I've been asked to fix someone's laptop for them, since it's so full of adware and useless crap that it's practically dead. They've backed up everything, so my original intention was to format it and reinstall XP along with ZoneAlarm, AVG, Firefox and Office 2003. However, I don't have the XP disc because it didn't come with the laptop for some reason, so I can't reinstall the OS. Is there some way I can wipe everything on the system without having to reinstall XP? The reg is probably full of shite so just going through add/remove programs, disk cleanup, defrag etc may not be enough.
Thanks
Tech question - Formatting a HD except for the OS?
Moderator: Thanas
No. Formatting is an all-or-nothing affair, and since it's the OS that's been infected, leaving it untouched would leave the adware crap untouched too.
IIRC you can use any XP CD to install as long as you still use your unique key; if you have the product key, can't you use your own XP CD or borrow one from a friend?
IIRC you can use any XP CD to install as long as you still use your unique key; if you have the product key, can't you use your own XP CD or borrow one from a friend?
To add to that, you also have to use the same version of XP. Don't go mixing a home product key with a pro disk. Also, if you call up the vendor, (I assume it's the likes of Dell, Gateway, or IBM) then they should be able to send an install cd. Sometimes it takes a little haggling and a "can I talk to your manager, please," but it's your right (or your friends right to be more precise) to have that physical cd.
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