Dreth
asked on
How to delete current files on computer.
I am doing a favor to a friend, his computer isn't store-bought and it has a lot of useless stuff taking up space not to mention a lot of problems, He has Windows XP already but the computer is too slow and he can't even open a single program without having to wait one minute until it opens. I want to know how I can delete ALL data and install Windows XP Home Edition (I have the CD) so maybe the computer will get rid of all unncesary programs and run faster. Thanks.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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CrazyOne
Also if you boot the XP CD and run the installation it will offer to format the partition for you
If this machine is under warranty then why not contact the vendor and see if they can help sort out the problems this machine is having.
Customer research shows a frequently requested feature that users want from their PCs is fast system startup, whether from cold boot or when resuming from standby or hibernation. The Windows development team at Microsoft has taken bold steps in making fast startup PCs a reality with the Microsoft Windows XP operating system.
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hwdev/platform/performance/fastboot/default.mspx
BootVis
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hwdev/platform/performance/fastboot/bootvis.mspx
Correcting System Hang at Startup
http://www.windowsxpatoz.com/cgi-bin/performance/index.cgi?answer=1036282950&id=1036282433
If your system hangs about 2 or 3 minutes at startup, where you can't access the Start button or the Taskbar, it may be due to one specific service (Background Intelligent Transfer) running in the background. Microsoft put out a patch for this but it didn't work for me. Here's what you do:
1. Click on Start/Run, type 'msconfig', then click 'OK'.
2. Go to the 'Services' tab, find the 'Background Intelligent Transfer' service, disable
3. Next go to the Startup tab and remove programs that you want to have launch as startup apply the changes & reboot.
Open the Windows Explorer and go to c:\WINDOWS\Prefetch folder.
Click the Edit menu
click the Select All command. This should highlight all the files in the folder.
Hit the DELETE key
Restart your computer.
I would strongly suggest using the following link to learn which Services can be disabled and why and to learn what each Service does.
Service Configurations (Which Ones to Disable)
http://www.blkviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm
To set the Services listed in the above link
Start > Run services.msc
Double Click on the service
In the box labeled Startup Type select Disable
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hwdev/platform/performance/fastboot/default.mspx
BootVis
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hwdev/platform/performance/fastboot/bootvis.mspx
Correcting System Hang at Startup
http://www.windowsxpatoz.com/cgi-bin/performance/index.cgi?answer=1036282950&id=1036282433
If your system hangs about 2 or 3 minutes at startup, where you can't access the Start button or the Taskbar, it may be due to one specific service (Background Intelligent Transfer) running in the background. Microsoft put out a patch for this but it didn't work for me. Here's what you do:
1. Click on Start/Run, type 'msconfig', then click 'OK'.
2. Go to the 'Services' tab, find the 'Background Intelligent Transfer' service, disable
3. Next go to the Startup tab and remove programs that you want to have launch as startup apply the changes & reboot.
Open the Windows Explorer and go to c:\WINDOWS\Prefetch folder.
Click the Edit menu
click the Select All command. This should highlight all the files in the folder.
Hit the DELETE key
Restart your computer.
I would strongly suggest using the following link to learn which Services can be disabled and why and to learn what each Service does.
Service Configurations (Which Ones to Disable)
http://www.blkviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm
To set the Services listed in the above link
Start > Run services.msc
Double Click on the service
In the box labeled Startup Type select Disable
A Clean install of XP formats the hard disk and starts the installation from scratch.
Check these clean install guides:
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
http://theeldergeek.com/xp_home_install_-_graphic.htm
Check these clean install guides:
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
http://theeldergeek.com/xp_home_install_-_graphic.htm
Hi Dreth,
You are thinking of a hard drive format. It is quite a drastic step, since once your format and even reinstall Windows XP, you won't have ANY of the programs you had before (including things like Microsoft Word).
If, however, you are sure that this is what you want to do, follow these steps:
1). Put your Windows XP CD into the CD-ROM drive, reboot the system.
IF WINDOWS XP SETUP DOES NOT BEGIN, FOLLOW THESE STEPS:
a). As the system boots, press delete, or F1, or F2, or whatever it says on the screen that will cause you to enter BIOS setup.
b). Find 'boot order' and make sure that the CD-ROM drive is at the top of the list
c). Save BIOS settings and restart
2). After Windows XP setup begins, select Repair, Recovery Console. It'll ask you for your Administrator password. Enter it. At the next prompt, type format c: /fs:ntfs
3). Wait for the format to finish, type exit.
4). Go back to Windows XP Setup, and select Install. Select your C: Drive as the place to install and follow the prompts.
I hope that helped you!
Cheers,
Joe
You are thinking of a hard drive format. It is quite a drastic step, since once your format and even reinstall Windows XP, you won't have ANY of the programs you had before (including things like Microsoft Word).
If, however, you are sure that this is what you want to do, follow these steps:
1). Put your Windows XP CD into the CD-ROM drive, reboot the system.
IF WINDOWS XP SETUP DOES NOT BEGIN, FOLLOW THESE STEPS:
a). As the system boots, press delete, or F1, or F2, or whatever it says on the screen that will cause you to enter BIOS setup.
b). Find 'boot order' and make sure that the CD-ROM drive is at the top of the list
c). Save BIOS settings and restart
2). After Windows XP setup begins, select Repair, Recovery Console. It'll ask you for your Administrator password. Enter it. At the next prompt, type format c: /fs:ntfs
3). Wait for the format to finish, type exit.
4). Go back to Windows XP Setup, and select Install. Select your C: Drive as the place to install and follow the prompts.
I hope that helped you!
Cheers,
Joe
Wow. I thought I would be the first one to reply! I should learn to type faster!! Sorry CrazyOne!
No problem Joe :>)
ASKER
Wow, You all have been of great help, I thought it would take like 10 hours to get a single response and in less than 15 minutes I have around 8 comments. And don't worry about typing fast Joe. I won't format it now because the computer is not at my house right now, But I have a question, is the password for Entering Windows XP as Administrator in his computer the same one I have to (if I have to) use when I do the BIOS method?
You mean the Recovery Console method. Yes, it's the same password.
ASKER
Okay Thanks a lot Joe and CrazyOne.
On the admin password it depends. If someone set a password for the admin the password won't be the same. Also the presumption here is that this is fresh bought XP CD and not one that has already been used to install on another machine. XP is only licenesed for one machine only. You might be better off using the restore CD that usually comes with the store bought mahcines.
ASKER
His computer history is rather weird, but to put it short he bought it from someone that sells used computers, my friend doesn't know that much about computers so he took it then the problems came. I'm willing to at least if I can make his computer a bit better with my CD because he never had a Windows XP CD. I've never used my CD that is why I asked you guys. The computer had XP pre-installed but it still had the Windows XP CD (so the CD hasn't been used in other words his will be the first machine to use it).
:>)
Be careful installing XP onto another computer. As you say, this would be the first computer for that particular disc, but if you should ever need the disc for yourself, XP will likely hassle you about production activation and registration.