How do you uninstall EVERYTHING?

**Samwich** · 12-23-2003, 05:16 PM

My computer is totally, completely, and absolutely fucked.

Essentially, I have very little on it that is actually important. What I do have that is important is backed up on floppy. I want to scratch EVERYTHING and start over.

How do I uninstall Windows Me, along with all of its applications and everything I have downloaded, and all files etc on my computer?

I did a google search, and it told me to go to add/remove programs and just remove Windows. However, I guess I didn't click the uninstall option when i was setting it up, because there was no option to uninstall windows. Is there a way to do it from C:?

Also, once I have done it, is it easy to reinstall Windows? I have the disks that came with it.

And (last question, i promise), once i have reinstalled windows, can anyone recommend a good free firewall download?

Thanks.

**Viva** · 12-23-2003, 05:21 PM

Bring up a comand line and type: format C:

That ought to get rid of that pesky Windows for ya.

**Owens Never Sleeps** · 12-23-2003, 05:22 PM

First -get yourself a copy of something besides ME. ME is a complete hunk of shit. Get yourself a copy of 2000 or XP. They are both stable.

Second - boot from the CD of your new operating system. It will give you the option of re-formating your drive when you do it. -- Reformat the drive, install the Operating system, do your system updates (service packs) and you are good to go...

**Clack** · 12-23-2003, 05:35 PM

And so Sandwich reached the milestone in a young man's life when too many porn sites have rendered his computer useless.

**Samwich** · 12-23-2003, 05:38 PM

Originally posted by monster dump.
And so Sandwich reached the milestone in a young man's life when too many porn sites have rendered his computer useless.

heh... actually, it was Kazaa that fucked me up.

Yeah, it was porn downloads from Kazaa, but it wasn't porn sites.

**Clack** · 12-23-2003, 05:41 PM

I thought we already told you, kazaa lite k++ and a good shot of some antispyware and antivirus. Download porn like you know what you're doing.

**Samwich** · 12-23-2003, 05:44 PM

Originally posted by monster dump.
I thought we already told you, kazaa lite k++ and a good shot of some antispyware and antivirus. Download porn like you know what you're doing.

i switched to that shit, but it was too late. My computer has over 350 spyware programs, but it's so fucked that it won't let me delete any of them, no matter which spyware eradication program i use. I guess I am just going to start over right now... I might be gone for a while (especially if i fuck up). In fact, you might never see me again under this sn, because i don't know my password. I just have it saved on the computer.

**Snow Dog** · 12-23-2003, 06:11 PM

The first step is to get something other than Windows ME. It was short lived and poorly executed. If your computer is strong enough then XP would be the way to go. Otherwise Windows 98 SE is a good choice.

In any case if you boot from the installation CD then there should be the option to format the drive and install Windows. That will give you a fresh and clean start. It will take an hour or two to install. Drink beer while waiting.

**dubu** · 12-23-2003, 06:22 PM

Have fun... Just a thought if you are installing xp try to download all the security patches before you format your hd, (burn the paches to a cd).. then disconect your computer form the net, reinstall xp, install patches, reconect your computer to the net...

This may sound like a pita but it will save you a lot of hassle..

I receantly tried re-instaling xp and before I could download the security patches from MS my computer was already infected with: blaster worm, then 30 sec later, the virus that gets rid of blaster but slows down your connection while its looking for new hosts to infect.... It was nuts..

**irul&ublo** · 12-23-2003, 06:22 PM

Originally posted by Samwich
In fact, you might never see me again under this sn, because i don't know my password. I just have it saved on the computer.

Go to "user cp" and click on "edit password". Click "forgot your password", and it will be e-mailed to you.

**bigtwig00** · 12-23-2003, 06:56 PM

if u go to dos. u can type in somthing im not sure what it is but i bet someone on here does but it will delete ur whole hard drive i dont know if u want to go that far but that would take all your spywear shit off

**Crinkle** · 12-23-2003, 07:45 PM

yo before you go to all that trouble, try Spybot search and destroy. Its free and i am sure you can find it at download.com. It is great at unistalling spyware that is embedded itself in your computer.

**dipstik** · 12-23-2003, 08:44 PM

Originally posted by Samwich
i...because i don't know my password. I just have it saved on the computer.

im sure owens could help you out on that

**Stormin** · 12-23-2003, 09:16 PM

Try zonealarm for a firewall. It's free and has worked well for me.

JR · 12-23-2003, 09:22 PM

After you reinstall, (anything except ME) run spybot http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=download and ad-aware http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/ regularly and don't forget the AV software.

**The General** · 12-23-2003, 09:29 PM

Friggin Kazaa f'ed up my computer as well............. at least after I downloaded it is when I started noticing problems so it must be kazaa. Is this a problem for a lot of other people? If so, will someone who knows more about computers than I do care to shed some light on what may be going on.

