erase and install Windows XP

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain (More info?)

Hi......
I wanted to know what steps need to be done to erase the hard drive, clean
it up and install Windows again. I have a virus on my comptuer and have to do
this process. I also wanted to know if it's better for me to take it to a
specialist to do so or is it something that I can do myself, since I have all
the CD that came with it?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain (More info?)

The Windows XP CD is bootable and contains all the tools necessary
to partition and format your drive. Follow this procedure and allow
Windows XP to partition and format your drive:

NOTE: It would be best to physically disconnect all your peripheral hardware
devices, except the monitor, mouse and keyboard, before installing XP.

NOTE: If you have an internal Zip Drive installed, physically disconnect the
EIDE and power cable to it before proceeding, otherwise your main
hard drive may not be assigned the customary C: drive letter.
After installing Windows XP, you may then reconnect it.

1. Open your BIOS and set your "CD Drive as the first bootable device".

===> Accessing Motherboard BIOS
===> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

2. Insert your Windows XP CD in the CD Drive and reboot your computer.
3. You'll see a message to boot to the CD....follow the instructions.
4. The setup menu will appear and you should elect to delete all the existing
Windows partitions, then create a new partition, then format the primary
partition (preferably NTFS) and proceed to install Windows XP.

5. Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]

6. ==> Immediately after installing Windows XP, turn on XP's Firewall.
==> http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

7. After Windows XP is installed, visit the Windows Update website
and download the available "Critical Updates".

8. After installing the critical updates, be sure and visit the support website
of the manufacturer of the computer to download and install any
available Windows XP compatible drivers, such as video adapter
and audio drivers.

9. If you happen to run into any installation difficulties, use the following resources:

How to Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;310064

Troubleshooting Windows XP Setup
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_setup.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Kelly Theriot]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

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

"Airplanefreak" wrote:

| Hi......
| I wanted to know what steps need to be done to erase the hard drive, clean
| it up and install Windows again. I have a virus on my comptuer and have to do
| this process. I also wanted to know if it's better for me to take it to a
| specialist to do so or is it something that I can do myself, since I have all
| the CD that came with it?

 

[user]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain (More info?)

Erasing the hard drive will get you the best performance...that is what used
to be called a low level format...now what is done is called a "zero
fill"...from your hard drive manufacturer, get the utilities to do that. I
like IBM's tool called "wipe"...it zero fills the drive. Your drive will
keep a 7 format history! That means that somebody with the correct tools
will be able to read data on your drive through 7 formats! All that extra
data is not only a security issue but a performace issue too. Why keep all
that junk on your hard drive?

Some viruses are so bad that they are stored in the BIOS of your motherboard
or catch of your CPU or thte boot sector of your hard drive...even though
you wipe your drive, it did nothing for your boot sector, the virus in your
BIOS or the virus in the catch of your CPU will come back to byte you (punn
intended!). You have to cleare those out too

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain (More info?)

That's all well and good, but when the CD boots in my computer, the first 2
options are grayed (unavailable) - how do I format now?

"Carey Frisch [MVP]" <cnfrisch@nospamgmail.com> wrote in message
news:e3kuWIEuEHA.636@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> The Windows XP CD is bootable and contains all the tools necessary
> to partition and format your drive. Follow this procedure and allow
> Windows XP to partition and format your drive:
>
> NOTE: It would be best to physically disconnect all your peripheral
hardware
> devices, except the monitor, mouse and keyboard, before
installing XP.
>
> NOTE: If you have an internal Zip Drive installed, physically disconnect
the
> EIDE and power cable to it before proceeding, otherwise your
main
> hard drive may not be assigned the customary C: drive
letter.
> After installing Windows XP, you may then reconnect it.
>
> 1. Open your BIOS and set your "CD Drive as the first bootable device".
>
> ===> Accessing Motherboard BIOS
> ===> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm
>
> 2. Insert your Windows XP CD in the CD Drive and reboot your computer.
> 3. You'll see a message to boot to the CD....follow the instructions.
> 4. The setup menu will appear and you should elect to delete all the
existing
> Windows partitions, then create a new partition, then format the
primary
> partition (preferably NTFS) and proceed to install Windows XP.
>
> 5. Clean Install Windows XP
> http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
>
> [Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]
>
> 6. ==> Immediately after installing Windows XP, turn on XP's Firewall.
> ==> http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx
>
> 7. After Windows XP is installed, visit the Windows Update website
> and download the available "Critical Updates".
>
> 8. After installing the critical updates, be sure and visit the support
website
> of the manufacturer of the computer to download and install any
> available Windows XP compatible drivers, such as video adapter
> and audio drivers.
>
> 9. If you happen to run into any installation difficulties, use the
following resources:
>
> How to Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;310064
>
> Troubleshooting Windows XP Setup
> http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_setup.htm
>
> [Courtesy of MS-MVP Kelly Theriot]
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows XP - Shell/User
>
> Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
> http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------
>
> "Airplanefreak" wrote:
>
> | Hi......
> | I wanted to know what steps need to be done to erase the hard drive,
clean
> | it up and install Windows again. I have a virus on my comptuer and have
to do
> | this process. I also wanted to know if it's better for me to take it to
a
> | specialist to do so or is it something that I can do myself, since I
have all
> | the CD that came with it?