Computer idiot needs help!!!

[Mr Longbowman]

As everybody knows Kingdoms is coming out in not a to long time ( i hope).
So here i am trying to get money to a new computer, but they arent any money. So i am trying to keep my computer running a little whiele longer at least.

So i thought i could try to restart the computer uninstall everything and so forth, think its called reboot.

But iom not sure how to do it.

So here i am hoping somebody will tell me something that could help me in this struggle between me and my computer that always breaks when i dont need it to break

[mrmouth]

Plenty of online guides on how to reformat/reinstall.

Im guessing your running windows XP so here is the first link I came across, looks good.

http://www.cyberwalker.com/topic.php?id=45

[Simetrical]

It's probably much more trouble than it's worth to reinstall Windows if you aren't having actual problems.

[Mr Longbowman]

The one with the money ( dad ) wants me to try it before he spends a whole lot of money on a new one

Jones

It seems like you need a account on that webpages to read that

[Simetrical]

The one with the money ( dad ) wants me to try it before he spends a whole lot of money on a new one

It won't help your performance much if at all, so if you're upgrading for performance, there's no reason to reinstall Windows first. Windows 9x would be sped up quite a bit if you reinstalled it every year or so, but that's no longer true in XP as far as I know.

[Mr Longbowman]

It won't help your performance much if at all, so if you're upgrading for performance, there's no reason to reinstall Windows first. Windows 9x would be sped up quite a bit if you reinstalled it every year or so, but that's no longer true in XP as far as I know.

Say that to my dad

[spartan_phalanx]

Your first steps are to back-up everything that you want to keep (personal files, photos ect.). Then you should take note of all the programs that you want to add after you "REFORMAT" your drive. If you have downloaded programs/installs then those should be backed up as well.

Have you done this?

[Shaun]

And what exactly are your 'problems'? Really, there is no point in re-installing Windows unless you are having certain problems.

[Freddie]

I always reinstall Windows at least once a year even if I not having any problems, working with windows after a reformat and a fresh install is like putting a freshly ironed shirt for the first time. A reformat and a new installation gets rid of a lot of rubbish that's been installed on your hard drive that you haven't used for months, it gets rid of all the Spyware and Adware that’s accumulated because you haven't run SpyBot Search and Destroy for a month and your hard disk is perfectly defragged.

However I wouldn’t recommend that any who calls himself a computer idiot to reformat the hard disk, but if you must read the guide that Barney put up and follow this checklist before you do anything!

1)Do you have Windows XP/Vista/ install disc?
2) Have you backed up everything that you need to keep (your Dad’s office files for example, any saved games files that you wish to keep)?
3) Is there someone you can turn to if there is a problem?

What concerns is that you whilst you seem bright enough and keen enough don’t seem to be that experienced. The only real problem I can see is dealing with the Esata hard disk problem (Windows XP doesn’t recognise these types hard disks until you install a driver before the windows setup starts), if your you computer is 3 or 4 years old it most likely running IDE hard disks which makes life a lot simpler as you can just pop in the windows disk and reformat, and then reinstall Windows.

[Mr Longbowman]

I have a windows xp disc and i think ( i hope ) i have everything backed up but i dont know anybody i can turn to if something goes weird

And that guide barnaby put up it seem you have to have an account to get in