Reformating My PC

I'm reformating my PC today, something that I've never done before. And I've got a few questions.

The first one is, could someone direct me to a good reformating guide? I'm using XP, though I'm not sure whether or not that really matters.

I'd also like to know what steps I should take before doing this. I've written down all my passwords, written out a list of a few pieces of software that I'd like to re-download. What drivers am I going to need, just my video card drivers and I'm good to go? Anything else?

If anyone has any other helpful tips, that would be great.

Thanks.

You need MOBO drivers aswell, otherwise ur NIC card may not work. And other ports.

Check out the Ultimate Boot Disk for wiping hard drives, it's simply the best free one out there. It runs through bios off a CD.

Backup your documents

Backup or download ALL drivers available

Boot from XP CD, press Enter to insall then delete partition and do a quick format as NTFS.

do a quick format as NTFS.

Daytona_178

Remeber to format in NTFS and not FAT or FAT32

NTFS is alot better than its counterparts

[QUOTE="Daytona_178"]

do a quick format as NTFS.

cpdowling

Remeber to format in NTFS and not FAT or FAT32

NTFS is alot better than its counterparts

I'm reformating my PC today, something that I've never done before. And I've got a few questions.

The first one is, could someone direct me to a good reformating guide? I'm using XP, though I'm not sure whether or not that really matters.

I'd also like to know what steps I should take before doing this. I've written down all my passwords, written out a list of a few pieces of software that I'd like to re-download. What drivers am I going to need, just my video card drivers and I'm good to go? Anything else?

If anyone has any other helpful tips, that would be great.

Thanks.

FlyingArmbar

[QUOTE="FlyingArmbar"]

I'm reformating my PC today, something that I've never done before. And I've got a few questions.

The first one is, could someone direct me to a good reformating guide? I'm using XP, though I'm not sure whether or not that really matters.

I'd also like to know what steps I should take before doing this. I've written down all my passwords, written out a list of a few pieces of software that I'd like to re-download. What drivers am I going to need, just my video card drivers and I'm good to go? Anything else?

If anyone has any other helpful tips, that would be great.

Thanks.

gamer082009

Drivers make the world go around. Check out your mobo or computer online. Many companies offer a complete downloadable driver site that includes all of the drivers that came on their system(s). This makes it easier. Do it BEFORE you reformat though or you wont have anything.

Also like others said, delete partition and do a quick NTFS format and let windows handle the rest.

[QUOTE="Daytona_178"]

do a quick format as NTFS.

Remeber to format in NTFS and not FAT or FAT32

NTFS is alot better than its counterparts

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I reformatted yesterday and everything went smoothly. I made sure that I had my network drivers before I began. Fortunately I read a guide that mentioned that I would have no ability to access the internet without doing so. :lol:

When I go to Device Manager and look at "Other Devices?". The only device that lacks drivers is a "Mass Storage Controller", and I'm not sure what exactly this is.

Everything seems to work exactly as intended. Well actually, not exactly. The reason that I reformatted was that I was getting crashes that completely locked my computer, and looked similar to the image below. These crashes only happened when I played games. Other intensive software had no effect. Even 3D software that utilized 100% of my CPU and GPU while rendering.

I thought that they might be driver or software related, but at this point it's obviously related to hardware (unless the lack of "Mass Storage Controller" drivers would have anything to do with this).

Going off on a bit of tangent. Anyways, with the exception of the crashes everything seems to be working just as it should be. I can watch videos, my sound works, I can download programs and software. I can install video games and play them (until they crash and my monitor looks like the photo above).

So my question is, what is a Mass Storage Controller, and is it important that I install drivers for it when everything appears to be working just as it should be?

Thanks.

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I reformatted yesterday and everything went smoothly. I made sure that I had my network drivers before I began. Fortunately I read a guide that mentioned that I would have no ability to access the internet without doing so. :lol:

When I go to Device Manager and look at "Other Devices?". The only device that lacks drivers is a "Mass Storage Controller", and I'm not sure what exactly this is.

Everything seems to work exactly as intended. Well actually, not exactly. The reason that I reformatted was that I was getting crashes that completely locked my computer, and looked similar to the image below. These crashes only happened when I played games. Other intensive software had no effect. Even 3D software that utilized 100% of my CPU and GPU while rendering.

I thought that they might be driver or software related, but at this point it's obviously related to hardware (unless the lack of "Mass Storage Controller" drivers would have anything to do with this).

Going off on a bit of tangent. Anyways, with the exception of the crashes everything seems to be working just as it should be. I can watch videos, my sound works, I can download programs and software. I can install video games and play them (until they crash and my monitor looks like the photo above).

So my question is, what is a Mass Storage Controller, and is it important that I install drivers for it when everything appears to be working just as it should be?

Thanks.

FlyingArmbar

The mass storage controller is often a SD card reader if you have one.

Thanks daytona. The only SD reader that I have is on my printer, and it wasn't hooked up.

Managed to solve my problem though, I simply right clicked on the Mass Storage Controller and had device manager look for the driver for me (didn't even know that I could do this hehe...)

It was an Silicon Image Sil 3132 SATAlink Controller driver... Anybody know what that is?

Thanks daytona. The only SD reader that I have is on my printer, and it wasn't hooked up.

Managed to solve my problem though, I simply right clicked on the Mass Storage Controller and had device manager look for the driver for me (didn't even know that I could do this hehe...)

It was an Silicon Image Sil 3132 SATAlink Controller driver... Anybody know what that is?

FlyingArmbar

You could always just banish your computer to a landfill and get a new one if you have lots of money and/or are lazy.