how to completely wipe out pc

[mslina]

How to completely wipe out pc because i have viruses that i cant get rid of through safe mode and its time to start fresh and clean.
So I decided I want to do a dual boot with windows and ubuntu...problem im facing is i dont have the windows installation cd....is there another way to install windows after wiping everything out? meaning does ubuntu take that much space in case i would definitely need the cds. though i have the copy 10.04 LTS Live CD to install Ubuntu now.

Thanks for any help if you can Im new to ubuntu! :KS

[halitech]

if you don't have a windows install cd then you will not be able to wipe the system and reinstall windows. if you have a windows install key there are places you can get the ISO file from and use your key. if you don't have a key ...

I've installxubuntu on as little as 2 gigs but it had just the bare bones needed to work and have a gui

[Mr_VeRiTy]

Did you try reverting windows back to a windows restore point? doing that *should* make your computer go back to a time when it did not have viruses, then when your viruses are gone, install Ubuntu, which doesn't use as much space as windows, and will be faster. Just google "how to do a windows xp restore" Replace "xp" with whatever version of windows you are using if it ain't xp. Hope that helps.

[The Cog]

As far as I know, there is no way to reinstall windows onto a blanked drive without the installer CD.

Ubuntu needs about 10G of space (5G if you don't install too many extra apps), plus space for user files of course.

The Ubuntu installer can resize the windows partition to make space for the Ubuntu partitions, which should leave your windows installation intact (including the viruses). If you're lucky, you might be able to use an AV product in Ubuntu to clean out your windows partition after you get Ubuntu working, but I don't know what the chances of success are in that.

Sorry, but probably your best bet if you want to be sure of dual booting with a clean windows is to wipe your PC, then buy and install a copy of windows, then install Ubuntu in dual-boot.

I really don't know why people put up with buying PCs without a proper windows installer CD. MS are laughing all the way to the bank at your expense. I'm not having a pop at you - all the makers do the same thing so it's difficult to buy a computer with the installer CD, I'm having a pop at MS and the computer sellers.

[Jazzy_Jeff]

How to completely wipe out pc because i have viruses that i cant get rid of through safe mode and its time to start fresh and clean.

Thanks for any help if you can Im new to ubuntu! :KS


A shotgun comes to mind ):P. Just kidding. You will need a .iso file of Windows to install it and also the key for it. It is easier to install Windows first and then Ubuntu afterwards to do a dual boot.

[mslina]

Did you try reverting windows back to a windows restore point? doing that *should* make your computer go back to a time when it did not have viruses, then when your viruses are gone, install Ubuntu, which doesn't use as much space as windows, and will be faster. Just google "how to do a windows xp restore" Replace "xp" with whatever version of windows you are using if it ain't xp. Hope that helps.

i did a system restore im guessing windows restore is different? when i tired installing ubuntu it wanted to destroy windows completely over write it but i quit out and wanted to try another option

[halitech]

a system restore will put the system back the way it was when it left the factory. a windows restore puts things back the way they were on the date you select to restore to.

[ShakeyJake]

I really don't know why people put up with buying PCs without a proper windows installer CD. MS are laughing all the way to the bank at your expense. I'm not having a pop at you - all the makers do the same thing so it's difficult to buy a computer with the installer CD, I'm having a pop at MS and the computer sellers.

Every Windows pc I've been involved in buying (I'm guessing we're all the resident pc go-to guy for our friends) has come with a Windows CD, I thought they had to?

<mmm - not here>

[kpatz]

Every Windows pc I've been involved in buying (I'm guessing we're all the resident pc go-to guy for our friends) has come with a Windows CD, I thought they had to?Most/all large OEMs haven't included a Windows CD in years (which I don't understand, the Windows license should include a CD). They don't even include "recovery media" anymore; you have to use a utility to burn your own, preferably it's the first thing you do after you unbox the computer.

What kind of computer/how old is it? It may have a recovery partition on it that you can access by hitting a certain key when you boot up. Google the make/model of your computer and download a user guide, it should tell you how to do this. This will restore your computer to its out-of-the-box state without using any media, assuming the recovery partition is intact.

