Reinstalling Windows

Ive had a whole bunch of spyware and unused programs/files cluttering my computer for some time now and ive decided that the best solution is to reinstall windows. I dont know much about it though, ive heard the terms wiping the hard drive, reformatting the hard drive, and reinstalling windows thrown around a lot. I would like to know the method i should go about reinstallign windows that would completely refresh the system. I plan on saving a couple things to a disc; music for instance, and maybe some email documents. Can anyone help me out?

Oh and also, i seem to have lost my original windows CD, but I still have the product key, so would it be possible to barrow a CD from a friend while still using my own cd key to install?

 

There are plenty of free programs that will eliminate spyware like spybot S&D (Excellent program).

Reformatting your hard drive should be the solution of last resort. I had to do that on my old computer and man was that a pain.

What version of windows are you using?

If you go to the manufacturer’s (of your computer) web site they should have a tech-support link that you can go to and print out the procedure.

 

well my dad was looking online and found a forums where a guy asked the same questions. A microsoft tech support person told him that while there was no way to legally download windows xp, he could look to barrowing another person's cd, so im guessing my friends will work. Ive already backed up everything me and my mom will need to my dads computer. Im just going to insert the disc and follow whatever directions windows gives me for reinstallation.

As for spyware programs, ive been using webroot spysweeper as well as another program (i cant think of the name at the moment) and neither have been able to get rid of the multitudes of spyware they keep finding on my computer. Same goes with norton anti-virus and suspected infected files.

I dont think simply reinstalling windows should be too big of a task. Although if something does go wrong and were left without a computer ill be in some deep shit. So i guess its kind of risky =\

 

man, just give up microsoft products, i havent used them for a whole month now. I use Ubuntu Linux, its totally groovy! (and linux is free, as in free love, free life)

 

I wish I could but all of my programs and games require windows.

Anyway, back on topic:

I guess if your computer is that fraged you don’t have much choice.

You might want to check to see if your computer will let you burn one set of recovery disks. I doubt you friend’s disks will work.

If you use a name brand computer like hp or gateway with windows XP you might be able to do a system recovery without the disks. So look for that too before you put you friends disks into your computer. Even if by some chance you can use your key code there is a good chance that the version of windows your friend has will not be compatible with your computer.

 

I just thought of something. (I am assuming you are using windows XP) Have you tried turning off system restore before you ran your anti-spyware and anti-virus programs. If you run those programs with system restore on than the computer my reload viruses and spyware back onto your hard drive when you reboot. It is worth a try.

 

if its windows then forget about trying to reclean it even with restore off. the registry files are infected or may contain errors. i tried explaining this to my mother about her winXP laptop when it got a bad infection. she manged to fix it without reformating... yup...

it lasted about a month and it died again, lol. SAME EXACT VIRUS/MALICIOUS SOFTWARE!!! it was hiding in her registry. she asked me to do whatever to fix it and so she got a fresh NTFS partition and a small EXT3 partition. she now runs only fedora core 5 linux with her wireless and all her windows programs work under it with WINE. she has used her winXP partion once and decided its not worth the hassle.

THE ONLY COMPUTER ERROR SITS BETWEEN THE CHAIR AND THE KEYBOARD.

 

oh and it doesnt matter if u use a winXP disc that didnt come with your key. as long as it will boot and it matches the version of XP, ex: XP home=XP home key, XPpro=XP pro key. i have used two win XP disc with 5 different keys many times. actually, you can buy a new key from microsoft to go with your cd.

 

Make sure your "windows disk" is frmo microsoft, and not marked as an OEM version, if you borrow the media from someone else.

WinXP install will allow you to take care of all of the formating/erasing, just choose to DELETE the partition and recreate it, NOT INSTALL A SECOND COPY OF WINDOWS!

 

mine is OEM.

 

mine wasnt, i used a CD that said windows upgrade and it worked. The other i had which said service pack 2 didnt work.

 

OEM software is generally bundled and only wors on the model of computer it came with

 

Unless it's sold w/a white box PC
(no name/ unbranded/ roll your own).

Check it out - white box v. branded PC
and also read the actual windows disk.
It'll usually have the brand name
if it is a modified/ mucked up version...

 

yes, and no. my xpPro disc was OEM with no computer maker labels and i mixed it with keys.

but my xpHome disc (OEM) was branded with compaq and i used it with a hewlet packard key. Compaq and Hewlet Packrd come from the same manurfacturer now but they are different names. wierd part is that i used the xpHome disc(Compaq) on an old laptop designed for win95, while using a key from a HewletPcrd desktop from 2002.