[ComputerKid]

I want to restore my Windows XP (Home Edition, 32 bit) to it's factory settings to "start fresh" with a clean OS, because it has been a VERY slow computer for a few years now and I believe restoring it to factory settings could help. I have a Dell Dimension 2400 with a 2.4GHz intel celeron processor and 2GB of RAM, yet it runs incredibly slow. So I wish to restore it to factory settings.

I do not have a CD for it (didn't come with my computer). In the "system restore", the earliest date is still about 3-4 years after I got my computer, so this will not work. When I reboot the computer, I have tried F10, F11, and ctrl+F11, none of which worked. It either goes to the screen giving me the options of "Safe Mode", etc, or it says "Keyboard failure" then just boots my current OS (and the keyboard doesnt work).

Can anyone help me?

Thank you ahead of time,
Adam

Edited by ComputerKid, 02 July 2010 - 05:49 PM.

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As far as I can ascertain the Dell Dimension 2400 does not have a recovery partition it came with a set of recovery CD`s.
Click Start
Open My Computer
How many hard drives are shown
Even if it does not have a facility to restore to factory settings I am certain we can improve its performance for you
Please download this and post the results as a wordpad attachment.
ENSURE you delete any personal info and product keys from the attachment, you never know who is reading these threads.
http://www.belarc.co...e_download.html
In the meantime when did you last run cleanup, disk defrag and clear your browsing history.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 02 July 2010 - 06:03 PM.

[Macboatmaster]

As far as I can ascertain the Dell Dimension 2400 does not have a recovery partition it came with a set of recovery CD`s.
Click Start
Open My Computer
How many hard drives are shown
Even if it does not have a facility to restore to factory settings I am certain we can improve its performance for you
Please download this and post the results as a wordpad attachment.
ENSURE you delete any personal info and product keys from the attachment, you never know who is reading these threads.
http://www.belarc.co...e_download.html
In the meantime when did you last run cleanup, disk defrag and clear your browsing history.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 02 July 2010 - 06:03 PM.

[ComputerKid]

There is only one disk drive (Local Disk (C:)).
I ran disk cleanup about a week ago, I clear my browsing history very often, and I just ran a defrag yesterday (and a few days before that)

I have Symantec AntiVirus, and run Spybot: Search and Destroy about once a month.

Here is the Belarc Advisor Result (sorry, I can't find WordPad):


Operating System System Model
Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 3 (build 2600)
Install Language: English (United States)
System Locale: English (United States) Dell Computer Corporation Dimension 2400
System Service Tag: JZ93Q71 (support for this PC)
Chassis Serial Number: JZ93Q71
Enclosure Type: Space-saving
Processor a Main Circuit Board b
2.40 gigahertz Intel Celeron
8 kilobyte primary memory cache
128 kilobyte secondary memory cache
Not hyper-threaded Board: Dell Computer Corp. 0F5949 A01
Serial Number: ...
Bus Clock: 400 megahertz
BIOS: Dell Computer Corporation A05 12/02/2003
Drives Memory Modules c,d
76.09 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
32.38 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

HL-DT-ST CD-RW GCE-8487B [CD-ROM drive]
LITE-ON DVD SHD-16P1S [CD-ROM drive]

SAMSUNG SP0802N [Hard drive] (80.00 GB) -- drive 0, s/n S00JJ50Y589813, rev TK100-28, SMART Status: Healthy 2046 Megabytes Usable Installed Memory

Slot 'DIMM_1' has 1024 MB
Slot 'DIMM_2' has 1024 MB
Local Drive Volumes

c: (NTFS on drive 0) 76.09 GB 32.38 GB free

Network Drives
None detected
Users (mouse over user name for details) Printers
local user accounts last logon
Adam 7/2/2010 7:25:46 PM (admin)
local system accounts
Administrator never (admin)
Guest 6/29/2010 10:56:58 PM
HelpAssistant never
SUPPORT_388945a0 never


Marks a disabled account; Marks a locked account Amyuni PDF Converter 2.07 on LPT1:
Canon MP530 FAX on USB004
Canon MP530 Series Printer on USB003
Microsoft Office Document Image Writer Driver on Microsoft Document Imaging Writer Port:
Microsoft Shared Fax Driver on SHRFAX:
Microsoft XPS Document Writer on XPSPort:

Controllers Display
Standard floppy disk controller
Intel® 82801DB Ultra ATA Storage Controller - 24CB
Primary IDE Channel [Controller]
Secondary IDE Channel [Controller] Intel® 82845G/GL/GE/PE/GV Graphics Controller [Display adapter]
HP Compaq W17q [Monitor] (17.2"vis, s/n CNC815S80S, April 2008)
Bus Adapters Multimedia
Intel® 82801DB/DBM USB 2.0 Enhanced Host Controller - 24CD
Intel® 82801DB/DBM USB Universal Host Controller - 24C2
Intel® 82801DB/DBM USB Universal Host Controller - 24C4
Intel® 82801DB/DBM USB Universal Host Controller - 24C7 SoundMAX Integrated Digital Audio
Unimodem Half-Duplex Audio Device
Virus Protection [Back to Top] new Group Policies
Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition Version 10.1.5.5000
Scan Engine Version 101.1.0.75
Virus Definitions Version 7/2/2010 Rev 3
Last Disk Scan on Friday, July 02, 2010 7:27:17 PM
Realtime File Scanning On
None discovered
Communications Other Devices
Intel® 537EP V9x DF PCI Modem


Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated Controller
Dhcp Server: 192.168.1.1
Physical Address: 00:12:3F:D4:0A:F9
Compact Wireless-G USB Network Adapter with SpeedBooster
primary Auto IP Address: 192.168.1.104 / 24
Gateway: 192.168.1.1
Dhcp Server: 192.168.1.1
Physical Address: 00:1A:70:A5:3A:3C
Hamachi Network Interface
Auto IP Address: 5.166.166.73 / 8
Dhcp Server: 5.0.0.1
Physical Address: 7A:79:05:A6:A6:49

Networking Dns Server: 216.195.0.131
HID-compliant device
USB Human Interface Device (2x)
Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard
HID-compliant mouse
Linksys Network USB Root Hub
USB Composite Device
USB Root Hub (4x)

[Macboatmaster]

ComputerKid
I have signed off now 0130hrs UK time
Back about 1800hrs.
I will examine the Belarc log and post my suggestions
In the meantime
1. Click Start, All programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Cleanup, check every box and then cleanup.
2. Same but this time instead of Disk Cleanup click Disk Defrag, click Analyse (after selecting C drive if apporpriate) if it tells you it is necessary then Defrag. THIS WILL TAKE SOMETIME if you have not done it recently.
3. Open the browser and if it is IE8 Click Safety on the top right hand and then Delete Browsing History
If you have any passwords for sites that you DO NOT KNOW then do not check that box. Then delete.
That will also take sometime.
4. Go Start, Programs, Accessories System Tools, System Restore CREATE a restore point.
Then go back to disk cleanup this time click the MORE OPTIONS TAB and then click on the Delete ALL but the most recent restore point.
I will pick up your reply when I am back on.
NB Just seen the Belarc but with 43Gb of used space there must be a number of programmes and applications, please post the rest of the log.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 02 July 2010 - 06:42 PM.

[ComputerKid]

Is it possible I could contact Microsoft and they could send me a Reinstall/Factory reset CD to boot from? Or would they not do that since I didn't have a crash, but just wish to reinstall Windows on my computer?

[ComputerKid]

I just Defragged yesterday, so I should be fine there. I will complete all of your other suggestions before tomorrow, however I don't believe it will do me much good, because I have done all of these many times and they minimally effect the performance of my computer.

[rosiesdad]

You may go here http://support.dell....o...&redirect=1
if you are the original Dell owner (it will show in their records) and you may buy a Dell branded xp cd at a very reduced price. If you bought the computer second hand, from the original owner, be prepared to have said bill of sale to proceed. They will insist on a chain of paperwork to the original owner.

[Macboatmaster]

rosiesdad
Pls do not think I am saying your post is wrong, but are you certain he can do this with XP home as the computer is over 5 yrs old.
ComputerKid
You may have realised my suggestions, the standard clean up were put forward before I knew you regularly did it, mainly because I was signing off.
Try a clean boot and see if the bootup speed and general performance improve. as per link
http://support.micro....com/kb/310353/
Also pls post the rest of the Belarc, any word processor doc will send the attachment.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 03 July 2010 - 11:58 AM.

[rosiesdad]

Well, first he has to contact dell with the make/model and service tag. Dell will let them know PDQ.
I think the cost quoted to me was $6 or in that neighborhood.
A standard clean up and so on would be a good idea, but some systems get hosed up over time and a fresh install is easier than a unfamiliar user trying to dig into computer stuff.
Even after a reinstall, they have to realize there is a download of drivers, and Microsoft updates.
They better have broadband.

Edited by rosiesdad, 03 July 2010 - 12:51 PM.

[ComputerKid]

I do realize there are many drivers and things to reinstall with a restore of the hard drive, but 6 dollars isn't worth it to me. I have another computer that becomes mine at the end of august (a vista system) and so I didn't want to spend any money on this.

In the meantime, I have made this Dell System my "toy" computer that I am trying different things on, such as downloading programs I never would have before, and once the Vista computer becomes mine, I will most likely install Ubuntu or some other distro of Linux (Debian or something, I could try anything really) onto this computer since it is much faster and doesn't require an AntiVirus to slow down the computer even more so. The only reason I haven't put Linux onto this computer already (although I had done a side-by-side with XP and Ubuntu at one point) is because I can't get iTunes for it which I needed for my iPod.

rosiesdad and Macboatmaster, I greatly appreciate the help. Thank you.

ComputerKid

Edited by ComputerKid, 03 July 2010 - 07:21 PM.