Jump to content

Welcome to Geeks to Go - Register now for FREE

Need help with your computer or device? Want to learn new tech skills? You're in the right place!
Geeks to Go is a friendly community of tech experts who can solve any problem you have. Just create a free account and post your question. Our volunteers will reply quickly and guide you through the steps. Don't let tech troubles stop you. Join Geeks to Go now and get the support you need!

How it Works Create Account
Photo

Reset XP to factory settings without CD


  • Please log in to reply

#1
7625965

7625965

    Member

  • Member
  • PipPip
  • 36 posts
Hi, is it possible to reset XP to factory settings if I don't have the CD (bought the PC 5 years ago with XP Pro installed)? Thank you.
  • 1

Advertisements


#2
deggitt

deggitt

    Member

  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 272 posts
Hi, as it came with XP preinstalled there could be a recovery partition or an option to make recovery disk/disks.

What is the make & model of your computer?
  • 0

#3
rockmilk

rockmilk

    Certified monkey.

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,773 posts
Hello see my post here http://www.geekstogo..._1#entry1914851 the cd that I requested the user to make also allows you to reset to factory settings.
  • 0

#4
7625965

7625965

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPip
  • 36 posts
Hi deggitt, thank you for reply.
Attached image of Everest summary of this machine. Please check. Thank you.
System.jpg
  • 0

#5
123Runner

123Runner

    Member 4k

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 4,526 posts
That info does us no good for what we need right now.
What we are looking for is if the computer is a laptop or desktop?
Is it a Dell, HP, Compaq, home built?

We need to know if it has a recovery partition on it.

If you are trying to restore it to factory have you backed up all of the data such as pictures, music, emails, etc.
  • 0

#6
7625965

7625965

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPip
  • 36 posts
It is home built desktop.
Yes, I backed up all the data I need.
  • 0

#7
SRX660

SRX660

    motto - Just get-er-done

  • Technician
  • 4,345 posts
You might try this.

http://www.informati...cleID=189400897

SRX660
  • 0

#8
7625965

7625965

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPip
  • 36 posts
After reading few lines of the article I've found this : "Start your PC with the setup CD in a drive, and hit a key when you see the following screen" etc. This is not what I am looking for. Thanks anyway.
  • 0

#9
SpywareDr

SpywareDr

    Member 3k

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,996 posts
If all of the following are true:

  • You do not have a XP CD
  • Your computer does not have a recovery partition
  • Your computer does not have an option to make recovery disc(s)
Then NO, it is NOT possible to restore XP to its original factory settings.



If your computer still has the XP Product ID sticker on it, you could borrow a XP CD.
  • 0

#10
123Runner

123Runner

    Member 4k

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 4,526 posts
Being that it is a homebuilt computer there will be no recovery partition on it.
There is also no way to build backup recovery CD's.

There is only 1 way that you can do this, and that requires a complete reinstall of the OS using the original XP cd that you used 5 years ago.
If you know what the license number is, then you can borrow a XP cd. But you must use the key from your original.

Is there a particular reason you want to do this?
Are you having any issues?
We might be able to straighten the computer out and then you could clone the drive or get an image of the drive you could use in the future.
  • 0

Advertisements


#11
deggitt

deggitt

    Member

  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 272 posts
spywaredr/123runner :D in a nutshell
  • 0

#12
rshaffer61

rshaffer61

    Moderator

  • Moderator
  • 34,114 posts

Being that it is a home built computer .

If you have no cd then can I ask how did the OS get on the system to begin with?
You had to install it and if you have no sticker on the system then where did the reg key come from?
  • 0

#13
7625965

7625965

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPip
  • 36 posts
Under "homebuilt" I ment that it doesn't have any recognizable name on it. I bought it second hand 5 years ago. There is no stickers on it.
  • 0

#14
7625965

7625965

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPip
  • 36 posts
I actualy want to learn how to use it as a server, as I mainly use a laptop as my main machine. But this desktop runs slow and stacks often, so I thought that the reset of OS would be the best solution, but now I see that it is not an option. I would appreciate if you help me to improve its performances as much as possible. I don't have any useful data on ot, so it is a fare game now. Thanks.
  • 0

#15
rshaffer61

rshaffer61

    Moderator

  • Moderator
  • 34,114 posts
Some of the things I noticed is one you have only 512 megs of memory of which 32 megs is being shared with your video.
This leaves 480 megs of total memory which your OS is at minimum using 256 megs of which leaves only 224 megs for everything else.
Hardly enough to even run the system at that point. Suggest increasing your memory to 1 gig minimum.
Go to HERE and run the Crucial online scanner.
This will give you the exact memory configuration for your system.
You do not have to buy the memory from there, but write down the information and if you need assistance in purchasing the upgrade memory GTG can assist with suggestions also.

Please provide the following so we can look at the rest of the system

Download Autoruns from the link in my signature below:

1: Extract the Autoruns Zip file contents to a folder.
2: Double-click the "Autoruns.exe".
3: Click on the "Everything" tab
4: Remove any entries that mention "File Not Found" by right-clicking the entry and select Delete.
5: Go to File then to Export As or Save in some versions.
6: Save AutoRuns.txt file to known location like your Desktop.
7: Attach to your next reply.








Go to Start then to Run
Type in compmgmt.msc and click Enter
On left side click on Disk Management
On right side you will see you hard drive.
Now I need you to take a screenshot and attach it to your next reply. Do the following to take a screenshot while the above is open and showing on your desktop.

To do a screenshot please have click on your Print Screen on your keyboard. It is normally the key above your number pad between the F12 key and the Scroll Lock key
Now go to Start and then to All Programs
Scroll to Accessories and then click on Paint
In the Empty White Area click and hold the CTRL key and then click the V
Go to the File option at the top and click on Save as
Save as file type JPEG and save it to your Desktop


Attach it to your next reply
  • 0






Similar Topics

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users

As Featured On:

Microsoft Yahoo BBC MSN PC Magazine Washington Post HP