I freaking hate Windows XP! Help me format, please.

[Casper]

Is it squished yet?

Originally Posted by woodstock_rocks

wanna keep windows xp happy?

use good quality hardware, DON'T click on ANY pop-ups from the internet. They trick you, and try and use windows looking boxes, then you clikc cancel, and by clicking cancel, you've just installed 400,000 different spyware and virus programs.

Alot of people bash windows xp, because they don't know computers. I could give you about 500 examples of clients i've had, that stuff up their windows xp, complain that it's too slow, and when i get there, they have hotbar installed, multiple viruses, and spyware coming out of their heads. They wonder why it's slow when there's 80 processes running in the background at startup ..

seriously, learn how to use computers, and then bash windows xp. atleast then ytou'll carry some merit.

Anyway, with regards to formatting, it's easy. Make sure you have a bootable cdrom drive, and a bootable version of the windows xp disk.

Then, start the computer, go into the BIOS by hitting DEL as the computer starts up, change the boot device to the cd-rom drive, reboot, chuck the cdrom in, and it should boot into an easy step by step installation guide to re-install windows.

Just remember to use NTFS for windows xp..

Amen to that! Also don't use Norton if you want a fast computer. Sometimes Norton can make the computer slower than a virus. Use AVG Free instead or if you want to pay, NOD32. Both use little resources.

Make sure your firewall is properly setup, and you have a Spyware solution from Spybot and Adaware. Beware of false imitation which actually introduce spyware.

A lot of file-sharing programs also have a lot of spyware included. I only use Limewire, and the Azureus Bittorrent client.

[Mr Cube]

Originally Posted by Woz

That goal is not made any easier to reach by the fact that I wish to pack my computer up nice and neatly in its box, carefully place it in the boot of my car and drive it to my work, placing it gently on the depot floor and then have a 40 foot shipping container dropped on it from above.

Do you work or have aspirations to work on Brainiac???

[Uncle_Ken]

Originally Posted by Casper

Do this..... and make sure you video it.. I'd love to see that!!! :

Ok. Just for you Casper..



Uncle_Ken:evil_laug

[42.57lb]

Buy a mac, you'll never look back.

[Casper]

Originally Posted by Uncle_Ken

Ok. Just for you Casper..



Uncle_Ken:evil_laug

hahahhhaa.. classic!

[the_scotsman]

Originally Posted by big_pete

how do i get this boot disk to work?

ive just been given a second hand computer, that i want to reformat,
how do i get this boot disk to work, i tried it and it said disk error???

Just stick the floppy in the drive, make sure your BIOS is set to boot from the floppy drive first, then let it boot to DOS from the floppy.
From here you can format.
As I said before, if the hard drive is NTFS, you'll need to wipe the partition first with FDISK which will aslo be on the floppy.

[big_pete]

Originally Posted by the_scotsman

Just stick the floppy in the drive, make sure your BIOS is set to boot from the floppy drive first, then let it boot to DOS from the floppy.
From here you can format.
As I said before, if the hard drive is NTFS, you'll need to wipe the partition first with FDISK which will aslo be on the floppy.

hmmm, i did exactly that, but it didnt work, the file system is Fat32.
ill give it another crack, there might be a problem with the floppy...

[Matty_XR6]

Don`t go back to WIN 98.. microsoft are not supporting it anymore its like having WIN 95...

[klawsterfobik]

Originally Posted by vztrt

How many times I have to fix people's computers who run XP, or any Microsoft OS system. It's easy to have a reliable computer, format every six months, reduces the amount of crashes.

care to weigh up the amount of users of XP, or any Microsoft OS system compared to the others out there?

XP is simple to use and has a massive market share because of it. And is pretty much the OS of choice for any system bought from a shop. And being so, any person, no matter how technologically switched on they are, is going to be using XP. Hence why you'll be fixing XP machines, rather than having a 45 year old bloke coming in asking you to fix his Linux distro because he cant get the network config right.

[JAJH]

Originally Posted by Woz

Oh yeah, and system restore is crap and won't work. My ALT, CTRL, DELETE has been disabled also.

I stand by my previous statement, XP is pox. And I'm not using Linux because I'm not spending money on something that s-h-one-t's me as much as this computer.

Why don't you list the types of problems you are having and we just might be able to help, rather than telling how much you hate XP?

[BlueRaven]

Originally Posted by klawsterfobik

care to weigh up the amount of users of XP, or any Microsoft OS system compared to the others out there?

XP is simple to use and has a massive market share because of it. And is pretty much the OS of choice for any system bought from a shop. And being so, any person, no matter how technologically switched on they are, is going to be using XP. Hence why you'll be fixing XP machines, rather than having a 45 year old bloke coming in asking you to fix his Linux distro because he cant get the network config right.

Do you believe everything your told?

[Kieron]

What does that have to do with his essentially correct statement though Raven?

[klawsterfobik]

so BlueRaven, what am i being mislead on?

