Discover how to reinstall Windows without an installation disc.
If your computer came with Windows preloaded, you won't have an installation disc. Instead you restore your computer to the state it was in when it left the factory. Unfortunatley this means you get all that pre-installed software you may or may not want.
Check with your manufacturer for full instructions, but if your computer doesn't have a recovery disc you can pop into the the drive, you'll need to look for an option to access recovery options as soon as you start your PC (located in the Bios screens using an "F" key like F10). Press this key and you will be given the option of restoring Windows using a drive image stored on a small partition on your hard drive. If your given the choice pick the destructive option that formats your hard drive and doesn't preserve any exsisting data (you should have already backed this up separately - make sure you have doent his first!).
After your PC is restored and you've completed post-set-up wizard, you'll be returned to your desktop. You won't need to install any drivers now (although updates will almost certainly be avaiable), but you may have to remove any software that was pre-installed by the manufacturer you don't want, including any trial versions of security software. One program that may help you here is PC Decrapifier. Next time we will discuss how to make a rescue disc for both the 32 & 64 bit versions of Windows 7. This will help people who have upgraded to Windows 7 or have a PC that Windows 7 was not factory installed.
If your computer came with Windows preloaded, you won't have an installation disc. Instead you restore your computer to the state it was in when it left the factory. Unfortunatley this means you get all that pre-installed software you may or may not want.
Check with your manufacturer for full instructions, but if your computer doesn't have a recovery disc you can pop into the the drive, you'll need to look for an option to access recovery options as soon as you start your PC (located in the Bios screens using an "F" key like F10). Press this key and you will be given the option of restoring Windows using a drive image stored on a small partition on your hard drive. If your given the choice pick the destructive option that formats your hard drive and doesn't preserve any exsisting data (you should have already backed this up separately - make sure you have doent his first!).
After your PC is restored and you've completed post-set-up wizard, you'll be returned to your desktop. You won't need to install any drivers now (although updates will almost certainly be avaiable), but you may have to remove any software that was pre-installed by the manufacturer you don't want, including any trial versions of security software. One program that may help you here is PC Decrapifier. Next time we will discuss how to make a rescue disc for both the 32 & 64 bit versions of Windows 7. This will help people who have upgraded to Windows 7 or have a PC that Windows 7 was not factory installed.