July 18, 200520 yr I don't know how to do either one, but here is my deal. I am selling my computer to a friend and want to wipe it clean for him. Should I reformat the hard drive? Reinstall Windows? Are they one in the same? I have the original System Recovery and Application Recovery CD's, but am not sure how to use them. Can anyone help???
July 18, 200520 yr QUOTE(Rex Hudler @ Jul 17, 2005 -> 10:39 PM) I don't know how to do either one, but here is my deal. I am selling my computer to a friend and want to wipe it clean for him. Should I reformat the hard drive? Reinstall Windows? Are they one in the same? I have the original System Recovery and Application Recovery CD's, but am not sure how to use them. Can anyone help??? Well, you could use Window Washer..I ended up buying it and its great..It has a bleaching "Option to erase your hard drive to safely sell or donate your PC with the peace of mind that your privacy is protected." You can download for free for 30 days... http://www.webroot.com/products/windowwasher/ Here's more in-depth on what it does http://www.webroot.com/products/windowwasher-indepth/ Edited July 18, 200520 yr by GASHWOUND
July 18, 200520 yr If you want to wipe it clean, just do a reformat and then reinstall Windows. Reinstalling Windows doesn't erase documents and old programs and is kind of a messy process.
July 18, 200520 yr Author QUOTE(DonkeyKongerko @ Jul 18, 2005 -> 04:07 AM) If you want to wipe it clean, just do a reformat and then reinstall Windows. Reinstalling Windows doesn't erase documents and old programs and is kind of a messy process. That's my problem....... I don't know how to do either. I am working on Windows 98, by the way. I thought I had it figured out when I figured out how to get the system to boot to the System Recovery disk, but before I could get to the menu an error message came up. It said the Recovery disk was for an HP Pavilion system only and to call HP support if I am seeing the error on a Pavilion computer. So that is where I am now.........
July 18, 200520 yr QUOTE(Rex Hudler @ Jul 17, 2005 -> 09:29 PM) That's my problem....... I don't know how to do either. I am working on Windows 98, by the way. I thought I had it figured out when I figured out how to get the system to boot to the System Recovery disk, but before I could get to the menu an error message came up. It said the Recovery disk was for an HP Pavilion system only and to call HP support if I am seeing the error on a Pavilion computer. So that is where I am now......... Do you have an HP Pavillion system? What usually happens with a system recovery disk is that it will give you the option to load from the recovery disk... The way it worked on my old one, when I would load in a system disk, it would take me to the system disk menu and it would give me a series of options, one of which I believe was reformatting the computer. If that didn't work, then another way to do it is to try to exit Windows and get yourself to a DOS prompt with the restore disk in the drive and simply type in "Format C:".
July 18, 200520 yr Author QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jul 18, 2005 -> 05:47 AM) Do you have an HP Pavillion system? What usually happens with a system recovery disk is that it will give you the option to load from the recovery disk... The way it worked on my old one, when I would load in a system disk, it would take me to the system disk menu and it would give me a series of options, one of which I believe was reformatting the computer. If that didn't work, then another way to do it is to try to exit Windows and get yourself to a DOS prompt with the restore disk in the drive and simply type in "Format C:". I do have a Pavilion computer, which is why the error was pissing me off. It kept me from getting to the options you just mentioned. The motherboard has been changed from the original computer, so that may be the problem.
July 18, 200520 yr QUOTE(Rex Hudler @ Jul 18, 2005 -> 07:30 AM) I do have a Pavilion computer, which is why the error was pissing me off. It kept me from getting to the options you just mentioned. The motherboard has been changed from the original computer, so that may be the problem. That is the problem. The recovery disk is tied to the BIOS on the original motherboard. The motherboard *is* considered the computer, not the case, drives, etc. This prevents software piracy.
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