9 replies to this topic

[victimized]

My cousin keeps asking me how to completely uninstall a computer, the way it was from the factory. Can anyone please tell me how to do so? It is a HP Windows XP laptop.

[Maniac]

You can find more information here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341
http://www.windowsxp...sreinstall.com/

[novabortion]

victimized, on May 14 2009, 06:10 AM, said:

My cousin keeps asking me how to completely uninstall a computer, the way it was from the factory. Can anyone please tell me how to do so? It is a HP Windows XP laptop.

Most newer hp's have a recovery partion on the hard drive. If that laptop has it then hit f11 while booting up and that takes you to hps factory restore options. If not you need the hp recovery disc because it has all the drivers and apps for that laptop. Let me know if that helps.

[Maniac]

Ahh, ok. In that case, maybe this will help you: HP Notebook PCs - Repairing or Reinstalling The Operating System

[victimized]

novabortion, on May 14 2009, 10:34 AM, said:

Most newer hp's have a recovery partion on the hard drive. If that laptop has it then hit f11 while booting up and that takes you to hps factory restore options. If not you need the hp recovery disc because it has all the drivers and apps for that laptop. Let me know if that helps.

So first, will i need the recovery cd? Second, does doing this uninstall without having to uninstall internet explorer 7 and windows updates and windows service pack 2 first?

[exile360]

The problem is, it isn't really an "uninstall". What you're actually doing is formatting the hard drive which wipes out every bit of data on it, including files, updates, service packs, software, the registry EVERYTHING and then reinstalling Windows (and whatever else came preinstalled on the machine when it came from the manufacturer). If the system has a recovery partition (the F11 method mentioned above) then you won't need a recovery disc, but if it doesn't, then you will need the recovery disc(s) to be able to format and reinstall Windows.

[victimized]

Ok, thanks everyone, got it. Since my computer is old it has F11 as that boot setting, the laptop is about three years old, so am sure i could use F11 method.

[victimized]

exile360, on May 14 2009, 09:28 PM, said:

The problem is, it isn't really an "uninstall". What you're actually doing is formatting the hard drive which wipes out every bit of data on it, including files, updates, service packs, software, the registry EVERYTHING and then reinstalling Windows (and whatever else came preinstalled on the machine when it came from the manufacturer). If the system has a recovery partition (the F11 method mentioned above) then you won't need a recovery disc, but if it doesn't, then you will need the recovery disc(s) to be able to format and reinstall Windows.

So if i do F11 method, I don't have to put any cd's to do it, it does it automanically by what i click and makes it the way it was when you install it, when you open it up from the facotry. Is this so?

[AdvancedSetup]

If it's built-in and it's not been damaged, yes. Typically there are two methods of restore. Destructive and Non Destructive.

Destructive will FORMAT the drive and restore it back to the way it was when you first bought it exactly. EVERYTHING that you ever put on it will be gone.

Non Destructive will not remove your data but will attempt to reinstall Windows to a working condition. May or may not work out as well as you need or want.

[victimized]

AdvancedSetup, on May 16 2009, 10:10 PM, said:

If it's built-in and it's not been damaged, yes. Typically there are two methods of restore. Destructive and Non Destructive.

Destructive will FORMAT the drive and restore it back to the way it was when you first bought it exactly. EVERYTHING that you ever put on it will be gone.

Non Destructive will not remove your data but will attempt to reinstall Windows to a working condition. May or may not work out as well as you need or want.

Ok thanks and thanks everyone else.