My gilfriend's laptop is messed up. It runs really slow and crashes all the time. I have al of her orginal cd roms. So I was planning on rebooting and starting fresh. How do I do this? Would this solve her problems?
Course it helps. Windows accumulates crap over time, how much depends on which Windows is in question, how much you mess with it and how wisely you do it. If the computer hasn't been set up well initially, it pays to make the fresh start.
Formatting: I'd burn a bootable Linux install CD, boot from it, and use fdisk to format the disk fast and thorough. I'm not sure if Windows can schedule the hard disk to be formatted at next boot time - that would be good as well. Then install from the original disks.
Install the latest Service Pack, antivirus and firewall, and do this *before* you are online. Once you are online, start IE and head to Windows Update. Update at least all security updates. Windows Update is the only thing you should use IE for: after doing the upgrade, use only Firefox/Opera/etc, never ever IE. Don't install piles of shareware and different programs if you don't need them - the system is more reliable if you just install what you're going to use. Don't install anything that is supposed to tweak the UI.
My Windows 2000 machine is about as reliable as my 10.3. It's mostly just a matter of having done enough mistakes, and having seen others do them, that you know to avoid them.
I agree. My XP machine is very reliable. I have come to know how to maintain it, but I admit that someone who was new to computers could easily find themselves in trouble with all the stuff that can build=up.
People give Windows a hard time, but it isn't the worst thing in the world IMHO.
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Formatting: I'd burn a bootable Linux install CD, boot from it, and use fdisk to format the disk fast and thorough. I'm not sure if Windows can schedule the hard disk to be formatted at next boot time - that would be good as well. Then install from the original disks.
Install the latest Service Pack, antivirus and firewall, and do this *before* you are online. Once you are online, start IE and head to Windows Update. Update at least all security updates. Windows Update is the only thing you should use IE for: after doing the upgrade, use only Firefox/Opera/etc, never ever IE. Don't install piles of shareware and different programs if you don't need them - the system is more reliable if you just install what you're going to use. Don't install anything that is supposed to tweak the UI.
My Windows 2000 machine is about as reliable as my 10.3. It's mostly just a matter of having done enough mistakes, and having seen others do them, that you know to avoid them.
People give Windows a hard time, but it isn't the worst thing in the world IMHO.