Computer helllllllp?

[carriekinz]

Does anyone here know of a site that tells you step-by-step how to clean everything off your computer and start again? I am having soooo much trouble with our stupid machine--and I'm totally clueless when it comes to them. I've been told that are trouble is we need to clean sweep and start from scratch...reinstalling everything.

If we try to search from the MSN homepage it does any illegal function then takes you back to the start page. And it's extremely slow. And I can't get into the Yahoo chat...we just installed it today--it's never been on here before but when I first signed up I got to the chat room and now it won't let me in. Aggggghhhhhh!

I'd appreciate any advice...thanks,
Carrie

[cheebacheeba]

just throw somebody a fifty to do it....I think they uninstall your operating system or something....don't really know shit...FUCK COMPUTERS! FUCK 'EM IN THEIR STUPID, NON-USER-FRIENDLY ASSES!

[bunn100]

I would not advise you to attempt this yourself.

Yoou have to format the hard disk and it is best if you partition it again and low-level format it.
The you have to reinstall the OS but you will need a dos boot disk or a bootable CD for that.

What you can try doing if you want too is install your OS over the top of what you have got now, that can sometimes improve things.

but otherwise PAY someone to do it

[mudsliptones]

okay, a format is hard the first time you do it
believe me, I had this old comp and well, I formatted and wonder by wonder, the CD rom install disk didn't worked!!!!!
so I was without a discdrive, so no windows aor anything, had to ride my back allot of miles to get a working one

but okay, look, first I need to know what os you have
linux, windows, wich versions

if you do a format remember you'll loose everything that you haven't put on a disk!!!!!!!
another option is, if you don't have a cd writer, partition your harddisk in 2 disks with partitionmagic (best proggie to do it)
just drag every file you wish to keep to the 2nd disk, and format the first
later you can drag the files back to the formatted disk

okay, to format, you definetly need a booting disk of some wort (windows has it)
if you have a newer comp you will have a cd rom available after formatting (I didn't had it years ago)
in dos you just type the format c:/ command and click yes blabla
all your shit is gone...
now
this is what you need to do if you have a wiondows version liower then xp:
reboot the comp and go to the bios (mostly hit de delete button)
then search for a boot sequence, just set the first boot from a: (so your disk drive)
restart the comp with the boot disk inserted, you get a menu, choose boot comp with CD rom
bam, your in dios, BUT you have a CD rom player available
insert the windows disk and go to it via dos
mostly D:
so you just type d: *enter*
setup *enter*
bam, windows will install

with XP it's different, it's far better although I haven't figured out a good way to install it, the disk cann,ot run from dos, so you format and then again got to the bios system, choose now the cd rom as first boot device
windows XP will launch after you restart (with the disk inserted)
at one point your comp will restart automaticly, be sure to change the first boot device to your harddrive otherwise the windows XP will launch again and you'll be working in a circle
the setpu continues

after windows i installed you'll need to configure the comp---> videocard, soundcard, nerwork adapter, internet
this depends on what you have, mostly windows XP will recognize everything and install it together with the setup

[Nate]

Mud theres no reason to go in your Bios to set what drive you want to boot from ,all you do is start your computer and right when your first screen pops up all you need to do is click the F8 key and a list of your a:,c: and d: drives will come up and you want to highlight a: then go from there.You do not EVER!!!go in your bios unless absolutley neccessary and you are fairly experienced with pc,s as you can create some unwelcomed problems going in there and monkeying with stuff.

Also alot of Hardrives nowadays have a reformatt floppy that makes it very easy to formatt, and pretty much will prompt you through the rest of the setup process.

[moonsorrow]

i think mudsliptones should get a happy helper of the week reward or something.

[mudsliptones]

Originally posted by Nate
Mud theres no reason to go in your Bios to set what drive you want to boot from ,all you do is start your computer and right when your first screen pops up all you need to do is click the F8 key and a list of your a:,c: and d: drives will come up and you want to highlight a: then go from there.You do not EVER!!!go in your bios unless absolutley neccessary and you are fairly experienced with pc,s as you can create some unwelcomed problems going in there and monkeying with stuff.

