Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Have older computer (runs XP), looking to wipe it clean like to when it was new.

analog · 12-08-2006, 04:04 AM

So basically the title says it all.

I have a new computer, and I have the older computer sitting collecting dust.

I'd like to take the old computer, which has nothing wrong with it, and set it up with my entertainment unit to play music and such (i'll be installing a vid card with a TV-out so I can use it to show video as well).

My question is, how the hell can I wipe the slate clean, reset the entire hard drive back to like when it was new... i've deleted most things I can figure out aren't system things, i've uninstalled all programs that aren't system programs (but am willing and able to reinstall if needed), but there are always going to be a lot of things on there that are just stuck, not to mention the registry is likely full of stuff it hasn't needed in eons. I just want to clean the whole thing out, get everything but the OS out of there.

I obviously don't have install disks, because it's XP that came on the computer... is there a function to have the computer delete everything but it's original operating system?

And don't say I should format and put linux or something on it, that's just not going to happen.

Thanks for any help with this.

12-08-2006, 04:04 AM	#1 (permalink)
analog Banned	Have older computer (runs XP), looking to wipe it clean like to when it was new. So basically the title says it all. I have a new computer, and I have the older computer sitting collecting dust. I'd like to take the old computer, which has nothing wrong with it, and set it up with my entertainment unit to play music and such (i'll be installing a vid card with a TV-out so I can use it to show video as well). My question is, how the hell can I wipe the slate clean, reset the entire hard drive back to like when it was new... i've deleted most things I can figure out aren't system things, i've uninstalled all programs that aren't system programs (but am willing and able to reinstall if needed), but there are always going to be a lot of things on there that are just stuck, not to mention the registry is likely full of stuff it hasn't needed in eons. I just want to clean the whole thing out, get everything but the OS out of there. I obviously don't have install disks, because it's XP that came on the computer... is there a function to have the computer delete everything but it's original operating system? And don't say I should format and put linux or something on it, that's just not going to happen. Thanks for any help with this.