Making an older computer new Options

[Maccabee]

I am currently on a desktop running xp(my favorite os) and it used to be somebody elses and I had a few questions.

1. How can I remove programs properly without leaving regisrty files and junk which eventually slow it down.

2. How can I change the full computer name.

It was music box but i changed it to CohenComputer. But music box keeps coming up all over the place. More about that will be explained in a minute.

3. When I go to documents it doesnt show the My videos My music and My pictures buttons.
When open the folder ARCHIVE_THIS_PC I see them with their little icons. I tried to just copy and paste them to my documents which worked but then whne I open the start menu the shortcuts to the right changed from My Music and My Pictures to Cohen's Music and Cohen's Pictures and I cant click them! ANd when I right click them and click properties it says the location is blahblah\Music Box\documents\Archive this pc\my pictures or whatever. Weird I know!

So if I oculd have resolutions for those that would be great or if I could find a way to pretty much reset my computer or format it but keep the os. Cause I dont have an xp disc.

[queen]

- reformatt (some computers give you this option without the need for the startup/OS disks i.e. - dell, HP)
- uninstall useless crap
- use a registry cleaner program
- defrag
- chkdsk

[Maccabee]

How can I reformat and whats a good registry cleaner? How about cccleaner?

[queen]

the next time you restart the computer, press & hold key F11 when it's starting up. that should go to whatever recovery program you have on the computer. if nothing happens, you might not have it and would need startup disks and/or the OS cd. however, even if you do manage to access the recovery program, it might still require startup disks. maybe you'd like to ask the former owner of the computer if he has any of these disks.

i haven't presonally used ccleaner, but i know some people who do. i've used system mechanic before, and i was happy with it. i don't know if it really matters what registry cleaner you use. you should look through other forums though, to avoid deletion of files you might actually need.

[Maccabee]

Ok so if no discs are needed I will be able to reformat it which would do what?
Delete and restart everything and it would load as if it were its first time?

[queen]

^ yah. it would restore to factory settings, meaning how the computer would've been if it were just shipped from the factory.

if you don't see a change in performance after all the steps above, it might be a hardware problem ;o

[heyo-captain-jac...]

If it doesn't work, explain exactly what's happening. I should be able to figure something out.

[Maccabee]

After the reformatting?
I never said it had a performance problem. its very fast.
It has xp, 1.5Gb ram, 80gb hard drive 2ghz proccessor.

If it doesn't work, explain exactly what's happening. I should be able to figure something out.

If WHAT doesnt work.

[heyo-captain-jac...]

The reformatting. If it doesn't speed anything up, explain it.

[queen]

oic. sorry, i just assumed that was the main reason you wanted to get rid of things on the computer.

[Maccabee]

I havent reformatted it. It has alot of expensive programs on it so I dont want to reformat it. And I havent backed it up.

oic. sorry, i just assumed that was the main reason you wanted to get rid of things on the computer.

Well I want to make it run like its new but not get rid of the files and some programs.
Is there anyway to put a program on a flash drive and put it on another computer and it work?

- reformatt (some computers give you this option without the need for the startup/OS disks i.e. - dell, HP)
- uninstall useless crap
- use a registry cleaner program
- defrag
- chkdsk

I put that into cmd and it started and said it was in read only mode. When it finished it said. Errors found. Can not continue in read only mode. How can i turn off read only mode or whatever?

Reason for edit: Please don't triple post. If you have something to add to your post, click "Edit". If you continue to triple post you will be warned. Thanks.

[Nudzacysie]

How about you back up the "important stuff" on a external hard drive or pen drive and then format it from the control panel which will leave it like a new computer and just put some of the old stuff back on there if you need help finding programs im sure i could help find them for you.

[Maccabee]

How about you back up the "important stuff" on a external hard drive or pen drive and then format it from the control panel which will leave it like a new computer and just put some of the old stuff back on there if you need help finding programs im sure i could help find them for you.

How can you format it from control panel and if i format it, will it get rid of windows? or just all the programs and files and make it was when it was first bought.
Edit: Thomas i entered chkdsk c: /f in cmd and it says "Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Would you like to schedule this volume to be
checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)" If i enter Y it will run at startup right? Is it the same thing if i go to computer right click C:>tools>disk error check>and select both boxes?

[Nudzacysie]

I think it will delete everything basicly swiping everything off. I dont know the full way to do it but this should work. Sorry if it ain't any help.

[Maccabee]

The only problem with that is that I cant format C: without removing windows. And i dont have the cd to reinstall it.

[Nudzacysie]

Or you could always get a cracked version.......

[dispn0ygonekrazy]

never delete anything without running a uninstall program that came with the program, usually uninstall your shit in control panel like shit you dont need.
you can also do a registry cleaner which will clean up unused stuff in your registry.
RUN a virus scan, adware scan, and defrag your hdd. and also give me your specs on your pc. and if you want, I got a lot of links to installation cd's with bypasses and workarounds PM me for those.

[Uronacid]

Aside from upgrading your hardware, if you don't want to reformat your computer the only thing you can really do is.

• Remove unused programs from the PC
• Defragment the HDD
• Run a ChkDsk
• Run a malware scan (use Windows Defender)
• Check the startup programs and make sure that there are no unessesary processes comming up on startup.

You should be able to extract your CD-KEY from your Windows XP:
installation using the following program:
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html

Contact, dispn0ygonekrazy and get an ISO for a windows XP cd.

It's not illegal to burn an Windows XP CD, however it is illegal to steal someones product key. Burn a copy of XP using CDBURNERXP:
http://cdburnerxp.se/