Also alot of Hardrives nowadays have a reformatt floppy that makes it very easy to formatt, and pretty much will prompt you through the rest of the setup process.

well, when setting up a comp going in the bios is nescesary, believe me, I had to set my speed of my processor to the maximum, lol
but okay, f8 it is then
Im not into those shortkeys and shit, lol
wich key is to go to the dos from the bootup?

[bunn100]

that is all good advice but if you computer is running slowly and the problem is linked to the hard drive (which is very possible) that will not resolve your issue and you will just get it running slowly again after a while.

So that is why I mentioned low-level formatting. When you format a hard disk NONE of your data is lost what it actually does is erase the Table of contents so it does not know where to find your data.

I would suggest a complete fresh build which would include deleting any exsisting partitions and creating new ones and then low-level format it so it erases EVERYTHING of the disk.

But please do not attempt what I have said!!! lol I do it for a living and unless you do please do not try it lol

[mudsliptones]

Originally posted by bunn100
that is all good advice but if you computer is running slowly and the problem is linked to the hard drive (which is very possible) that will not resolve your issue and you will just get it running slowly again after a while.

So that is why I mentioned low-level formatting. When you format a hard disk NONE of your data is lost what it actually does is erase the Table of contents so it does not know where to find your data.

I would suggest a complete fresh build which would include deleting any exsisting partitions and creating new ones and then low-level format it so it erases EVERYTHING of the disk.

But please do not attempt what I have said!!! lol I do it for a living and unless you do please do not try it lol

so you know allot of comps
okay, I have this problem with a comp, it has windows xp
everytime I start it it start up till the windows screen, then it just reboots, again, till the screen, reboot, endlessly
I tryed starting in safe mode, same thing
what can I try before a format?

[bunn100]

Format is not neccesary insert the windows xp CD and do a repair from that and it will be fine.

You could also do a step-by-step confirmation on boot up and see what is causing the problem then in dos you can edit the necessary file to skip what is causing the problem

But I would advise a repair from the windows xp cd if you want to know how to do a repair let me know and I will email you the instructions.

If the repair doe not work I have got a tool to test memory cos that would be my next step

[mudsliptones]

Im seeing my GF (it's her comp) in 8 days >i think, I'll let you know if it worked out, thx

[cheebacheeba]

hhhmmmmmmm, I smell geek...
j/k:cool:

[carriekinz]

WOW!:D :D :D :

Thank you all for your help...if I read computer lingo I just might know what it all means! I suppose it's fairly obvious that I SHOULD pay someone to fix it for me...we decided that we'll take it to Future Shop to be repaired when I tried to read my BF the posts you all left for me. We were both sitting here, looking stunned and totally confused!:confused:

>Mudsliptones...you are such a dear! Thanks so much for taking the time to go into such detail for me. Now if I only understood what "partition" and the rest of that jargon meant! I really appreciate your time doing that.

Anyhow...thanks everyone. Some things are better left alone when you're as computer-illiterate as I am.:rolleyes:

Carrie

[Theory]

First you insert you're operatins system cd or boot disk. Then restart in dos mode or just restart.

When prompted make it look like this

A:/format C:

All data on all non removable disk will be removed
y/n.

Put y

it will go over it

next step

A: D:

D: setup

It will walk you through the rest. Then you reinstall your video/sound/Ethernet drivers.

Then congrats. But chances are you will fuck up and wreck something. Sinse you probably look at alot of "pr0n"

I suggest just fixing it.

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp you will be prompted with a screen click "yes"

Then check mark everything and click scan.

I then suggest getting spybot.

http://download.com.com/3000-2144-10122137.html?part=104443&subj=dlpage&tag=button

Install this then click scan now. Update it to congrats fixed

:rolleyes:

[juanhacko]

Where were all you helpful guys 3 months ago?
I guess you all were out there but I couldn't get to you.
Three months ago I couldn't turn on the computer in the library--someone gave me one with a dead hard drive--somehow by reading the instructions, I managed to install a new, larger hard drive, install a modem, install more memory, and download drivers for a scanner and several other things.
If you've ever looked at my profile you notice that I am an electrician--That has nothing to do with electronics--and that I am old--I even managed to upload a photograph.
This may seem to have nothing to do with HORROR, but it did when I was doing it.
Thanks, guys, for being here.
Juan.

[cheebacheeba]

Always the condescening little shit, aren't we, theory?

[juanhacko]

Sorry, but wasn't that a bit vitrolic?