**Snow Dog** · 12-23-2003, 09:42 PM

Originally posted by The General
Friggin Kazaa f'ed up my computer as well............. at least after I downloaded it is when I started noticing problems so it must be kazaa. Is this a problem for a lot of other people? If so, will someone who knows more about computers than I do care to shed some light on what may be going on.

Kazaa isn't the most stable software. I only run it when while I'm downloading. It plays a little game -- clicking on "close" doesn't really end the program, just the viewer. To actually stop the Kazaa server you have to click the tool tray icon (by the clock) and exit the program. By default it always loads when you computer starts but you can disable that somewhere.

I can crash Kazaa by using the file manager to delete and rename files while Kazaa is running.

Kazaa also downloads fresh ads to annoy you and some of these do things like run IE. There may be side effects.

I use Kazaa Lite which is a hacked version without the ads.

Once a bunch of spyware programs get into your computer then it's game over and time to wipe and install Windows. Thing of it as renovating your computer.

**DINMS** · 12-24-2003, 02:45 AM

You learn how to use a computer.

**Samwich** · 12-24-2003, 03:57 AM

I tried rebooting from the disk, but it never gave me the option to format.

It asked me if i wanted to save windows as i had it before, and i clicked no, but then i got through the startup, and my computer is exactly the same. I got hella popups as soon as i started the computer (I don't have to have IE open to get popups. They just... pop up.)

Anyway, i just got back from my gf's house, and I'm really, really tired

so I'm going to bed.

**Idris** · 12-24-2003, 04:33 AM

Try booting from a floppy drive with something like say DOS 5 installed on the floppy and do an unconditional format...this will clean your hard drive regardless of operating system.

**dipstik** · 12-24-2003, 07:36 AM

Originally posted by The General
Is this a problem for a lot of other people?

yeah...I lost an entire computer to Kazaa, I just got so many viruses and spyware that it just stopped working. One of our good family friends is a computer engineer type dude and he spent a good 4 hours one day trying to figure out what the heck was wrong with my computer. He eventually figured that there was a worm virus and it had infected all my files, and there was nothing I could do, NOTHING!!!

I threw my computer down the stairs afterwards....I actually made a movie out of it.

**Snow Dog** · 12-24-2003, 11:51 AM

Originally posted by Samwich
I tried rebooting from the disk, but it never gave me the option to format.

It asked me if i wanted to save windows as i had it before, and i clicked no, but then i got through the startup, and my computer is exactly the same. I got hella popups as soon as i started the computer (I don't have to have IE open to get popups. They just... pop up.)

Anyway, i just got back from my gf's house, and I'm really, really tired so I'm going to bed.

Well, that blows.

There are a couple of ways to try and get rid of Windows. Open a DOS window and type "format c:". Say "hasta la vista, baby." The computer may plead with you -- "Do you really want to kill me?". Answer "Y" for yes. Press <enter> for good measure.

If that didn't blow Windows away then you have to make a floppy boot disk. Stick a blank floppy in the drive and go to Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs icon, and Startup Disk tab. Will make a Windows Startup diskette for you. Boot with the diskette. Type "format c:". Say "hasta la vista, baby." The computer may plead with you -- "Do you really want to kill me?". Answer "Y" for yes. Press <enter> for good measure.

Remove the diskette, insert the Windows CD and reboot to install.

**Samwich** · 12-24-2003, 11:55 AM

First of all, here's a question that will reveal to you how truly little I know about computers: how do you open the DOS window?

And second: once I do that, and erase it all... is it easy to get windows back? Just pop the disk labeled 'operating system' into the cd drive, and follow instructions?

I hate fucking with my computer when I might break it at any moment, but I hate paying other people to fuck with it too... so i'm doing it this way.

Thanks guys...

**bigtwig00** · 12-24-2003, 04:15 PM

sam ----- opening ms - dos prompt differs on versions of windows u have but u can probley jsut go to start - programs - then go to ms -dos- prompt ............. simple as that

**Snow Dog** · 12-24-2003, 04:29 PM

Originally posted by Samwich
First of all, here's a question that will reveal to you how truly little I know about computers: how do you open the DOS window?

And second: once I do that, and erase it all... is it easy to get windows back? Just pop the disk labeled 'operating system' into the cd drive, and follow instructions?

I hate fucking with my computer when I might break it at any moment, but I hate paying other people to fuck with it too... so i'm doing it this way.

Thanks guys...

Click Start, then Programs, and somewhere near the bottom: MS-DOS Prompt

Or (maybe) Click Start, the Shutdown, see if there's a "Restart in MS-DOS Mode" option and select that.

Or (maybe) Click Start, then Shutdown, and select Restart. When the Windows screen appears hold donw the control key or the F8 key and a startup menu should appear. One option should be "MS-DOS Mode". Pick that.

At this point there's nothing you can do to break the computer so enjoy yourself.

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