hdd wiper

[bobert1]

my laptop is very slow and i need want to wipe the hdd.
i have found this program called pargon disk wiper

its installed but im not sure if i wipe it if it will delete the OS. i dont think i could reinstall windows .

please tell me if u no of this program or any program that will not delete the OS

Thank u

 

[blackjack]

I'm don't think there is a program that can wipe the drive without touching your OS, I might be wrong but you would probably have to uninstall all your software then run a defrag or disk clean up utility once you got down to the OS. If there is one I would be interested in that program.

 

[bobert1]

hmmm well if i run the program it will delete the OS .
my laptop is xp home .i have a xp home disk and there is a serial on the bottom of the computer . if i did delete the OS could i reinstall it with the disk i have and activate with the serial under the laptop

 

[blackjack]

Yes it should work fine, before you start just check to see if your laptop has a recovery partition with it because if it does you just need to use that and it will restore your computer back to factory setting state, also have you tried running a disc clean up to see if it speeds up any, you should try a defrag and this program http://www.ccleaner.com/download/ ITS FREE
If you have to do complete install of windows, do it by running you XP disc, you run the disc and follow the instructions. make sure you have the necceary drivers to hand eg videocard, modem, sound etc and write down your ISP and mail settings so you can configue it again.

 

[bobert1]

that ccleaner is very good . it deleted 1.5 gb's . im defraging now . can u please tell me what defraging means im not quite sure . thank u

 

[blackjack]

We defrag our HDD because every time you delete a program or uninstall one it leaves clusters on your hdd, bits of fragments(old program files) that are left in empty spaces on the drive scattered everywhere, over a period of time this builds up and causes your computer to slow down, by defragmenting the HDD it gathers all the files and organizes them closer together and removes old and unwanted stuff thats been left behind.
This then reduces the time it takes your computer to run programs as its not hitting excessive crap on the way to running other more important files, I hope that makes sense.

 

[bobert1]

all makes sence now . im going though program files deleting like every program after that should i defrag aswell

 

[blackjack]

I would do, it may tell you don't need to in any case if your stripping it down to the bare minimum of programs you probably wont have too. did the defrag not work then?, are you storing big files like movies and raw pictures on the drive as this may contribute to slowness also have you got alot of programs running in the background?

 

[OTSS]

If you want to wipe hdd and reinstall windows then wouldn't a simple reformat work? It is not worth the trouble to go finding a program when all you want to do is delete everything and start over.