[megsy]

hmmmm still got a copy of win 95....

as has been said before dont attack win XP home or pro until you know what your on about, ive had my laptop for just on 2 years now without a reformat, i have NOD32 antivirus running at all times and run adaware about once a month as well as having a working copy of zonealarm properly set up and i have had NO problems at current i have 38 processes running that includes 5 just to run my multifunction which i hardly ever use anyway. now thats not bad for a 2 yo 1500 mhz 256 k ram laptop huh?

[RED_EL_XR8]

Just for those of you that forgot this thread was posted as a request on how to complete a task on a computer. It was not the green light for a grab bag of flawed , ill informed, misguided and at times plain wrong assertions about your own favoured operating system.

Got a preference then be happy with it, want to evangelise the merits of your preferred code, then go tell it to your teapot, there is nothing new to see here.. move along now.

Overclockers etc will cater for just this kind of go nowhere argument on pretty much a 24hr basis.

[Woz]

Originally Posted by RED_EL_XR8

Just for those of you that forgot this thread was posted as a request on how to complete a task on a computer. It was not the green light for a grab bag of flawed , ill informed, misguided and at times plain wrong assertions about your own favoured operating system.

Got a preference then be happy with it, want to evangelise the merits of your preferred code, then go tell it to your teapot, there is nothing new to see here.. move along now.

Overclockers etc will cater for just this kind of go nowhere argument on pretty much a 24hr basis.

Thanks, Red. I gave up worrying about this thread as it pretty much became an attack on my preference for Windows 98.

I dislike Windows XP greatly. People commenting on my lack of knowledge and whatnot aren't going to change that. I hate XP, plain and simple. And I don't want it on my machine.

If no one wishes to help answer my question, don't reply to it. It's not difficult.

[RED_EL_XR8]

Originally Posted by Woz

Thanks, Red. I gave up worrying about this thread as it pretty much became an attack on my preference for Windows 98.

I dislike Windows XP greatly. People commenting on my lack of knowledge and whatnot aren't going to change that. I hate XP, plain and simple. And I don't want it on my machine.

If no one wishes to help answer my question, don't reply to it. It's not difficult.

It is preference and each has plusses and minuses, I despise XP too, many task that were straighforward in W2K require considerably more effort in XP. But that is for my specific requirement. For others XP may be a godsend, some may even like the dubious XP firewall.

The only warning I would give is keep the OS and the hardware from the same time period. W98 may have issues on the very latest hardware, as will running XP on many PIII's. We still do not know what hardware platform you have?

[Woz]

Originally Posted by RED_EL_XR8

The only warning I would give is keep the OS and the hardware from the same time period. W98 may have issues on the very latest hardware, as will running XP on many PIII's. We still do not know what hardware platform you have?

Yeah, the PC in question doesn't really have the grunt to run too much over the top. Warcraft III was about the hardest pushing piece of hardware it had to face. The computer only really gets used for Ford Forums, music, photoshopping Landau's for design plans and smut. Not a whole lot else.

[MO]

Woz...I loved w 3.11 it was so easy to use but progress is inevitable and unfortunately they never look back only forward with new progs...if they used their brains they'd make all progs interactive.

You still have'nt listed your probs...forget the hijackers get to the point sport!!!!

[Woz]

1.) Internet Explorer windows are constantly closing down on me, then reopening at will minutes later.
2.) Task Manager (ALT-CTRL-DELETE) and other various "administrator rights" have been disabled.
3.) I have more popups and toolbars installed than I have smut downloaded. None of which I can get rid of.

The first two being the major problems.

I also don't like the XP layout. Some of it is alright, but for the most part I dislike it as opposed to Win98.

[davocol]

Surfing the net for porn will do that to your pc, as mentioned you can make xp look and feel like 98. There is no need to go back to 98 if you want the feel, my above offer still stands also.

Originally Posted by Woz

1.) Internet Explorer windows are constantly closing down on me, then reopening at will minutes later.
2.) Task Manager (ALT-CTRL-DELETE) and other various "administrator rights" have been disabled.
3.) I have more popups and toolbars installed than I have smut downloaded. None of which I can get rid of.

The first two being the major problems.

I also don't like the XP layout. Some of it is alright, but for the most part I dislike it as opposed to Win98.

[JAJH]

Originally Posted by Woz

1.) Internet Explorer windows are constantly closing down on me, then reopening at will minutes later.
2.) Task Manager (ALT-CTRL-DELETE) and other various "administrator rights" have been disabled.
3.) I have more popups and toolbars installed than I have smut downloaded. None of which I can get rid of.

The first two being the major problems.

I also don't like the XP layout. Some of it is alright, but for the most part I dislike it as opposed to Win98.

Sounds like you a bunch of spyware, cookies, trojans and other nasties that have installed themselves on your machine. I don't know what you do to protect your PC, but 2 or 3 good anti spyware, firewall and a decent antivirus should sort out a lot of the problems.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Woz

1.) Internet Explorer windows are constantly closing down on me, then reopening at will minutes later.
I also don't like the XP layout. Some of it is alright, but for the most part I dislike it as opposed to Win98.

