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    Can I do a system wipe?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by ozymandias, Dec 6, 2008.

  1. ozymandias

    ozymandias Notebook Consultant

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    Right now at home my family is using an old Dell (forgot model #) desktop. It uses a obsolete memory type (RD Ram I think), and is extremely expensive to replace. The problem is that the computer continues to run slow regardless of what I do. Because we don't have anything important on the computer, what I wanted to do was somehow wipe the system, making it a clean slate. The only additional piece of useful information I can think of is that it uses XP.

    What I'm asking is can it be done? and is there a guide I can follow somewhere?
     
    ozymandias, Dec 6, 2008
    #1
  2. flipfire

    flipfire Moderately Boss

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    Do you have an XP disc?

    All you have to do is put the disc in,

    boot from it

    follow the installation

    format your current drive clean

    and install a fresh XP
     
    flipfire, Dec 6, 2008
    #2
  3. Tinderbox (UK)

    Tinderbox (UK) BAKED BEAN KING

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    Tinderbox (UK), Dec 6, 2008
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  4. Alex

    Alex Super Moderator

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    Just make sure at min you get the network driver from dell
    That way you can access the internet to get windows + dell updates

    Alex
     
    Alex, Dec 6, 2008
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  5. purplegreendave

    purplegreendave Has a notebook.

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    If it's REALLY old you might want to make a disk with SP3 & SP3 slipstreamed onto it using nLite. Otherwise you'll have HOURS of updates to install.
     
    purplegreendave, Dec 6, 2008
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  6. coolguy

    coolguy Notebook Prophet

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    Why do you want to make it clean anyway? Get a new PC.
     
    coolguy, Dec 6, 2008
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  7. purplegreendave

    purplegreendave Has a notebook.

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    Not everyone can afford new pc's with regularity.
    Prior to the laptop in my sig, the only pc I had access to was a .5gHz, 128MB RAM Win98 box.
     
    purplegreendave, Dec 6, 2008
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  8. kanehi

    kanehi Notebook Deity

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    My suggestion is to get Auslogics free Speedboost trial program to clean and defrag your hard drive. Then delete the programs you don't need and create a restore point afterwards. It will be a hassle trying to find the correct drivers for an old system on a clean install. Work with what you have and go on from there.
     
    kanehi, Dec 7, 2008
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  9. atbnet

    atbnet Notebook Prophet

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    I would suggest making an nlite copy of your XP install with the latest service packs installed.
     
    atbnet, Dec 7, 2008
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  10. Shyster1

    Shyster1 Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    There could be any number of perfectly good reasons for recycling an old pc rather than just throwing it out and buying another - such as creating a home server or NAS device; old desktops are perfect for that sort of thing.
     
    Shyster1, Dec 7, 2008
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  11. ozymandias

    ozymandias Notebook Consultant

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    I dont know if I have the disk (dont remember if I had one). But when I got my laptop (Vista) I also got a XP downgrade disk, would that work?
     
    ozymandias, Dec 10, 2008
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  12. nizzy1115

    nizzy1115 Notebook Prophet

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    Who is the manufacturer of the system?
     
    nizzy1115, Dec 10, 2008
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  13. ozymandias

    ozymandias Notebook Consultant

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    the desktop is Dell (XP home ed.) and the laptop is Lenovo. The disk is to XP Pro.
     
    ozymandias, Dec 10, 2008
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  14. booboo12

    booboo12 Notebook Prophet

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    booboo12, Dec 10, 2008
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  15. jxtx

    jxtx Notebook Consultant

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    You may be very impressed by the speed of your old computer running ubuntu 8.10. I am not a Linux fanboy (I barely understand what I am doing with ubuntu), but I am amazed by the new life it has breathed into my old notebook computer. ubuntu 8.04 did not provide all of the drivers I needed for my notebook, but with 8.10 everything works perfectly. Give it a try. It is free.

    Jeremy
     
    jxtx, Dec 10, 2008
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  16. atbnet

    atbnet Notebook Prophet

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    For XP only Pro keys work with Pro discs and vice versa.
     
    atbnet, Dec 10, 2008
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  17. ozymandias

    ozymandias Notebook Consultant

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    Actually, while we're on the subject, I kinda installed Ubuntu as a 2nd OS onto said computer, How do I delete it off?
     
    ozymandias, Dec 11, 2008
    #17