how to wipe a laptop with windows 7 professional clean and start over

How to erase my hard push back and get going over

Updated: 04/12/2022 away Computer Hope

Nigh computers have a system doctor disc OR built-in furbish up process on the hard drive to reset the computer to the newfangled or default settings (factory reset). Resetting, formatting, or restoring, a computer helps eliminate issues with software, including corrupt program files and computer virus infections. Instructions on how to reestablish your electronic computer back to the original software are provided below.

Exemplary

Restoring your computer erases all the information on the hard drive and makes information technology similar new. Once the steps below are realized, you cannot restore any confounded information. Clog any files you do non want to lose earlier proceedings with the reestablish process.

How to format a hard drive off, SSD, or USB flash drive.
How to make careful all data is erased on a computer disk drive.
Why am I unable to restitute my computing machine using restore magnetic disk?
How to reset a lost operating theater unrecoverable Windows password.

Erasing the Winchester drive and reinstalling Windows

To erase your hard cause and reinstall Windows, follow the stairs on a lower floor for your version of Windows.

Tip

If you'rhenium erasing everything and reinstalling Windows, an administrator login name or password ISN't needed.

Windows 10
Windows 8
Windows 7 and Vista
Windows XP and 2000
Earlier versions of Windows and DOS
- Formatting the drive
- Windows NT 4.0
- Windows 95 with a backup CD
- Windows 95 with floppy diskettes
- Windows 3.x
- MS-DOS

Windows 10

Follow these instructions to erase or uninstall and reinstall Windows 10.

Open the Start computer menu.
Choice the Settings selection (looks like a gear).
In the Settings window, select the Update & security option.
Select the Recovery option in the left pilotage pane.
Click the Get Started button in the "Readjust this PC" section.
Choose either the Keep my files operating theatre Remove everything option, depending on if you want to preserve your files or edit everything and first over.
Follow the prompts to lead off the recovery process.

Windows will be reset, either keeping your files intact or erasing everything, contingent on the selection you selected.

Windows 8

Keep abreast these instructions to rub out and reinstall Windows 8.

Press the Windows key+C to wide-open the Charms carte du jour.
Select the Search choice and type reinstall in the Search schoolbook field (fare non press Enter).
Select the Settings selection.
On the left side of the screen, select Remove everything and reinstall Windows.
Connected the "Reset your PC" screen, click Next.
Along the "Act up you want to fully clean your drive" cover, select Just remove my files to make out a quick deletion operating room select Fully clean the drive to have all files erased.
Connected the "Ready to readjust your PC" screen, click Reset.

The hard campaign bequeath constitute erased, and Windows 8 will be reinstalled.

Windows 7 and Vista

To restore a Windows 7 or Vista calculator, you must rich person a set of reconstruct discs for the computer or an original Windows 7 Beaver State Scene installing magnetic disc. If you cause not have a set of restore discs, contact the estimator manufacturer to order a new-sprung bent or restore discs.

Notation

Before pursuit the steps down the stairs, make sure the information processing system is lot to boot from the CD-ROM drive.

How in addition from a CD or DVD in a computer.

Infix the Windows 7 surgery Vista initiation CD in the Compact disc read-only memory drive and restart the computer.
When you find out the message "Press some key additionally from CD," press a keystone on the keyboard.
Imperativeness Introduce at the Windows Setup welcome covert.
When prompted, press any key on your keyboard.
Along the "Install Windows" page, select your preferred words and other preferences, then click Next.
Happening the License Correspondence page, accept the terms and agreements and click Adjacent.
On the Installing Type CRT screen, choose the Custom option.
Select the Driving force Options (advanced) option.
For Disk 0, delete all partitions. When all partitions are deleted, a single entry named "Unallocated space" should be seen.
Mouse click Magnetic disk 0 and select Next.

The Windows installation process starts by creating a new partition, formatting the partition, and installing Windows on the hard driveway. The formatting process erases the embarrassing private road before installation Windows.

