PLEASE HELP! How can i delete everything and bring my computer back to factory settings?

Hi, well since I'm moving out and buying my own notebook, I would like to completely wipe everything on my dad's old Dimension 3000 Desktop and bring it back to how it was when we first bought it so he doesn't have to deal with any of my stuff on it. I called dell support and they want to charge me a fee because the warranty ran out! That is so ridiculous! Can anyone give me step by step directions how i can do this?

 

Reinstall windows

 

If you still have the restore disk the computer came with you can wipe the drive and do a complete reinstall.

 

Do you have a restore CD? (I'm not sure if your PC came from that era)

If not, you will have to format the computer to DOS using a boot disk (usually floppy) then install Windows XP (and all the drivers included on any of the CD's you have).

 

it didnt come with a restore cd, and im pretty sure i didnt get any cds with the OS on it.....

dell said i could do it without using any cds, but they would charge me if they told me how.

 

Step by step guide:

1) Backup all your important data onto a CD or DVD or an external hard drive so you can later copy it onto your new laptop

2) Place your original Windows installation disk into your computer

3) Turn on your computer, and within a few moments it should say hit a key to run Windows Installation (so hit a key) ... sometimes this doesn't happen because you need to make sure your CD drive is set to boot first in your Bios so try that if it doesn't give you the Press Any key option...

4) After loading Windows Setup, choose Install Windows

5 Next choose delete partition and delete your current installation of windows, and then format it for the new installation (quick format will do fine)

6) Just follow the rest of the instructions as windows sets up!

Hope that helps...

 

I was going to tell him that, but is the optical drive the first bootup device by default? Do dell make it like that? Because they look their BIOS don't they?

 

It depends on the Dell...these things vary but it's not that hard to get into the Bios and no dell doesn't lock their Bios. They only prevent you from accessing things like adjusting the FSB of the CPU and other very technical things that could harm your computer if you don't know what you're doing. But yeah, like I said before...if the CD doesn't boot when u start up your comp, just get into the bios (usually you press F2 or F7 or the DELETE key (not backspace) to get into it) and move the CD drive to the top of the line so that it boots first. Later after windows is completely set up, you can move CD drive back to the position it was at originally in the BIOS.

 

Ahh ok, I thought they locked it all, but the FSB and CPU only? They don't like overclocking

 

Yeah most brand name manufacturers lock those kind of things such as FSB...especially on laptops...if you like OCing u gotta build yourself a custom system from scratch (which is fun on desktops...but I've never built myself a laptop)

 

Ok i will have to look for the windows install disc. If my desktop has any sort of virus (i dont think it does) can it potentially stay when i wipe the hard drive? or will it be deleted along with everything else?

 

i have a dimension 3000 too and i couldnt find my restore dvd and i was browsing around on the support page at dell and it let me request a new dvd. i requested it on tuesday, got here today. browse the support page and if you cant find it, pm me and ill try to help you out more.

 

i am fixing it now, my comp reads only cd not dvd. Hopefully it all goes well if not ill come back here in a couple hours.

 

OK, well i was able to reformat the hard drive and get XP installed back on it, but... now i need to know how to get it back to normal. Right now i cant change the resolution of the screen or anything like that. Let me list the CD's i have but dont seem to do anything for me. Please tell me if i am missing anything.

-OS cd, XP

-Drivers and Utilities - for reinstalling V.9x (capable)/56k Telephone
Data/Fax/Voice Modem Software for Microsoft Windows

-Drives and Utilities - Dell Photo Printer 720

-Application - For Reinstalling Sonic RecordNow 7.3 LE Software

-Application - For Reinstalling Dell Tools System Software

-Dell E773cColor Monitor User Documentation

The last two cds don't seem to do anything. The dell tools system software cd just tells me i can create a system restore point (we've never used it before) and the last one doesnt tell me anything.

So i guess the first thing i would like to know is how can i get my computer to be able to let me change my resolution, right now its set at the VERY lowest possible and i do not have the option to changing it or the color bit.

 

Try checking the Drivers and Downloads section of Dell's site. Download the most current versions of any hardware you have.

 

Right now it cant go online, i have to install my modem and get comcast running again. I will check those drivers on this computer though, the computer i am trying to fix is at a different house.

Edit: Should i download every last one of those drivers?

 

Well, what you should do if you can't get to the drivers on that comp is go on the one you posted with and download all the required drivers and burn them onto a CD or as many CDs as you need.

 

i dont know alot about computers, so im not sure how to get to the drivers on my comp if it has them.

 

so on the dell support page i see there are a couple different drivers that look like they are for the same thing, how can i be sure which ones i need?