Aha! 1# is the biggest problem. Throw Internet Exploder out and use Mozilla, the same goes for Outlook. get rid of them and most of your problems will go with them.
Win98 was called that because it is meant to run 1998 systems!! thats about 7 lifetimes ago!
Sheet, even an old phart like me can use (and like) Win XP

[GasoLane]

Nice one Uncle, but I think this is more like Casper had in mind

[max^power]

Spyware or a Trojan. Some can get passed programs like Adaware, Microsoft AntiSpyware and Spybot.

Use Hijackthis, and either PM me the report or post it here for all to see, it should be obvious to those of us that know what we're looking for.

[XplosiveR6]

Originally Posted by Woz

Thanks, Red. I gave up worrying about this thread as it pretty much became an attack on my preference for Windows 98.

I dislike Windows XP greatly. People commenting on my lack of knowledge and whatnot aren't going to change that. I hate XP, plain and simple. And I don't want it on my machine.

If no one wishes to help answer my question, don't reply to it. It's not difficult.

instead of being stubborn, how about take note of what people are telling you, we are actually trying to help you

1. WinXP can be changed to look like older syle windows
2. WinXP and 2000 are the only versions of windows that are being currently supported by microsoft and 3rd party applications and drivers, so you are going to run into lots of problems with your current software.
3. The problems that are occuring on your system are not a problem with windows XP (not directly anyway) they would be viruses, spyware etc. after a clean install you should have a spyware checker, virus scanner and firewall protecting your system from these sorts of attacks. previous windows are even more prone to these attacks so this will only get worse with win98.

most of us are not trying to attack on your prefference, we are trying to sort out your problems that you are experiancing because downgrading to win98 will certainly not help your problems as you have explained them.

[Woz]

Originally Posted by EF_Dave

instead of being stubborn, how about take note of what people are telling you, we are actually trying to help you

1. WinXP can be changed to look like older syle windows
2. WinXP and 2000 are the only versions of windows that are being currently supported by microsoft and 3rd party applications and drivers, so you are going to run into lots of problems with your current software.
3. The problems that are occuring on your system are not a problem with windows XP (not directly anyway) they would be viruses, spyware etc. after a clean install you should have a spyware checker, virus scanner and firewall protecting your system from these sorts of attacks. previous windows are even more prone to these attacks so this will only get worse with win98.

most of us are not trying to attack on your prefference, we are trying to sort out your problems that you are experiancing because downgrading to win98 will certainly not help your problems as you have explained them.

I mentioned earlier that there's not really any program I use that would require Win XP.

I know what I like and that is Win98. The second computer we have in our house runs Win98 and we don't have any dramas with it. Not one. I intentionally use Win98 and Office 97, they are my choices. Old school Windows Media Player 2, where it was just the small little basic player, before all the skins and massive layouts and all the extra crap where thrown in.

I run all these one on of our two computers and experience no difficulties at all. I have stated several times previously that I do not, I repeat NOT, want Windows XP as it is my personal preference and fair enough too.

I never asked for anyone's opinion on what was the best operating system or reasons why I was wrong to badmouth XP. I don't believe that I will have more dramas going back to Win98 as I already have that setup on one computer and with the programs I use, running capabilities just aren't an issue.

What I did ask for was some assistance in formatting my harddrive and so far the majority of people have tried to give me their reasons why I shouldn't.

Yes, I appreciate that some people have tried to help here, but there's been few who have actually offered the assistance that I requested.

It's not a case of me being stubborn, it's me knowing what I want.

[MO]

Originally Posted by Woz

I mentioned earlier that there's not really any program I use that would require Win XP.

I know what I like and that is Win98. The second computer we have in our house runs Win98 and we don't have any dramas with it. Not one. I intentionally use Win98 and Office 97, they are my choices. Old school Windows Media Player 2, where it was just the small little basic player, before all the skins and massive layouts and all the extra crap where thrown in.

I run all these one on of our two computers and experience no difficulties at all. I have stated several times previously that I do not, I repeat NOT, want Windows XP as it is my personal preference and fair enough too.

I never asked for anyone's opinion on what was the best operating system or reasons why I was wrong to badmouth XP. I don't believe that I will have more dramas going back to Win98 as I already have that setup on one computer and with the programs I use, running capabilities just aren't an issue.

What I did ask for was some assistance in formatting my harddrive and so far the majority of people have tried to give me their reasons why I shouldn't.

Yes, I appreciate that some people have tried to help here, but there's been few who have actually offered the assistance that I requested.

It's not a case of me being stubborn, it's me knowing what I want.

Stick to your guns WOZ,I know where you're coming from....eventually someone will give you the answer....as I said before I loved win3.11...however have gone with the flow.

[8pAc]

I fix windows xp boxes allday among other things and its a decent OS its just dodgey users that cause problems.