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Thread: Clearing A Computer

  1. #1
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    Default Clearing A Computer

    My father in law has treated himself to a new computer. He has offered my husband his old computer. The computer currently runs on windows XP Home. It was purchased on the 10/10/2001 (yes he remembers buying it lol).

    All he asks is that we clear the computer before taking it. Hes never used it for banking etc, but he would feel happier with it wiped. He doesnt have the original disks etc that came with the computer.

    Can anyone advise me how to clear it?

  2. #2
    Forum Master olivia8143's Avatar
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    Default

    Personally, I'd just restore to manufacturer's settings and promise the FiL that you'll destroy the harddrive when you've finished with the computer but my daughter says you should reformat it (whatever that is!)
    Hope this bump brings a more educated answer for you

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    hi the quickest way is if you have a windows disk put that it and reinstall windows this wipes everything else off the hard drive.

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    Unfortunately he cant find any disc for the computer, weve had 2 suggestions on clearing it.

    1 - Press F10 when computer is loading and restore through options there (cant find any)
    2 - Go to systems restore and go back to the day the computer was set up. Only thing is that it will only got back to August 2009.

    FIL remembers the computer coming with a system restore disc but cannot locate it.

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    its going to be quite hard without a windows disk as any kind of formatting will result in loosing the operating system (windows) and then the computer wont work until you go out and buy a windows disc which is very expensive. you could just ask if its ok to use it and then if you sell it by which point prob wont be worth selling you promise to wipe everything off

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    Forum Saint Juliebabe25's Avatar
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    I wonder if you can do a Windows Repair.
    That puts the OS back to standard.
    I wonder if it reformats the drive (without needing the Windows disk)
    Imho a PC without a windows XP disk is a bit useless.

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    You could always download one of the LINUX installations and use that to build the disk and OS.

    That would give you a working machine and satisfy your FiL. Sounds like all he wants is his files clearing and not a clean of the disk at bit level.


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    If you have a Windows COA (key) on case you should be able to get a disk very cheap (dell reinstallation disk) or ask someone you know for a copy.


    Lots of stuff for Sale

    • Computer parts
    • Books
    • DVDs
    • Lots more

    Please have a browse

    ------------------------------------------------------

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    My wife bought a new laptop and did not like i tbecause of windows 7 so we swapped, then she found this website with loads of free info on PC clean ups

    http://sound.computers-need-this.info/
    Last edited by telcotam; 31st July 2010 at 10:57 AM.

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    Forum Lurker aftech's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by stylusman View Post
    its going to be quite hard without a windows disk as any kind of formatting will result in loosing the operating system (windows) and then the computer wont work until you go out and buy a windows disc which is very expensive. you could just ask if its ok to use it and then if you sell it by which point prob wont be worth selling you promise to wipe everything off
    When Windows formats the drive, it won't suicide!! It will wipe out any file except for the OS files so the hard drive will be empty of any user-created file. You need to format all the drives and partitions.
    Reinstallation of OS will result in wipe out too but you don't have the disk so formatting will do.

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