instead have an option to restore to their original system state. For example, Dell users with this option can reformat using this method: Dell PC Restore. If you do not have a Dell and also did not receive an operating system CD when you purchased your computer, you may want to contact your computer manufacturer for advice on restoring your system back to its original state.

1. Place the Windows XP CD into your CD drive while in Windows.
Note: If a window appears after putting in the CD, close it. Reboot your computer with the CD in the drive.  

2. You now need to boot from the Windows XP CD. After restarting, you should see a screen that says "Press any key to boot from CD...". Press a key to start the reformatting process and continue to step 3 below. If you do not see this screen and boot into Windows XP normally, you may need to try the following:

a. Reboot and when starting your computer before the Windows XP screen appears, press a key that allows you to choose your Boot Options (usually displayed somewhere on the screen while first starting up). For instance, Dell computers use F12. You should be prompted for booting options and should choose the CD Drive (or DVD drive). If this isn't available, try the next option-

b. You may need to enter your computer's BIOS and change the boot order to allow the CD drive to boot before the hard drive. Changing this varies by manufacturer and should be accessible by contacting your computer manufacture's support site.

  
3. Your computer will now boot up using the CD. When asked what you wish to do, you wish to Install Windows.



4. You will be asked if you wish to create a new partition. First, select the partition that you already have, and press D  to delete your existing partition, and then L to confirm that you wish to do this. This will completely erase all documents and programs (and viruses!) off of your computer.
5. You then need to create a new partition. To do, this select C.


6. When asked what size you wish to make your new partition, just press Enter to make your partition the maximum size.
7.  Select the partition that you have created to install Windows XP on by pressing Enter.
8.  Your computer will prompt you asking if you wish to do a quick installation or a regular installation. Either will work fine, but "quick" goes faster.
9.  Now you need to select Format the partition by using the NTFS file system.
10. Windows XP will now be installed. This may take some time and then your computer will reboot.  From now on all the screens during the installation process will look like the Windows XP screens you are used to.
11.  Make sure you properly enter your product key. This is either on the CD that came with your version of Windows XP or on your computer's case.
12. Make sure you select the "typical" network settings.
13. Windows will now complete the installation. XP will likely detect the drivers for all of your hardware, but you may need to use the disks that came with your hardware to install some of your hardware. You will now also need to install any software you need. Most importantly, RUN WINDOWS UPDATE IMMEDIATELY TO PROTECT YOUR COMPUTER!!!