Question for you computer ppl

[viper_930]

I want to reinstall Windows XP Home on my laptop and start again with a fresh clean hard drive. Long story why I want to. The Windows XP Home I will be reinstalling is the same as what I already have in my laptop and same product key. If I just reinstall this, then would I be able to activate it again with the same product key? Or would it not let me because I already activated a computer with that key? TIA

 

[viper_930]

Some more info I just remembered.
The Windows XP Home CD is the one that came with my laptop when I bought it. And the product key is on the bottom of the laptop. If that makes any difference...

 

[900dublr]

It will be fine. Im pretty sure when u pop in the disk it will format your computer then it will ask for the cd key then install. Just beware that you will lost everything on your hard drive. If u need any more help post back.

 

[unleashed]

you shouldnt have any problem reinstalling the windows if it was already registered to that laptop.you basicly only need that registry to update which btw dont forget to get you windows service pk2 again and all other updates

 

[pwnag3!!]

meh svc pk 2 is caca

 

[unleashed]

it hasd its advantages and disadvantages btw did anyone else know they made a srv pk 3? they accually do I think it was meant o help take out the bugs in svc pk 2 .got a new pc and they never update these things in the store so when i did the update i found it(ps both are optional)

 

[viper_930]

Thx, I reinstalled it no problem, but all my stuff in the hard drive is still there and untouched except of the windows stuff. Like all my games, cd burner program, and everything else is still there. How do I reinstall the windows xp home so that it will automatically erase anything and everything I have on my hard drive?

 

[viper_930]

:happyfish

 

[nw2sltfsh]

there is a program called windows eraser - that is what you need. If you want to completly remove everything including all "baked in" memory you need to run that disk then load your XP again.
What you did by reinstalling is what is needed if one aspect of windows becomes corrupt and you want to fix that without losing any of your data.
Windows Eraser is well worth it if you upgrade your PC often - never ever put a PC out to trash without destroying it first there is too much personal information on your hard drive to risk it!

 

[tiggerguy]

easiest way to get rid of windows is to format hard drive.. i do not beleive there is the option on the xp disk.. but if you restart you computer to dos.. type cd:/c then type format or format c: assuming your hard drive is the c drive.. this will erase EVERYTHING on your computer and you will have to reinstall everything.. software games programs windows.. make shure this is what you want to do.. and that you realy want to take the chance because if you do you better have the other disks too.. uaualy they all on one too three seperat disk inluding video sound drivers. modem drivers.. all the way down to your usb drivers and such.. if you dont have those or are not shure.. i would NOT suggest it.. as some computers will not work without them.. EX no sound color would revert back to 16 colors.. no sounds.. unable to use modem or network card.. IE DSL.. stuff like that..
MAKE SHURE YOU HAVE EVERYTHING FIRST AS YOU CAN NOT UNDO A FORMAT
TIGGER

 

[viper_930]

Thanks, I'll look into doing the formatting first. It asked me if I wanted to format the drive before I reinstalled XP.

 

[viper_930]

Well, I reformatted the drive and reinstalled everything. The problem I wanted to fix didn't get fixed, but eh, at least I cleared up a few gigs on my HD. Thanks guys.

 

[tiggerguy]

what is the problem you need fixed???????

 

[viper_930]

Half-Life 2 and Counter-Strike: Source is really laggy and slow and certain intervals of like every 5-10 second. I heard it is something wrong with the source or HL2 engine, but they have already released a patch to fix it. Mine didn't get fixed, so I was hoping it was something on my comp that I could just clean out and maybe it will play normally.

 

[tiggerguy]

ok how much ram do you have.. and what video card do you have.....

 

[viper_930]

768 mb ram
3.1 ghz Intel P4
32 mb Geforce 5200
I know 32 mb isn't great at all, but even if I raise the game's video settings from low to normal/high, the lag doesn't get any worse.
I also just got 512 mb more ram a few weeks ago to add onto my 256 mb. Didn't change anything with the gameplay.

 

[tiggerguy]

yeah for video you want to go to 256 32 is way to low way to low and you definatly need that 756 meg ram. most likley your video card cant keep up thus the lag

 

[jennielou]

2 or three things. Can you change your Video RAM in your BIOS? Chances are that you can't, but if you can change it to 128, there is no reason to change it to 256, for that would be counter productive because CS:S/HL2 needs more than 512 of RAM to start with.
If you are having really bad lag problems I would think you may have your setting to high because the sojurce engine scales very well. Make sure you are running the game in DirectX 8 and no more than 800x600 with the settings on low and AA and AF off. Now run the Video stress test and see what FPS you get. If this number is over 50 then start raising your settings to you get to around there.
For future reference the best and easiest way to reinstall XP is to go into your BIOS and set your boot drive to the optical drive and then let the disc boot up. Windows will format your disc and reinstall all in one step. There will be a few questions for you to answer anlong the way, but they are all pretty strait forward.
you may want to try anandtech.com and go to there forums, they are one of the best for computer problems.

 

[tiggerguy]

i forgot about the optical drive.. and as for changing the bios to 256 for video no point your video should not shar your ram period.. it is always bes to have a seperat video card.. if you can afford it i would suggest getting either the new gforce 512 video or 1 gig video but 512 should do.. more than enough

 

[viper_930]

Originally posted by tiggerguy
yeah for video you want to go to 256 32 is way to low way to low and you definatly need that 756 meg ram. most likley your video card cant keep up thus the lag
I have all the video settings in the game set to low. Then if I raise all the settings to normal and some to high, the lag doesn't get any worse than it is on the low settings. Shouldn't it get worse?