Reformat laptop and start again?

[jack brew]

My bint's laptop runs really slowly. If it was a desktop computer I'd have no qualms about re formatting and relaoding windows, but I've never done it to a laptop. She doesn't seem to have any windows cd's with it either. Can I reload windows for her?

It's a Toshiba Equium, a couple of years old now.

 

[monobrow]

Quite a few computers do not come with a windows CD, but do come with a recovery CD. That will put it back to how it left the shop including your free trial of this, that and the other. You can attempt to use the CD Key usually affixed to the bottom of the laptop to install from a standard windows CD, however sometimes it will not accept the key and you'll have to go down the recovery CD route. One disadvantage of it asking for the key halfway through installation!!

 

[MAINJAFAD]

Firstly have a look at how much space you have on the harddrive, if it's all most full, it will run slow (archive files that you don't need on to an external HDD or optical media, then delete them).

Secondly, after doing step one, Have you done any disk maintenace on it, i.e. Disk clean up and Defrag? (found in accessoires / system tools).

 

[I Look Like Kevin Costner]

Bet is got Vista on it.. Vista is crap and my laptop is slow as hell because of it.. Been like that since I got it! MainJafad had the same problem (having brought a similar model) and binned it for XP. He knows how to do it, however its having all the drivers that is the biggest problem. However try MJs disk clean up methods first!

 

[Lecciescankeeptheirdogs!]

Virus?

Virus?

Are you using any virus hunters? Avg and Malwarebytes anti malware are both on my laptop, which has vista, and it runs fine.

Also if you right click my comp, manage, continue, event viewer and have a look for any errors that might be causing the laptop trouble.

 

[Obi Wan]

Secondly, after doing step one, Have you done any disk maintenace on it, i.e. Disk clean up and Defrag? (found in accessoires / system tools).[/QUOTE]

you can use CCleaner (free download) this will sort out most of the Cr*p it also has a handy Reg Cleaner for all those little bits of progammes that always seem to get left behind when removed. best of luck

DT_Xtremez_14:

 

[MAINJAFAD]

Bet is got Vista on it.. Vista is crap and my laptop is slow as hell because of it.. Been like that since I got it! MainJafad had the same problem (having brought a similar model) and binned it for XP. He knows how to do it, however its having all the drivers that is the biggest problem. However try MJs disk clean up methods first!

Just search the net for computer forums that have threads on changing or reinstalling operating system's on the type of computer you have, and you should find information on how to do it and where to get the drivers. That's how I did an operating system change on my laptop. Also I would recommend getting a pc maintenance bootable disk like Powersuite, it costs around $100 normally, though it's being offered at half price on their website until tomorrow (18 Oct 99), as well as having a whole host of maintenance tools, it will allow you to back up the orginal build, so if the reinstall goes completely pete tong, you will be able to recover the orginal build.

 

[SirSaltyHelmet]

start > All programs > system recovery > system recovery

Microsoft XP has built in recovery system

 

[monobrow]

Just search the net for computer forums that have threads on changing or reinstalling operating system's on the type of computer you have.

You are having a giggle are you not?

I could also search the internet on how to make toast, but lets face it, it's pretty chuffing straightforward.

 

[RAF Bird]

I reset my old laptop a while ago to factory settings mate cos it was completely buggered. I just kept pressing F1 (I think may have been F11) when I switched it on. Just back up anythng you need beforehand and reinstall the rest of your software afters. Mine worked perfectly again afters.

This lot above may have given you better advice but I dont get geek speak so thought I'd give you my 20p worth!

 

[MAINJAFAD]

You are having a giggle are you not?

I could also search the internet on how to make toast, but lets face it, it's pretty chuffing straightforward.

Yes it's easy if you know what you are doing! As regards the computer fourms, they also tend to have link's to the correct driver download sites, plus info on what order the driver's have to be loaded (which is sometime's very important). Somebody somewhere has already done what Jack brew may need to do, on the machine he wishes to fix, and has deal with any problems that have come up. As for the bootable maintanace disk, it's been a godsend on dealling with a number of PC problems I've dealt with on both my own PC's and other people's (it also give you the chance of recovering any files you haven't backed up on to an external media (HDD/USB) if the operating system goes tits (which a backup windows recovery disk will not do).

 

[The Masked Geek]

Why are people so scared of laptops?

It's a fcuking PC; in a smaller box. Get on with it and stop stalling.

 

[Goatherdingsplitter]

Why are people so scared of laptops?

It's a fcuking PC; in a smaller box. Get on with it and stop stalling.

Shuuuuuush, those sort of comments could affect my incomeDT_Xtremez_30: It must be really hard to repair them, why else would they bring them to an aircraft techie more suited to using big hammers?DT_Xtremez_42: