Want computer wiped clean?????

[Hemi 6.1]

I want to wipe all my added programs out of my Dell computer. Its a Dimension 2350 thats from 2004. I want it back to the same as it was new. I'm giving it to my daughter,who is only 6 and want it just for limited internet and games. Can someone help! I have all the disks for it as well.

 

[Hall]

Turn the PC off. Put the RECOVERY CD in. Turn the PC on. If it boots from the CD, it will ask you what you want to do. If it doesn't boot from the CD, you may have to press "F8" (2-3 times) to get the "Boot menu" that lets you select what device to boot from. You press "F8" at the DELL screen. If you wait too long, Windows will start booting and you have to start over.

 

[Ronald_Jeremy]

Boot to the recovery CD. It will guide you through wiping the hard drive and reinstalling the operating system.

Make sure you also have the driver cd's if needed.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Now I have 5 disks CDs,Which one do I start with

 

[diogen]

I want it back to the same as it was new. I'm giving it to my daughter,who is only 6 and want it just for limited internet and games.

Try to avoid using the recovery CD.
Non-business Dell PCs, especially around 2002-2005, were loaded with so much crap (MusicMatch, for example), it's not even funny.

Check the version of Windows you have (sticker on the case) - XP Home or Professional with the corresponding key.
Find a bootable OEM version of the same Windows OS on a CD (OS only!!). Employ torrent if needed.
Boot from that CD and enter the key from the case when asked.

After the OS is installed, register it with MS (there won't be any problem as long as you use the same box).

This way you'll have a clean legitimate(!) OS install and nothing of the garbage that comes with the recovery CD.

Diogen.

EDIT: If you are going to do this, repartition the drive: a smaller partition for the OS (~10-20GB) and the rest.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

I hit F8 and a menu screen comes up,but will not run any disks

 

[Jared Twomey]

when you hit F8, see if there is an option for boot order. Make sure cd is listed before the hard drive

 

[Jared Twomey]

also, you may consider using something like Windows Steadystate to keep it childproof

Basically you would reinstall windows, put whatever games on there you want her to use, and activate steadystate. She wont be able to install anything, get any viruses, ect... without your permission. Type of thing used in businesses, libraries, ect, to keep the user from screwing up the computer... just an idea, I did it on my nieces computer and it has worked great

 

[Hemi 6.1]

when you hit F8, see if there is an option for boot order. Make sure cd is listed before the hard drive

I'll try it when I get back. I have to run out for awhile. But so far I'm still having trouble.

 

[Matt Manos]

mass destruction

If you really want to wipe your hard drive, download this Darik's Boot and Nuke (Hard Drive Disk Wipe), burn it to a CD, and boot your computer from it. I don't know much about re-installing Windows, but would heartily recommend Linux. Mint comes with all the codecs pre-installed or you can get Ubuntu CE, which comes with a pre-configured web filter.

 

[Ronald_Jeremy]

F8 is the wrong key. That is to bring up the Windows Startup Menu to allow you to boot into safe mode or go to the recovery console. It has NOTHING to do with booting from CD.

Boot the computer. When the screen first comes up, look for a message on the screen. I think it is in the upper right. Something like "Press F12 for Boot Menu" The key

 

[docthy]

wow, that is nice. well here is for your love, I sense new to installation world people around me. my new buddy, this is your guide:

Documentation

Go to section Reinstalling Microsoft® Windows® XP link

you will have to follow that guide to get everything working, but remember to delete the partition and after you do that PLEASE REBOOT and install the OS, this is so partition wipe everything from memory or the likes. Happy installation and We are here to help you. Remember after installation, you must check if evething is working fine, otherwise, look for Reinstalling Drivers Section on thew same guide. Please keep Us post.

 

[jayn_j]

The reasons everyone is coming up with different suggestions is that machines use different BIOS code, and each one has its own scheme. I have seen the bios screen acces via F1, F8, F12, F5, ESC and DEL.

The best idea was Ron Jeremy's. Most BIOS's will display the key at boot, although it can go by pretty fast.

The point about changing boot order is correct. You may have to search around the bIOS screens to find it.

We may be getting ahead of ourselves, though. Did you just try inserting the main recovery disc and see it it will boot? You may not have to do anything.

I'm not sure that the install bare windows is the right answer for someone not too experienced with this. Sure, you must then remove the junk (if it is important), but with a bare windows installation, you will likely be all over the net searching out new device drivers. Not for the faint of heart.

Matt, you are seriously suggesting Linux for a 6 year old on a computer administered by a novice? Riiiiiight!

 

[Hall]

Matt, you are seriously suggesting Linux for a 6 year old on a computer administered by a novice? Riiiiiight!

I used Linux from 1995 until 2004 or so.... In that time, I can count on NO hands the number of times I recommended Linux to anyone.

 

[mike123abc]

Maybe since microsoft bought a vm company they will eventually offer throw away windows. It would be nice to be able to create an account for a kid and have them on their own virtual machine, when they destroy it, you simply delete the account and make them a new one.

 

[Jared Twomey]

Maybe since microsoft bought a vm company they will eventually offer throw away windows. It would be nice to be able to create an account for a kid and have them on their own virtual machine, when they destroy it, you simply delete the account and make them a new one.

or, just do a fresh install, install all the kids games, ect... and install Windows Steadystate. You now have a kid proof install that they can't screw up.

 

[Matt Manos]

linux ain't rocket science

I submit that Linux isn't any more difficult to use than any other operating system. My five year old daughter can find and launch her favorite games on Ubuntu and openSUSE. You can find easy set-up guides for these distros at HowtoForge - Linux Howtos and Tutorials | Howtos about Linux and Open Source.

Ubuntu, openSUSE, PCLinuxOS, and Linux Mint are user-friendly and easy to learn. Slackware is a different story.

 

[jayn_j]

I submit that Linux isn't any more difficult to use than any other operating system. My five year old daughter can find and launch her favorite games on Ubuntu and openSUSE.

And she has you to keep it all running smoothly. My son, when he was 2 could boot windows from a dos prompt and get to his games as well. That didn't mean that windows 3.1 was friendly and bulletproof. It just meant he was motivated.

We professionals tend to forget that this isn't easy for non-professionals. I was making recommendations for someone who isn't a certified admin, and I stand by them.

 

[Matt Manos]

It wasn't my intention to start an argument nor denigrate your recommendations. I merely sought to provide an alternative solution. FWIW, I still consider myself a Linux newbie. I'm not certified in anything pertaining to computer technology and I only know a few basic commands. These are reasons I say Linux may have gotten easier to use over the past couple of years. (I'm a late comer.)