How do you get rid of everything on a computer, including OS and start again from scratch?

Am a teacher in school. We are getting rid of some of our older computers. I want to use one as an additonal computer at home only to access the internet. The hardware is good enough, BUT it was originally used on a network and is locked down. Adminstrator who set passwords long since left. I can't get rid of what's on computer and install the drivers and software I want to use. I'm happy to buy and install a new operating system, but how do I go about it?

How do you get rid of everything on a computer, including OS and start again from scratch?
Get a full version of an OS, then put in the CD. When the system is booting up, you should be able to boot from the CD.





http://helpdesk.its.uiowa.edu/windows/in...
Reply:Format. It is not hard to do; but, since you had to ask this question, best to get someone else to do it for you.
Reply:Firstly, if you only want to use the pc for internet access, I wouldn't be wasting my money on Microsoft Windows software. Get yourself a copy of Linux, there are various systems, but I find the most user friendly to be Ubuntu and Mandriva. These very often come free in magazines or you can buy them very cheaply from Ebay or alternatively you can download your own copy and burn to a cd / dvd for nothing from the respective websites.





Which ever operating system you use, wether linux or Windows just put in the cd and switch on the pc. It should start up automatically. Follow the on screen instructions and your hard drive will be formatted as part of the install process. If it doesn't start automatically, you need to check the boot priority in the BIOS. Access BIOS by pressing the correct key at the start of boot up (usually F2 or Del. but if you read the first line off the boot up screen, it'll tell you which key you need to enter Setup. Look for a setting that changes the boot priority and follow the instructions to set your cd rom as the first boot option and hard drive as second. Save and exit the Bios and now your cd should start automatically.
Reply:Well if it's an old school computer it's probably an Apple-MAC, you need an MAC OS (operating system.





But anyway when you are ready to load the new operating system you'll have to go into the bios and setup boot from CD. Then install the OS CD and reboot then you can reformat the drive and install the new OS.
Reply:Put a new hard drive in it.Start from scratch.
Reply:You can reset it. Use the Mac OS X Install disc to reset your password then do a clean install.
Reply:I f it has at least 256 MB memory you can doit with the windows XP Home CD. Reformat the drive. But you'll need to reload all drivers.
Reply:one way is to get to the mother board and remove jumper setting wich will clear all pass words and the other is to go in to the bios at start up f2 and configure the boot up devices to boot from cd rom and if you are lucky press any key to boot from cd.depends on if it is system pass word
Reply:Put any old DOS disc in the A drive, reboot to A and type





FORMAT C:
Reply:You can't format the drive by right clicking on the drive icon and 'format.' Where did u get that idea from?


You boot from Windows CD and format from there but as suggested before, you should get some help doing this and reinstalling Windows.
Reply:Try going into 'run' and typing 'cmd' then in the black box type 'format c:'


It might do the trick
Reply:http://www.winxpfix.com/page23-Uninstall...
Reply:Download a copy of 'killdisk'. That will allow you to format those hard drives. It has a floppy boot option as well.





Download the drivers you will need for those computers. After you reinstall the OS you will need to install them. You may want to download Astra32 to identify what hardware is in those computers.





Good luck!
Reply:if you really want to get rid of everything you need a kill disk. this erases everything from the pc includong the os. i suggest you call a pc techincian an get them to do it and reinstall the os and drivers.
Reply:reformat the pc hard disk install it in to the other pc in ur home and reformat the disk i have an extra hd on the desktop and i reformatted the disk and i am just fiddling in my pc lol as i want to put in an extra hd that i found some were and get a new full version of the cd/dvd O/S
Reply:format hardisk
Reply:You need to close all applications, go into my computer and right click the driver and click format. You can choose either quick format or normal, doesnt really matter. Hope this helps.
Reply:1. You need to boot from a startup disk, like that of Win98. Or login to DOS. Format the hard disk, install the new OS.


2. Or boot from the OS installation CD (can be enabled from the BIOS setup. To enter BIOS setup, press 'DEL' while booting. Enable booting from CD.). New installation usually partitions/formats the disk if you want.
Reply:Buy the Operating System, insert the disc into the computer and reboot. When you install the OS it will give you the option of reformatting the drive before installing, choose that option.





If you're just using the computer for internet you should use Linux. Ubuntu 7.06 is very user friendly, visually oriented like Windows, and easy to get. Just download and burn the ISO image. If you need help ask one of computer admins at youre school or look around online. You can download any Linux distros free and you can get a disc shipped to you house very cheap.