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Offline whiffleball

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Best way to erase everything
« on: July 01, 2011, 08:59:24 AM »
I'm trying to clean out a 10 year old Dell with XP to dedicate to streaming Netflix.  I was told to reinstall the operating disc, but I got a message saying that the disc is older than the version I'm using and it won't install.  Now I'm going through and manually deleting program files which is taking forever.  I was told that doing it the way I am will result in bits and pieces of programs remaining.  I just want to stream as quickly as I can without all the buffering trouble.  Any ideas?
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Offline Chris_

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Re: Best way to erase everything
« Reply #1 on: July 01, 2011, 09:05:21 AM »
Install and run CCleaner.  It should clean it out.  >>  http://www.piriform.com/CCLEANER

Not sure what the disc error you're getting means.  Maybe you can force it to install a fresh OS on the machine.  You could switch to a different OS if you don't have any other install discs and set it up to do what you want.
« Last Edit: July 01, 2011, 09:12:31 AM by chris_ »
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Offline whiffleball

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Re: Best way to erase everything
« Reply #2 on: July 01, 2011, 09:12:01 AM »
Chris, will I need to reinstall the operating disc after CCleaner?  I know I'll have to download Silverlight, but am not sure what other programs I'll need for streaming.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: Best way to erase everything
« Reply #3 on: July 01, 2011, 09:13:40 AM »
No, CCleaner is supposed to clean up missing links, files, and other detritus that uninstalling software leaves behind.  You can use Add/Remove Programs to uninstall everything manually and use CCleaner to clean up behind it.
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Offline whiffleball

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Re: Best way to erase everything
« Reply #4 on: July 01, 2011, 09:18:27 AM »
Thanks.  I'm going to run the CCleaner after trying the OS discs again.
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Offline Eupher

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Re: Best way to erase everything
« Reply #5 on: July 01, 2011, 09:50:48 AM »
A bit off-topic, but I always chuckle when I read or hear about "CCleaner".

The first "C" in "CCleaner" stands for "Crap".

Yep, WB, you need "Crap Cleaner".  :lmao:
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Offline CG6468

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Re: Best way to erase everything
« Reply #6 on: July 01, 2011, 11:00:22 AM »
I use CCleaner to uninstall programs, too, and it wipes out all the links and other stuff associated with those programs. At least that's been my experience.

It's been a lot easier and magnitudes faster for me to do that than to use the Windows uninstall thingy.

And Euph is correcto mundo - it was originally called Crap Cleaner.  :lmao:
« Last Edit: July 01, 2011, 11:03:47 AM by CG6468 »
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Offline debk

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Re: Best way to erase everything
« Reply #7 on: July 01, 2011, 11:25:21 AM »
Can CCleaner be used to just clean up the computer, without destroying what's supposed to be there.

I need to figure out what's wrong with M's computer. It was originally mine, when I had an office at work. Has XP on it, and really hasn't been used enough to have the issues that it does. Very slow to load anything. When I try to pull up Programs under install/uninstall, it won't load them. I need to get all the printers out, and put in the HP all in one that used to be on my old computer, but now has to go on his, because we are on Comcast for everything, and the modem for internet and phone is connected to his computer.
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Offline Thor

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Re: Best way to erase everything
« Reply #8 on: July 01, 2011, 03:55:18 PM »
The best way to truly "wipe" everything is "Darik's Boot and Nuke". It'll do a DoD wipe of the hard drive. Then you'll need to reinstall the OS and all of the drivers. However, it leads to a very clean and almost like new system.
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Offline rich_t

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Re: Best way to erase everything
« Reply #9 on: July 01, 2011, 04:55:10 PM »
Quote from: Thor on July 01, 2011, 03:55:18 PM
The best way to truly "wipe" everything is "Darik's Boot and Nuke". It'll do a DoD wipe of the hard drive. Then you'll need to reinstall the OS and all of the drivers. However, it leads to a very clean and almost like new system.

Hell, just go buy a new hard drive.
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Offline Thor

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Re: Best way to erase everything
« Reply #10 on: July 01, 2011, 07:05:31 PM »
Quote from: rich_t on July 01, 2011, 04:55:10 PM
Hell, just go buy a new hard drive.

DBAN is free and it will only cost the price of a blank CD, at most. ;)
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"The state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation."- IBID

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Offline whiffleball

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Re: Best way to erase everything
« Reply #11 on: July 02, 2011, 06:37:36 AM »
Quote from: Thor on July 01, 2011, 07:05:31 PM
DBAN is free and it will only cost the price of a blank CD, at most. ;)

Free?  You've just said the magic word.  I haven't bought the CCleaner yet, so will investigate this freebie.

Thanks Chris and Thor for your help.
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Offline Thor

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Re: Best way to erase everything
« Reply #12 on: July 02, 2011, 08:26:49 AM »
CCleaner is also free. It won't wipe a hard drive. It will just get rid of things. Broken registry keys, some bad stuff, etc.
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"The state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation."- IBID

I AM your General Ne'er Do Well, Troublemaker & All Around Meanie!!

"Congress has not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare, but only those specifically enumerated."-Thomas Jefferson

Offline whiffleball

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Re: Best way to erase everything
« Reply #13 on: July 02, 2011, 08:33:58 AM »
I don't know where I went to get CCleaner, but they wanted $24.95 for it. 

I looked at DBAN and cruised through their forum.  Some of the problems users were describing are way, way over my head.  I have to admit to being a little afraid to download and burn a CD on my new system.  I may just hook up the old one and burn it to a floppy.
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Offline Thor

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Re: Best way to erase everything
« Reply #14 on: July 02, 2011, 09:05:35 AM »
Quote from: whiffleball on July 02, 2011, 08:33:58 AM
I don't know where I went to get CCleaner, but they wanted $24.95 for it. 

I looked at DBAN and cruised through their forum.  Some of the problems users were describing are way, way over my head.  I have to admit to being a little afraid to download and burn a CD on my new system.  I may just hook up the old one and burn it to a floppy.


I dunno.  Never had any problems with DBAN. The Cd is allegedly "new" but it's been out for a couple of years now. It does what it's supposed to do, at least in my experience.
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"The state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation."- IBID

I AM your General Ne'er Do Well, Troublemaker & All Around Meanie!!

"Congress has not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare, but only those specifically enumerated."-Thomas Jefferson
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