Wiping Out Everything on Dell XPS 8100 Desktop

Okay made the mistake of just clicking it and extracting it but nothing came up until i click the run as administrator.


Now the internet works.


This is amazing. It has taken me over 10 years to finally figure out how to wipe a computer fully clean properly. I recalled back then when i used windows xp and then later on 7 and never knew how to do this. It always had that old folder and always felt slow.


Im going to download the drivers and do the rest of the things tomorrow. Really tired from this whole thing. I can't believe i finally learned how to do this after all these years.


I will also be doing this with my asus laptop as well very soon since i got my new sager laptop and want to wipe the asus one clean as well.


Oh yea because i did this without the cd, that means there isn't any bloatware then right?


Thanks a lot greg!

What do you mean "download the drivers?" Why would you do that on a driver-complete OS?

Start now to Check for Updates to install all Important and Optional Updates. When it requests restart, immediately afterward go back to Check for updates again until there are not any more offered. Only then should you import any drivers still missing in the Device Manager.

If you will do this and the other suggestions in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 then you will achieve and maintain a perfect install for as long as you do.

Hey. Well remember when i said i was going to download like 30-40 of those drivers earlier as in audio, video etc and you said all i needed was the ethernet? So that was why i said this b/c i thought i would download it all at once. But yes i get what you mean now. Thanks!

OK pupster, get some sleep and do all your Updates tomorrow while you set up your desktop.

One more time: You will get and keep a perfect install better than all others IF you stick with the steps, tools and methods in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.

Once it's set up and running perfectly, save a backup image so you never have to reinstall again, just apply the image in 20 minutes instead.

Okay so im doing the rest of this.

Is using panda antivirus fine? I always used ME but i read panda is actually better.

The only program that i have at startup is Panda Antivirus. Previously it was panda and adobe but i made it only panda.

I did the windows update and downloaded 163 files that were recommended. There was actually 164 when i looked through it and one of them is called windows malicious software removal tool. I didn't install that one bc i recalled a while back, i thought i had read this isn't good. Am i suppose to download this one? The instrucitons say download all recommended updates. Just want to make sure.

14. To copy your files into the new install, open the storage folder, open each User folder (Documents, Pictures, etc.), from the Organize tab Select All, then drag the group to the corresponding folder on Explorer bar at left. Wait until the bar stops unfolding and hypertext confirms the copy location before releasing the left click. Do not copy over hidden AppData folders from User Accounts as these are a corruption path.

A simple free method is here to Sync, Backup and Store your Files to the Cloud with Onedrive - Windows 7 Help Forums
If you're using a separate data partition copy your User folders to it, then rightclick each to link it to the related Library - Include a Folder - Windows 7 Forums. Keep the empty C User folder in each library so you can easily see if something lands there and simply drag it to the linked User folder.
● The User Favorites folder will populate IE Bookmarks. Import another browser's Bookmarks from HTML file backed up previously. Copy Quickbooks and other Program data into it's default folder location.
15. Activation at Control Panel>System may require a robocall to MS the first time to record your hardware signature in their servers. It will always work as long as you install the correct version and input the key accurately.

16. On my installs users are most impressed by the spectacular beauty of the collected national editions' 120 Windows 7 Backgrounds slideshow. Download the folder from http://1drv.ms/1shAWUu. Type Personalize in Start search box, choose Windows 7 Aero Theme, from Slide Show link Browse to Pictures Location, Select folder, Select All as a 30 minute slideshow, Save Changes.


I dont have any files to back up so i skip 14 and 15. For step 16, im a bit confused but is this just for the looks of it and not necessary? I was bit confused with this. I always used windows CLASSIC because i read its faster than windows aeros... that is true right?


If i have panda antivirus, do i still need to download malwarebytes and superantispyware? I know with ME, you would need it but since panda is antivius, is this necessary?


I see the mention of a defragged. This desktop is a 500gb 7200rpm. So defragging is fine but never ever defrag an ssd i see you posted. My asus laptop i had defragged it quite a bit last year b/c i didnt know you weren't suppose to defrag it. I defragged it quite a bit but stopped.

Yes, I like Panda free AV which is effective and lightweight so won't interfere with performance. Make sure to always agree if it wants to block a threat.

You want all Windows Updates except Bing. Malicious Software Removal Tool is an important Security Update.

