n00b question. How do i reboot?

[KoolAidMan]

ok im having all kinds of driver problems so i wanna reboot everything, just start from scratch. I have no idea how to get rid of windows and start it over. Im sure its easy, what do i do. btw, i have the full install of XP.

 

[minendo]

Is your XP cd legit and bootable?

 

[Chaotic42]

Ah, ok. You mean reinstall.

Anyway, back up all of your personal files (music, pictures, emails, etc). Then boot with the Windows XP CD. Delete all of the partitions, then recreate them. Format them, then install. You can do all of that from the XP installer.

 

[KoolAidMan]

ok ill try that. i just called it reboot cuz the some guy came and did it to our old computer and he called it reboot. oh well, u knew what i meant.

 

[JetBlack69]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Ah, ok. You mean reinstall.

Anyway, back up all of your personal files (music, pictures, emails, etc). Then boot with the Windows XP CD. Delete all of the partitions, then recreate them. Format them, then install. You can do all of that from the XP installer.

bingo. You might have to go to the BIOS to change it to boot to the CD. To get to the BIOS, you might have to press the del key or one of the F1-F12 keys or something else.

 

[Budman]

You put your hand on your mouse,then you go to the bottom left of your screen,then you click on START (yes you click start to reboot) then you click shut down,then select RESTART.


This is how you Reboot windows. :gift:

 

[vaporize]

Don't be a smart ass Buttman. People don't appreciate you when you make fun of them.

 

[Budman]

Originally posted by: vaporize
Don't be a smart ass Buttman. People don't appreciate you when you make fun of them.

What's wrong with my answer vaporub?

This is exactly how you reboot.

 

[thorin]

Originally posted by: vaporize
Don't be a smart ass Buttman. People don't appreciate you when you make fun of them.

Dude perhaps you should practice what you preach.

KoolAidMan, if you're going to follow Chaotic42 advice do make sure that your CDROM is a bootable drive (before the HD) and that your CD is clean (there's not many things worse then getting part way through an install to have it complain about missing or corrupt files due to finger prints).

Thorin

 

[KoolAidMan]

ok just to be sure, my friend told me i had to reformat my harddrive beofre i do any of this. if so how do i, and if i dont have to good. I figured it would just do that during the windows install but i dont feel like risking it, id rather just prove my n00bness some more.

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: KoolAidMan
ok just to be sure, my friend told me i had to reformat my harddrive beofre i do any of this. if so how do i, and if i dont have to good. I figured it would just do that during the windows install but i dont feel like risking it, id rather just prove my n00bness some more.

You can boot from the cd and delete all partitions. Then create a new partition and install winXP.

 

[KoolAidMan]

thanks, im off to do it then. If it still doesnt work ill gonna be really mad.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Hope you've got another system to post from while you're reformatting.

- M4H

 

[Lord Evermore]

Actually wiping and reinstalling probably wasn't necessary. The Repair option wipes all drivers out while leaving all the apps and personal files alone. In most cases it should be enough to get rid of any issues caused by drivers or software that puts stuff into the system like tracking browsing and stuff.

 

[Thegonagle]

Do you think he'll be back any time soon?

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: Thegonagle
Do you think he'll be back any time soon?

nope

 

[MercenaryForHire]

He was back at 10PM, about 4 hours after leaving to format.

Successful?

- M4H

 

[peter7921]

Originally posted by: vaporize
Don't be a smart ass Buttman. People don't appreciate you when you make fun of them.

I thought it was hilarious, maybe you should lighten up. It was harmless, and it seemed it to be all for fun and not to make fun of the guy.


By the way if you are having troubles booting from the XP cd, microsoft does have a way to make bootable floppies. Be warned though it takes six floppies and it is a pain in the ass. There is always one of the six that goes bad lol.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: peter7921

Originally posted by: vaporize
Don't be a smart ass Buttman. People don't appreciate you when you make fun of them.

I thought it was hilarious, maybe you should lighten up. It was harmless, and it seemed it to be all for fun and not to make fun of the guy.


By the way if you are having troubles booting from the XP cd, microsoft does have a way to make bootable floppies. Be warned though it takes six floppies and it is a pain in the ass. There is always one of the six that goes bad lol.

Nah, it's just the new "no joking or sarcasm rule" that The Evil Anandtech Moderator just implemented.