flush and refill

[billiusthemook]

My computer has a great many problems with it, and because I seem to have made no progress whatsoever (it's been getting far worse each time I try to fix it, for every different problem), I would like to just flush all this crap and reinstall everything so it is nice and new and clean.

So far I plan to burn all the things I want to keep onto dvd's and cd's.  Once I'm done with this, how would I go about uninstalling everything and reinstalling it all.  I think this is called crashing the computer, but I don't know how.  Please tell me.

I have windows xp, and as a side note I have a bunch of new hardware; in this crash process do I have to uninstall all the software and remove the cards and drives beforehand?

[billiusthemook]

forgot to mention that I only have access to safe mode...

[dl65]

billiusthemook.....What you want to do is known as formatting the hard drive .....( all data is removed from the drive) . Before you start you should take the time to review these webpages .......they describe two methods of doing this .....and they will both work ....
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=313348

http://www.webtechgeek.com/How-to-Format-a-Hard-Drive.htm

let us know how you make out .

dl65  

[Raptor]

How to erase my hard disk drive and start over View this article.

Are you yanking our chain?

Definition of Crash

You donot require to remove any hardware when you format your Hard Disk Drive. You will have to install drivers later on, but these will be removed when formatting the Hard Disk Drive they were located on.

[billiusthemook]

I have read the links, thank you for providing them.

I'm not pulling you chain.

The reason I asked if I had to remove the hardware is because in xp you have to install the software BEFORE installing the hardware, and after all the drivers have been removed and you must reinstall them, the hardware will already have been installed.

But I guess by your response I don't have to remove the hardware.

I'm about to reformat so thank you for the information.  I hope this will be the end of my problems.

[merlin_2]

to end all your problems bill disable automatic updates..disable remote access...unless of course you use it...encypt your wireless...as people can access your system by using  a scanner....and there is this if you need it>http://www.windowsreinstall.com/indexwinxp.htm

[billiusthemook]

sorry I haven't responded in a while, I've been busy.

because I can't access standard mode, I've been using safe mode, and while I can run Roxio Easy CD and DVD creater, for some reason both my DVD/CD drive and my CD drive are not responding.  In my computer it shows two cd drive icons, and they are labeled CD Drive, and when I click properties they are labeled as they were before with the DVD/CD witer etc.

It tells me the device is working properly, but in Roxio it says there is No Recorder.

Are CD's not accessible in Safe Mode?

[merlin_2]

Have you uninstall roxio<easy cd>

[billiusthemook]

No it's still installed and I've never uninstalled it.

[merlin_2]

If you lok here bill there will be need to save your stuff to disk>http://www.windowsreinstall.com/winxphome/installxpwindowsparallel/index.htm

[billiusthemook]

I know there's need to save my stuff to disk, that's why I'm trying to access my dvd burner; to burn all the files I want to save onto a disk.

And I was under the impression that I insert the windows xp cd, then I restart the computer, then, in dos, I run it to reformat the computer, deleting everything on the c drive, and then I reinstall windows and begin anew, then once everything is good to go, i copy the files on the DVD's i had burned back onto the new, clean c drive.

So, because I currently have no access to the standard mode, I'm running in safe mode.  For some reason, safe mode won't recognize the burner. (meaning if I put a blank cd or dvd in the drive, it tells me there's nothing there and roxio can't burn, and if I put in a rw dvd or cd with files on it, I can access the files but cannot copy things onto it and roxio tells me there is no burner.

I need to run the burner, but I don't think safe mode allows that.  If it normally does, then I need to get MY burner working because it isn't for some reason.

[merlin_2]

Bill my friend the website i posted does ....re-install winxp without losing any files you have......?

[billiusthemook]

but then the virus would remain, wouldn't it?

[merlin_2]

no it would be destroyed...win will over write the virus script.... that what a virus it....a script windows cannot understand.......and therfore throws a wobbly...the best script..for all is ...why?

[billiusthemook]

alright I'll try it out    

Thank you for the help, wish me luck