Otherwise, you'll have to grab a Windows ISO and a valid key (there should be one on the COA sticker on the PC).

[djinnkeeper]

When you install Ubuntu, there is a step that asks you how you want to partition the drives. The basic (guided) mode gives you the most common choices, one if which is to use free space to install Ubuntu, alongside your existing OS. That is what you want, considering you have enough space.

[pricetech]

OP: <snip> but using these would violate Microsoft's EULA.

The process you're describing is also a violation of the EULA. Like it or don't, you have to have matching key and media in order to be in line with the EULA.

OP: Contact the manufacturer and DEMAND media. It may not do any good, but then again it might. Either way, chalk it up as a learning experience and never buy a computer without media again.

[ShakeyJake]

The process you're describing is also a violation of the EULA. Like it or don't, you have to have matching key and media in order to be in line with the EULA.

Really? You learn something new everyday I guess. My apologies, guys.

[mslina]

When you install Ubuntu, there is a step that asks you how you want to partition the drives. The basic (guided) mode gives you the most common choices, one if which is to use free space to install Ubuntu, alongside your existing OS. That is what you want, considering you have enough space.

when prompted with that it said it would have to over write entire windows to make room for ubuntu i think im going to use ubuntu live cd to resize the windows as small as i can

install the ubuntu so i can do a virus scan but i still want to do the wipe down :(

[mslina]

The process you're describing is also a violation of the EULA. Like it or don't, you have to have matching key and media in order to be in line with the EULA.

OP: Contact the manufacturer and DEMAND media. It may not do any good, but then again it might. Either way, chalk it up as a learning experience and never buy a computer without media again.

I did the have the media at one point this Pc is from 05 i was young keeping the media around wasnt important than! im doing this to help parents as they need a computer i have 2 laptops ... so please help

[fslezak]

Get the LiveCD and follow these steps.

1. Open GParted and dedicate 5 Gigs to Ubuntu with ext3.
2. Then: Quit GParted
3. Install Ubuntu and at the partition setup,
4. Click Manual and select the 5 gigs for Ubuntu. Mount it as "/", and FORMAT IT!
5. Continue Install.

Now you have Ubuntu. Boot to Ubuntu and go to the Software Center, and install ClamTK. Then, scan the Windows partition. It should remove the viruses. Then, go back to the LiveCD, back to GParted, and resize Ubuntu.

Reboot to whatever, and NO WIPING REQUIRED!

[Jesus_Valdez]

Pretty sure you can do the virus check from the Live CD, a couple of days ago I saw a nice lady doing that on a video on Youtube.

Boot into the liveCD, install the antivirus, wait for the install/update and check the windows partition for virus.

After that just reboot normaly and hopefully the Virus would be gone.

After that if you still want to install Ubuntu, do a defragmentation from windows, just to be sure that you would don't have problems installing ubuntu.

[pricetech]

I did the have the media at one point this Pc is from 05 i was young keeping the media around wasnt important than! im doing this to help parents as they need a computer i have 2 laptops ... so please help

Then contact the manufacturer and ASK POLITELY for replacement media. Be honest and admit you lost it. Most reputable manufacturers will send you the media, though they might charge you shipping.

If you mentioned the brand I missed it. What brand computer is it ??

[halitech]

add Lenovo to the list on NON-reputable manufactors then. I just called them to ask for media for a friends system that had lost their media and the system had crashed. They wanted $45.00 (CND) to ship me a replacement dvd (Vista Business 32bit) even though I had the COA on the side of the computer. Thankfully I was able to find an iso and burned my own copy.

[RetchingRabbit]

The process you're describing is also a violation of the EULA. Like it or don't, you have to have matching key and media in order to be in line with the EULA.



Not so. I have on many occasions used the same disk to install XP on several machines (all with a COA) and just called M/S to authenticate. They have no issue with that, as long as you have a valid license for the machine in question. Matching key and media is not a requirement, provided you are willing to call them up and whimper....
;)

[jtarin]

I live where I can get all the pirated Windows I want for free....and I'm using Open Source....go figure.