formatting

Hi .

im a total noob when it comes to computers .
I want to clear my hard disk I want to start fresh cause my computer has been running slow .

How can i do this can i just format the HD or will that remove windows as well ?

thanks

formatting wipes the drive clean, it leaves nothing.

an operating system like windows is data just like an mp3, if you format it will be gone.

to format, stick your Windows XP CD in and follow the prompts to format it. you'll then have to reboot and install Windows XP again, with all the data on the drive gone.

also, fyi: the harddrive is not what is slow, the data is not what is slow, it's the Windows XP installation that is. Meaning, your configurations and the registry.

if you need any more help just A A ASK!

Yes, formatting removes all the data on the drive (actually, it doesn't completely remove it, but that's a different issue altogether). Think of it like rubbing out all the writing on a piece of paper. The page is still there, but the information on it is gone, and it can be used again. This will, of course, remove Windows, so you will need to reinstall it. If your PC shipped with a "factory restore" CD, you can use that to reinstall (which will usually install all the correct drivers as well). If all you have is a generic Windows installation CD, you will need to do a little more work, reinstalling drivers and such yourself.

However, you do need to ask yourself if wiping is the best solution to a slow-running PC. It's a pretty drastic step (though admittedly effective), and often poor responsiveness is a result of virus/spyware/adware infection, too many programs/processes running at startup, hard disk fragmentation, and other possibilities.

>>2
>>3

Fails. All formatting does is replace the file system. The data's still there; it's just unaccessable, at least by typical methods. The disk is by no means blanked.

There's another kind of formatting... what's it called low level? Zero fill? I don't remember but it does erase most of the data.

Goverment 101010101010101 formatting is l33t

Any ideas on how to get an old windows install to get some of its old luster back?

To echo >>3 I've found both scheduling regular defrags (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/learnmore/tips/gehrke1.mspx) and removing spyware (spybot http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/) to have significant benefits. Can anyone offer other tips?

Getting rid of program that start up and sit in the system tray (there are way too many of these). Also disabling unnecessary services.

>>8 Any tips on how to remove apps which run at startup? I've had to rip them out of the registry before, but that isn't for the general public.

>>9
msconfig duh

>>4 is a jackass who can't read. We all know formatting doesn't destroy data, but to the man in the street it amounts to the same thing (there's no need to blind >>1, a self-confessed noob, with science).

>>1
WTF, why do all users think formatting is the panacea of computer problems? Format is not an antivirus, not an antimalware, not a software optimizer, not an OS cleaner, and not anything you want to use it for. Format just formats your filesystem. Don't do that, unless you need to. And you don't need to. Just read guides on how to get rid of shit, don't use Internet Explorer ever, and if you've fubared your Windows XP, get a NTFS boot disk/CD, delete the Windows, Program Files, and Documents and Settings folders (saving what you want from them first), and reinstall Windows.


>>7
Defrag is another surprisingly misunderstood utility. It _won't fix software that doesn't work_, it _won't make up free space_, and it won't fix your love life either. It just reorders files so that their clusters are in a row for faster access.


>>8
Finally, something useful. Do that. Get rid of all the system tray shit, malware shit, browser toolbar shit, Internet Explorer shit, and unnecessary services. Google for information; once you're good enough to Google for what to do, you're good enough to do it.

Keep in mind you aren't collecting those cute lil' icons in your system tray, they are not cool, Autorun software is not cool, software that loads at start is not cool, magic screen shaking joke programs are not cool, speshul Flash screensavers are not cool, fantastic media players companies want you to use are not cool, and automatic anything is usually not cool. For every system tray icon piece of shit you have, it's as if you received a kick in your balls. Please, think of your balls.

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