How do i totally erase memory of old lap top and start over?

Question

want to totally erase memory of del latitude and start as new, is this possible

Answer 1

Hi Seamus

I think that what you are really wanting to do is to erase information from your hard drive not memory.

All you need to do is to format your hard drive and then install your operating system and drivers and programs again.

If you have xp just make sure that your bios is set to boot from your cd drive  first then put your cd in the drive and reboot   select format drive and follow instructions.

If you have a floppy boot disk set your bios to boot from floppy first and boot from  the floppy then fdisk and then format.

If you have a maxtor or seagate  hard drive  get maxblast 4 from their web site and use that it will let you  partition and format the drive  for any other make of hard drive get the diagnostic disk from the  manufacturers web site

Answer 2

Reformat it.

Answer 3

I think you mean the disk rather than the memory.

You have to format the disk, maybe partiton it and install from a CD with a complete version of the operating system.

You will need all the driver disks.

Answer 4

Your memory is 'erased' each time you power down the computer. If you want to start over (format your hard  drive) you just need to re-install Windows with your installation/recovery disc.

Answer 5

This is very very easy to do, but its one of those things that you SHOULD NOT do by yourself the first time.

put the windows cd in, restart computer

press any key when it asks you to, wait for it to load up

get to the 'partition screen' and follow onscreen Basic instructions to delete all partitions, press the button that it tells you to make a new one, and press enter.

it installs itself

once windows is fully installed you will need Drivers, you get these from the discs that came with your computer, or on the internet IF YOU KNOW what your looking for.

Do not do this without someone to teach you first.

after that, a monkey can do it.

Answer 6

Yes, quite simply, format the hard drive. If you're installing Linux you won't have to bother, the installer will give you the option to do that.

If you're putting windows over windows, it would be handy if you got hold of Knoppix or UBCD and boot from that to format the Hard drive. Then You'll be all clean and ready to go.

Personally, I'd be more inclined to repair rather than reinstall if it's XP or Vista.