help reformatting c drive?

First check if it can boot on CD, where you will need to put a Cd installer of OS you choose, like a Windows XP CD installer, but be sure to get all your important files move into another drive before formating your drive C: ready all the drivers that your laptop needs. and don't forget to save the list of your Favorites or Bookmarks from the browser you use. you might need to type again the activation codes of some software you use.

Make sure before you run the reformatting that you have saved any files that you need to keep-copy to you external drive, make sure you disconnect the external drive before you start. Once you follow the first guys advice about "poping in the CD and letting her rip", your PC will be just like it was when you bought it. All the files will be gone except for any that where on the laptop when you bought it, including all the junk trials and "buy me" program links! Good Luck and dont rush, allow 3-4 hours to do it all, you'll want to reinstall all those programs that you have added since ownership, to include, anti-virus/spyware/firewalls; any Word Processing, re-hook the external drive and transfer the files/photos/music that you copied prior to re-formatting. Now your 'pute should be the way you want it, new and uncluttered, but with that certain "homey" feel that all of our rigs have! Good Luck and God Bless!

1. Take data backup in external drive.

2. Boot through OS disk (choose to boot from CD drive)

3. Format drive c drive and reinstall OS

In answer to what you need to keep to be sure your system works properly? Nothing really. Just back up your data like pictures and music etc. you want to save onto another drive or DVD.

When you format, just be sure it's the C: drive and not another partition or drive. Sometimes manufacturers put your recovery files on another partion like D:.

if you have downloaded any programmes from the web or any music and films .

move them over to your external drive

emails can be moved over using the export tab, along with any other data you want to keep

as with any fresh install you will get a the system you purchased

no personal data

so this is what you need to back up on the external drive

Just do a back-up on your important files saved in your drive c. After that you can do reformat it, just put you XP installation cd in the cd drive while it restarts then follow all the instruction in the screen.

it may take a while but the guy who made this guide taught me how to do things right the first time.

http://www.tweakguides.com/TGTC.html

he'll show you how to make sure your computer is set up completely. its like theint ructionon book to setting up your computer. After you are comfortable with it you will be a tech.

Just boot from the installations disc and it will do it for you.