...okay, any idea how to format a laptop that has Windows XP Home Edition installed with only one partition? It's a 40gig disk, and I don't want to keep any files etc. All I want is as if it is brand new. I have the Rescue Disk/Restore disk, but I'm unsure how to use it properly as it mentions that you have to put all the original stuff back on it, but that's all gone fubar. And if any thing goes wrong, its not final is it - like you can never use it again ? I doubt it but I don't want to screw it up. If there is a risk of locking it down so you can't use it, I'll take it to a pro. Thanks for any help.
I don't know the particular laptop you have, but with both desktop and laptop restore discs, they usually just wipe the hard drive and install the customized version of Windows the manufacturer has. A few years back, Microsoft changed their liscensing for companies like Dell, HP/Comaq, Alienware, etc...and basically said "you can't bundle a Windows CD with the system anymore". But they were allowed to have some sort of custom, un-f*ck the computer disc that wipes everything and restores itself like it was when the machine was turned on the first time. If you just want to clean off the hard drive and not install anything on it, a DOS or Win98 startup floppy is all that's needed. Just use FDISK and delete the partition, reboot, and viola, no OS, just a blank hard drive.
And how would I install the OS afterwards? Just boot up with the rescue disk and should be all ok? I have a Packard Bell 'iPower' laptop. Thanks for the info, I'll let ya know if it works properly :good: *UPDATE* Ok nevermind that last bit. Just put the cd in, restarted it, and came up with a guide to restoring it to factory settings. All done. Thanks!