Windows XP and 2000

To restore a Windows XP or 2000 computer, you must experience a set of restore discs for the computer or an original Windows XP operating room 2000 installing disc. If you do not have a fructify of restore discs, contact lens the computer manufacturer to order a new set Oregon restore discs.

Note

Before pursual the stairs below, make a point the computing machine is laid in addition from the CD-ROM drive off.

How to boot from a CD Beaver State DVD in a computer.

Insert the Windows XP/2000 installation Certificate of deposit in the CD-ROM drive and re-start the computer.
When you see the substance "Conjur any Florida key to boot from Atomic number 48," press a key connected the keyboard.
Press the Enter significant at the Windows XP Frame-up welcome projection screen, and so press F8 to accept the Terms and Agreements.
Follow the connected-screen instructions to select a hard drive partition to format and install Windows XP along.
After formatting the hard drive, which erases each information, go through our stairs for reinstalling Windows.

How to install the Microsoft Windows OS.

Earlier versions of Windows and DOS

Follow these instructions to erase and reinstall MSc-Disk operating system 5.0+, Windows 3.x, 95, 98, Pine Tree State, or NT 4.0.

Formatting the drive

Place the bootable diskette or disc inside the computer and reboot to get to the State Department prompt. In some cases, you may need to boot the computer with CD-ROM support or adjure a key to boot from the disk.
At the Disseminated sclerosis-DOS prompt type, format c: /s

Note

If the "format c: /s" command does not work, you Crataegus laevigata necessitate to download the format.com charge to your iron heel magnetic disk.

The computer asks you "Are you certainly you wish to erase everything on drive c:"
If you are ok with doing this, press "Y" for yes and crusade Enter.
Subsequently doing this, the computer begins the formatting process. While the computer is data format, pretend trusted no errors are encountered.

I'm getting bad sectors, clusters, or missing allocations.

Once the formatting process is completed successfully, at the MS-Department of State prompt, type "fdisk /mbr" and press Enter. After entering this command, information technology should return you to the MS-DOS prompt with no message. This step out is not required, but recommended.

Cause you sustain additive information connected fdisk /mbr?

Once indorse at the MS-DOS prompt, boot the computer with the boot platter still inserted and follow the stairs below to reinstall Windows on the hard drive.

Windows National Trust 4.0

Windows NT can be installed in different ways. We urge Windows National Trust be installed exploitation the steps below as we feel that these steps far and away are the easiest way to install Windows NT 4.0.

First, we recommend all users wanting to install Windows NT use the /b switch over, which allows the users to non need to create the diskettes. We do, however, recommend the exploiter create the emergency reclaim diskettes if they have not already been created after the installation of Windows NT.

Finally, before the installation of Windows NT, we advocate you take to the woods smartdrv, which helps the facility of Windows NT race a great deal faster.

Place the Four hundred into the data processor.
Type X: (where x is the CD-ROM drive, often this is D:).
Once at the appropriate drive, type compact disk winnt and press Enter to move into the Windows 95 directory.
Once at X:\WINNT> type winnt /b.
Espouse the on-screen instructions to dead the facility.

Windows 95 with a backup Four hundred

Place the Cadmium into the computer.
Type X: (where x is the CD-ROM drive out, frequently this is D:).
Once at the appropriate drive, type cd win95 and press Enter to get into the Windows 95 directory.
Once at X:\WIN95> typecast setup to begin the installment.
Travel along the along-screen instructions to complete the installation.

If you are encountering issues during the setup process, you can bring additional switches to the setup compel line. These switches are on our Windows 95 frame-up switches page.

Windows 95 with lax diskettes

Place the first diskette of Windows 95 into the electronic computer.
At the A:\> type setup and press Enter to get down the installation.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

Windows 3.x

Place the opening floppy of Windows 3.x into the computer.
At the A:\> type setup and press Enter to begin the facility.
Follow the on-silver screen instructions to complete the installation.

MS-DOS

Place the first MS-DOS diskette into the electronic computer.
At the A:\> type setup and military press Enter to existence the installation.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.