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how do i wipe hard drive & re-install windows xp?
I have a computer here that I would like to use as a dedicated sign one, no connection to the internet etc. just exclusively for design and cut.
It was a college computer and has a password I can’t get by unless I pay a geek 60 euros!.
I would like if somebody could point me to a link, book, anything that will guide me through wiping the harddrive and reinstalling Windows. Please bear in mind that if ‘stupid’ didn’t exist I would have invented it! 😀 😀
Thanks in advance -
31 Replies
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What operating system are we talking here?
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Does it have a CD ROM drive?
If so does the boot sequence read the CD ROM drive before the HDD?
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Windows XP, Nick
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put the windows disc in and tell your pc to boot up from the cd and follow the instructions. 😉
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Pretty much what Marcella said, however delete the partition first (all the setup program) and let windows do its thing 😀
You may need to go into BIOS to change the boot sequence though.
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quote Garrie:You may need to go into BIOS to change the boot sequence though.
yep ………… you’ll need to tell it to boot from the cd
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Put in windows disk Insert Windows XP CD into the drive
Restart PC
when you get the post screen (the black with white writing)
press whichever key it is to get into your bios. usually del, or F2
go to boot sequence/priority section & set 1st boot device to CD
save changes and exit.
The PC will restart and the CD should spin up and you’ll see a message saying press any key to boot from CD.
press any key )that means any of the keys not THE "any" key as people have asked me the whereabouts of before, and you will get a blue screen and some options, follow them through to where you get to the partition information unless its a partitioned drive it will be C: just press D to delete and comfirm with L to delete it.
then press enter to install windows on that partition. and wait 39 minutes until windows Xp has installed then begin installing drivers etc, hopefully you have a windows xp disk, and a serial key.
That’s it you re done -
Do you have a copy of XP that’s not been activated you can only have it on 2 PC’s at once.
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glad you typed all that Steve. 😀
Harry the section in the bios where you change the boot up from cd is usually on the 2nd page 😀
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Thanks everyone for that….that was an amazing amount of info in double quick time!! What a site!
Steve understands what ‘stupid’ means though. Thanks 😀 😀
Marcella, Garrie and Nick thanks for the help.
I have XP Nick, it came with the laptop I have, will that be ok, do you think? -
Do you have a key for it?
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Sorry Nick, I’ll have to answer that later, as Im not beside the stuff right now….I intend to set it up this evening.
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Ok, if it’s a restore disk for the laptop then it probably will not work, you may need a proper XP disk.
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Thanks Nick, I think it is the XP disc…..I will be back if its not…. 😀 😀
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Harry if you don’t get anywhere with the above advice it will probably be because the password won’t let you, how you get round the password will depend on what type of password it is. Administrator and bios passwords are reasonably easy to get round but if the hard disk has an ATA pasword then the easiest thing to do is get another hard disk.
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Bios password = remove battery for 20 secs
Windows password will be wiped in a format
ATA password is unlikely unless its come from somewhere that uses high security, or someone who wants their data to be inaccessible by anyone
As Martin says a throw away job, but its unlikely it has this method. -
Thanks lads I will let you know how I get on.
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Harry is now going home to cry because he’s no idea what he’s doing with the pc …………. he’s looking at the instructions given by Steve and thinking ‘Sh1t!’ 😮 :lol1:
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Big boys don’t cry Marcella!…………do they? 😮 😮 😮
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I dunno do they? ……….. you can answer that for us later 😉 :lol1:
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Found this if you want to try it… click me
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You going out tonight Marcella? All dressed up there 😀 😮
Peter
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quote Peter Mindham:You going out tonight Marcella? All dressed up there 😀 😮
Peter
that pic was taken when I was out on the town with Nik and our friends last night Peter …………. that was before we got soaked walking from the restaurant to the pub 😕 ………… and I had no jacket 😮
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nice new frock Marcella
Peter
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quote Peter Normington:nice new frock Marcella
Peter
:lol1: :lol1: :lol1: again? :lol1: :lol1: :lol1: 😳 😳 😳
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quote Marcella:I dunno do they? ……….. you can answer that for us later 😉 :lol1:
anybody got tissues 🙁 🙁
seems it is only a restore disc….shouldnt the laptop have come with the XP dosc?…..maybe I mislaid it….but I dont think so.
Will try that link in the morning Nick.
thanks -
You need a XP disk still, maybe you can borrow one?
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Nick and everyone who contributed to this, thanks a million…..am sorted with a disc and key……..wouldnt have known were to start without you all.
‘go raibh bud mor agat agus fuair Bas in Eireann!! ‘
(very old Irish best wishes, and Im not translating!) 😀 😀 take it from me that its good, bold but good!)
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my advise is tell us what computer make it is … and have a hunt around for a sticker with a serial number on it… it will have Windows XP Professional / Home / Media Center on it and this is the license for the PC… when you get the right XP CD you use that number to reinstall it.
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You dont need to change the bios settings anyway it will look at the flopy then cd drive then hard disk for a boot
There are many internet sites that detail loading a CLEAN install of OS systems step by step. You have net access as you are on here.Goop
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quote :You dont need to change the bios settings anyway it will look at the flopy then cd drive then hard disk for a boot
Standard bios settings are Floppy, HDD, then CD so it will try to boot from CD only if no hard disk detected, if there is but theres no o/s installed you will then will get a "no operating system found" message, and it wont even look for a CD.
The boot sequence will only change if you go in and change the boot priority to 1st or 2nd device
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