How to Wipe My Computer Clean & Return it to the Way I First Got it
- 1). Save any files or programs that you wish to keep onto an external hard drive to preserve them while you restore the computer.
- 2). Insert a Windows installation disc into the drive, if you have one, and reboot the computer. Follow the prompts that come up to install a fresh Windows copy that will essentially reformat your entire hard drive and start you all over again. You'll usually press "Enter," accept the licensing agreement and then select "Install a Fresh Copy of Windows" from the menu. This process will likely take a few hours and the computer should be left alone until it finishes.
- 3). Access your computer's "computer restore" option through the Control Panel if you don't have an installation disc for your operating system. This can normally be found through the Control Panel under "System and Security." Dell also recommends accessing the appropriate menu by rebooting and hitting the F8 key before the Windows logo appears onscreen. Once you open System Restore, select the option to return to factory settings. Follow any instructions that pop up regarding keys to hit that will start the process.
- 4). Reboot the computer once the restore is completed if the computer doesn't do it for you. You'll need to set up the system with a username and go through the initial menus like you did when the computer was used for the first time.
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