Windows Classic is not better performing than Aero. There is no sense in cutting out Aero. If you really want a nice look then download the Win7 Backgrounds collection and set it as a Desktop Slideshow. You can add any of your own pictures into the folder too, but they won't be as high resolution as the Windows Backgrounds.

There is no reason to run the Malware, Spyware, CCleaner and Defrag more than every few months, unless it finds a lot of infection, over 1gb of files to cleanup, and is always badly fragmented. I run these about quarterly.

For chronic infection you can consider buying Malwarebytes Real Time Protection which ends repeat infection for everyone who tries it that I've helped. But with Panda you probably won't need it because it is very aggressive and will block almost any threat the MB does.

Hey. Okay will download the malicious software removing tool, just want to make sure

Yea windows doesn't look good. I dont like the look but i had read that its faster than aeros a while back in another forum so thats why i stick to it.

Actually when i defrag, i did it few times a week. I even use ME at least few times a week as well.


19. Finally, save a Windows 7 Backup image to external or another internal HD so you never have to reinstall again - just do a System Image Recovery to the HD or it's replacement from booted DVD/Repair CD and the stored image.


You mentioned about this earlier so i wont have to reinstall ever again. Im a bit confused here. So i have to save the backup image to another hard drive that isn't the one currently on this dell desktop.... so it has to be either another hard drive im not using or a cd? Could i do this and save it to my 3.0 usb flash drive? What im confused is, isn't this going to take a lot of gb and aren't most cd/dvd very few gb only? I havent used a cd/dvd to burn movies or songs in a very long time but i recalled the cd/dvd were max 2gb or even 700mb unless im mistaken? And my 3.0 usb flash drive only has about 7gb left.


So im very confused about this part.


At the moment, i have 441gb free out of 465gb total. But i still have to download programs and also the windows malicious tool so im bit confused b/c wouldnt this take a lot of gb?

Rightclick the desktop to Personalize, choose an Aero (Win7) theme, click on Desktop Backgrounds to browse to the collection download in tutorial, set it as a Random Slideshow every 30.

It's best to save the backup image to an external or another hard drive in the PC. If you have neither then until you get one you can shrink C by the amount of the size of your Install shown in C drive Properties, plus a cushion of 3-5 gb: Partition or Volume - Shrink

Then create a partition there labeled Backup image: Partition or Volume - Create New

Then make sure you have all your Updates done, all drivers installed in Device Manager, all Programs installed and settings the way you want.

When ready run CCleaner "Run Cleaner" button and then from the Registry tab "Check for Issues" and "Fix Issues."

Next run Puran Defrag Boot Time Defrag with Full Disk Check (several hours) after enabling Intelligent Optimizer on the Additional Operations tab.

After this you should be ready to save your image. Type Backup in Start Search box, Open Backup Start Search box, open Backup Center, from link in top left Create a Backup Image, choose the partition you created and save the image. You don't need to make a Repair disk because you can use your installation stick for repairs and for System Image Recovery

Hey thanks for that information.


I will soon want to also wipe my old asus laptop. Its the one that i been using but its loaded with a lot of bloatware. Took a look at startup and tons of things that are checked but in general this laptop has has lot of issues. It also has the windows installation cd as well.


So for this laptop, would i just do the same thing to it as with the dell xps 8100? Its the same windows 7 home premium 64 bit. The only difference is this laptop is asus and not dell and also it has a 250gb ssd as oppose to a hard drive.


Actually... now that you mention about this, i have another hard drive... its the 320gb 7200 rpm hard drive in my asus laptop. I had someone take the hard drive out and put the ssd into it. Would that mean i could use that old asus hard drive for a backup? The thing is the hard drive wasnt wiped clean and thus its pretty slow and lagged quite a bit. But if i were to do this, i would have to put this hard drive inside the xps 8100 thus i would have to open it up? I had heard you could put 2 hard drives in a computer. Is this true? So if i do the copying into that hard drive, would it stay inside the xps 8100 or would i just put it in, then take it out after its done?

Also you mention once i do the copy of it, i won't ever have to do it again. Does that mean i would be able to use this copy to any of my computers? Not only the dell xps 8100 but i could use it with my asus laptop as well or even another laptop?


So basically this make a copy image, its basically going to allow me to reinstall windows very fast as oppose to taking 1 plus hours then right?