computer assistance please......
- Thread starter big apple
- Start date
If you have the MS install discs, just format the drive and reinstall Windows.
Or you can do the same with the recovery partition if you lack Windows install discs.
Google will give you good instructions here.
Or you can do the same with the recovery partition if you lack Windows install discs.
Google will give you good instructions here.
I never have done this but a friend just did that and he said his PC is just like new again.
* Click**Start**and enter**Recovery**in the search field. Select**Recovery Manager**from the list when it becomes available. Allow the action to continue, if prompted. The HP Recovery Manager opens.Alternately, click**Start**,**All Programs**,**Recovery Manager**, and then**Recovery Manager**. Allow the action to continue, if prompted. The HP Recovery Manager opens.
* Click**Advanced options**,**System recovery**, and then click**Next**. The PC will restart and reopen the recovery manager.Alternately, if**Advanced options**is disabled, click**Next**, and then**System Recovery**. The PC will restart.
* When the PC restarts, select the**System recovery**option and click**Next**.
* If prompted to use the**Microsoft System Restore**program, click**No**, and then click**Next**.
* When prompted, select the**Back up your files first (recommended)**option, and then click**Next**. Follow the on-screen instructions.
* When prompted to**Recover without backing up your files**, please**STOP**before clicking**Next**.WARNING:This is the final opportunity to change your mind about recovering the PC and deleting all the files and programs. Once you click**Next**, the restore process cannot be stopped
* If you are satisfied that you want to begin the recover process, click**Next**. The PC immediately begins formatting the hard drive and destroying all data.
* Click**Advanced options**,**System recovery**, and then click**Next**. The PC will restart and reopen the recovery manager.Alternately, if**Advanced options**is disabled, click**Next**, and then**System Recovery**. The PC will restart.
* When the PC restarts, select the**System recovery**option and click**Next**.
* If prompted to use the**Microsoft System Restore**program, click**No**, and then click**Next**.
* When prompted, select the**Back up your files first (recommended)**option, and then click**Next**. Follow the on-screen instructions.
* When prompted to**Recover without backing up your files**, please**STOP**before clicking**Next**.WARNING:This is the final opportunity to change your mind about recovering the PC and deleting all the files and programs. Once you click**Next**, the restore process cannot be stopped
* If you are satisfied that you want to begin the recover process, click**Next**. The PC immediately begins formatting the hard drive and destroying all data.
There's a question.Which is more efficient at wiping your drive?This method or Ccleaner?
CCleaner only cleans junk files/temp files off your drive.
It does not wipe your drive clean.
A format wipes your drive clean.
My friend said using the program on the Recovery partition is a long process and takes several hours to complete. He used it to restore Vista to the day it was new. Vista was reinstalled, then he had to do 4 years of Vista updates, then had to reinstall his fav programs/apps. When it was all done he said his PC acts like a brand new PC, all fast and snappy and now his Vista boots up in 2 minutes instead of ~10 minutes.
The problem is, clean is relative. Quick formats do not clean anything. Then you get into the DoD approaches for deep erasure.
The simplest approach these days is to employ drive encryption.
The only true way to make sure no one gets hands on your private info is to actually destroy the drive physically. No amount of format/cleaner programs work. In the right(wrong) hands anyone can (recover) info.
Or you can format your drive with 0's and 1's
I personally love using ccleaner as well, but I too think its not good enough to wipe out the entire thing.
Or you can set some kinda policy on your computer. I once messed around with Local Security Policy with Account lockouts. I must warn you, you need to be 100% careful when messing with this. I once tried putting Account Lockout Duration 0 on an admin account and locked the admin account out.
Or a full hard drive encryption like bitlocker is useful too. If you don't have bitlocker you can download truecrypt.
But if you really don't have anything important, just a full format would be good enough if you ask me.
I personally love using ccleaner as well, but I too think its not good enough to wipe out the entire thing.
Or you can set some kinda policy on your computer. I once messed around with Local Security Policy with Account lockouts. I must warn you, you need to be 100% careful when messing with this. I once tried putting Account Lockout Duration 0 on an admin account and locked the admin account out.
Or a full hard drive encryption like bitlocker is useful too. If you don't have bitlocker you can download truecrypt.
But if you really don't have anything important, just a full format would be good enough if you ask me.
^^ what he said. If you have stuf o there you dont want anyone to see take out the drive and put some holes in it. It you are not worried and want to make it not worth the effort for a new owner then grab some sofwtare that will write 1s and 0s over the drive multipel times to "wipre" it. If you want to maintain Windows on it then just run a recover and make it as factory delivered (you data coudl still be recovered thogh)
