How do I reformat and reinstall Windows?

It needs to be said that if your computer has a virus, then likely any backups you have will have them too, and after you do all the hard work of getting rid of everything and reinstalling everything, you will *still* have the virus.

You want to make absolutely sure that your backups are clean of all viruses, trojans, keyloggers, spyware, and anything else you can think of *before* you start this arduous process.

When this is completed how do you get all the updates needed? There must be hundreds and is there a specfic order to install them?

Make sure you're behind a router or some other kind of firewall, connect to the internet, and simply visit Windows Update, repeatedly, taking all the updates offered each time until it says you're up to date.

20-Oct-2009

Great job with the screenshots Leo. Answering TommyZ's question: After the Windows version is reinstalled, XP SP2 or higher will prompt you to start downloading updates and they come down in the order that is needed--sometimes immediately prompting for XP SP3 for example. And don't forget the hardware drivers! Some folks use a driver backup tool before reformatting, but on Dell PCs the process is much easier, either through the Driver CD included with the PC or by downloading drivers by inputting the Dell Service Tag at support.dell.com. Hope that helps!
Ralph

If you need your key prior to doing the above, all you have to do is download and run Belarc Advisor, and it gives you all of your licenses and all programs, updates, etc. But if you have more than one OS on a disc (as I do), then you need to run it on both partitions.

how can i repair if bios corrupt

the instructions are helpful , this is the first time i read some thing interesting on Leo, i am excited

i never formatting laptop before and these articles really helpful. but it seems formatting the XP version is quite complicated..

Dear Leo,
I am having a PC Intel 3.00 GHz, 1 MB RAM, 40 GB + 120 GB harddisks, 512 MB Nivida AGP Card. Whenevr I install Windows XP SP2 (Genuine) I do have any problems. But when I update it automaticlaly to Windows XP SP3 and Internet explorer 8, my PC goes very slow. What could be wrong? Should I have to keep XP SP2 as it is or should I have to update it every often through automatic update option including with critical security updates?

Dear Leo,

I have been trying to install Windows Vista on my Intel 3.00 GHz, 1 MB RAM PC, but I was getting an error while installing it. Is my PC compatible for the said installation. Why that does not work on Pentium IV PC while other OS works?

Can't help without knowing the error message.

24-Oct-2009

Yes, great info, but how, how, how do you reformat Windows 95????

It's been years since I've had to, but it's the same basic process as XP, only using the Windows 95 installation media.

28-Oct-2009

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