Completely re-installing a computer
Did your computer come with Restore or Recovery DVD or CD disks? You would use those to reformat the drive and restore / re-install your machine. These will put your machine back to the state you purchased it, with the operating system and accessory programs that the manufacturer installed.
WARNING – this will destroy all of your data, pictures, music, emails, contacts, user accounts, saved passwords, and any software you installed. BACK UP ALL YOUR DATA FIRST! If you don’t know how to, then get some support before proceeding. Your software programs will have to be re-installed from their original disks or installers, with serial numbers if required.
If your machine did not come with restore disks, then the restore data is probably on a hidden partition on the hard drive. Try hitting F2 or F1 or F8 or F10 or F12 or the zero key repeatedly at boot time, before the Windows screen comes on (depending on the brand and model of your machine). Read your owner’s manual or contact the manufacturer for the correct key and instructions.
Your machine may have given you the option to create a set of restore disks when you first set it up. If your machine is operational you may still be able to create them if the information is still on the hard drive. Acer Dell HP Win 7 HP Vista Lenovo Lenovo Win7 Sony
The correct key will take you to the Advanced Boot Options, then an option to go into Repair and run the System Recovery Options or Factory Image Restore or whatever the manufacturer chooses to call it.
- Acer instructions (Alt-F10) http://support.acer.com/acerpanam/desktop/0000/Acer/AspireE360/AspireE360faq67.shtml
- Dell instructions (usually F8) http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kcs/document?c=ca&cs=cadhs1&l=en&s=dhs&docid=DSN_336966&isLegacy=true
- Dell Backup and Recovery Manager User Guide
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/SOFTWARE/DBRM/ - HP Instructions (usually F11) http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c00814731&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en
- Lenovo instructions (usually F11) http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/detail.page?LegacyDocID=MIGR-4UFUYK
- Toshiba instructions (usually F8 or zero) http://web1.toshiba.ca/support/isg/tsb/en/view.asp?docid=TSB001549
Erasing and reinstalling Windows without the factory programs: if you don’t have factory restore disks or a recovery partition, you can use a Windows disk to reformat and install, but it will be a stock Windows install, not the factory install with the original programs and drivers.
Format and install Windows XP http://lifehacker.com/software/windows/geek-to-live-how-to-format-your-hard-drive-and-install-windows-xp-from-scratch-157578.php
Format and install Windows 7 from DVD: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html
If you have lost the restore disks or deleted the restore partition, contact the manufacturer, you can often buy a replacement set for $20 – $50, or you could purchase a retail copy of Windows and reformat the drive from scratch. PCMagazine article on getting recovery disks
Do this First:
Before doing any of these operations, it is a good idea to go to the machine or motherboard manufacturer’s website and download the latest drivers for the machine. Also do this for your make and model of video card and any other installed options. Copy these driver installer files to a USB memory stick so you can reinstall them on the machine after restoring.
Also keep in mind that you will need to reinstall the anti-virus and security software ASAP. Having an up to date anti-virus program installer on your USB stick is a good idea,so you can install it before plugging the computer into the Net.
Windows will also need a boatload of service packs and critical updates. Be prepared for several hours of downloading and updating with Windows Update. Do not skip these updating steps, they are essential to keep your machine safe from malware by patching vulnerabilities in the operating system and software.
Restore to a Restore Point means something different:
If you are talking about taking it back with System Restore to an earlier Restore Point, then the instructions are different. A Restore Point will undo system changes and upgrades, registry changes and software installations back to that date, but it doesn’t delete data – nor does it recover data that has been deleted.
Rolling back to a restore point is unlikely to get you all the way back to factory default but it is a good tool for getting a machine working if a software install or Windows update has failed and made a machine unstable. You would choose a previous System Restore point from a date you know the machine worked
Go back to an earlier Restore Point:
XP: support.microsoft.com/kb/306084/
Vista: windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/What-are-the-system-recovery-options-in-Windows-Vista
Windows 7: windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/system-restore