Will wiping my Dell laptop return it to 'as new' quality?

Timmne

So how about combining all advice and adding RAM, HD speed AND wiping the drive - will that give me an even better new laptop?!

How do I wipe it, should I go for it?

alared

Using Dell™ PC Restore by Symantec

NOTE:

Dell PC Restore is not available in all countries.

Use Dell PC Restore by Symantec only as the last method to restore your operating system. PC

Restore restores your hard drive to the operating state it was in when you purchased the computer.
Any programs or files added since you received your computer

—including data files—are

permanently deleted from the hard drive. Data files include documents, spreadsheets, e-mail

messages, digital photos, music files, and so on. If possible, back up all data before using PC
Restore.
NOTICE:

Using PC Restore permanently deletes all data on the hard drive and removes any applications

or drivers installed after you received your computer. If possible, back up the data before using PC

Restore.
To use PC Restore:
1

Turn on the computer and watch the keyboard status lights.

2

Immediately upon seeing the lights flash, press <Ctrl><F11>.

If you do not press <Ctrl><F11> in time, let the computer finish restarting, and then

restart the computer again.
NOTICE:

If you do not want to proceed with PC Restore, click Reboot in the following step.

3

On the next screen that appears, click Restore.

4

On the next screen, click Confirm.
The restore process takes approximately 6–10 minutes to complete.

What section 2 above means is this:
Start up your computer and you`ll get a black screen,then at the top left hand corner you`ll see a flashing white curser.
Next at the very top of the screen you`ll see the Dell logo flash across the screen,imediately you see this,press ctrl and F11

If you miss it,you`ll need to reboot again and try again.

basmic

Timmne wrote: »

So how about combining all advice and adding RAM, HD speed AND wiping the drive - will that give me an even better new laptop?!

How do I wipe it, should I go for it?

Definitely.

When you reinstall XP, it will be quicker anyway - because it won't be "clogged" up with old software, settings and files.

Adding a faster harddrive will improve startup and loading times - not to mention, making the laptop feel a little snappier.

Adding more RAM means the laptop won't be forced to use the pagefile (virtual memory) on the harddrive as often - yet again, increasing the laptop's speed and making it snappier yet.

Personally, if you can afford it, I'd strongly recommend that you make up the RAM to no less than 1gb. This is good enough for most users, running XP - unless you're into resource hungry games, in which case I might suggest either 1.5gb or 2gb of RAM.

Timmne

No it'll just be office stuff - the reason I'm upgrading(ish) is because I'm starting out in business and want to start without the burden of a slow laptop!

Thanks!

alared

Timmne wrote: »

No it'll just be office stuff - the reason I'm upgrading(ish) is because I'm starting out in business and want to start without the burden of a slow laptop!

Thanks!

Try this free program before you do anything.
http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/

It`s called crap cleaner and that`s what it does!

basmic

Timmne wrote: »

No it'll just be office stuff - the reason I'm upgrading(ish) is because I'm starting out in business and want to start without the burden of a slow laptop!

Thanks!

In that case, definitely add a new harddrive and 1gb of RAM - I can't see you using more than 1gb, unless you go silly and start installing stuff you don't really need.

My advice, for a virus scanner, is to use NOD32. Light weight, and you'll hardly know it's there, because it's so efficient in the way it uses your resources.

shadowdragon

basmic wrote: »

My advice, for a virus scanner, is to use NOD32. Light weight, and you'll hardly know it's there, because it's so efficient in the way it uses your resources.

Yup I paid for this only a few quid and a very nice Virus scanner. You dont even know its running, and takes up very little in the way of resources. Highly recommened.

Sput2001

Timmne wrote: »

So how about combining all advice and adding RAM, HD speed AND wiping the drive - will that give me an even better new laptop?!

How do I wipe it, should I go for it?

If you're replacing your HD there's no need to wipe, of course...

I'd probably make HD replacement a lower priority, but it really depends on what's in there at the moment.

Timmne

Hmmm..... have just undone the laptop and it's already 1gb ram! (i.e. 2 x 512).

Does this mean I just need to clean the laptop up as above or wipe it?

Sput2001

How much space is left on your hard drive?

Try the following, in no particular order (if you don't already):

Run Ccleaner (it's free).
Defrag your hard drive (use Defraggler, also free, if you don't to use the Windows one).
Presumably you run Ad-Aware on a regular basis. If not, download and run that. That's free too!
Replace Norton with Avast! Another freebie.

See what that does. It's a bit less drastic than re-installing Windows.