# Reformatting a computer



## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

I would like to reformat my computer. It is an Acer 5610-2762. It didn't come with a recovery disc. I got my virus protection off line at Trend Micro.

How would I do this? I know nothing about doing this? All I know is I need to backup my computer.


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## WhyNot (Jun 21, 2011)

Hi Tambo.

Why do you feel like you need to reformat instead of recover? If your antivirus subscription is still good, make sure to have all your registration information ready before you do something like a reformat.

Here is the acer user guide for your laptop. It's in pdf form so you will need adobe acrobat to read it. There are instructions on how to back up your data and Page 36 starts the instructions on how to reformat/recover without discs. 

http://support.acer.com/acerpanam/manuals/acer/0000/userguides/AS5610_UG_EN.pdf

If you are reformatting due to a virus and so cannot download/print a pdf...this user guide should be on your laptop somewhere, as it is preinstalled at factory.

Also, if something goes wrong (and we hope it does not) if you don't have windows xp pro, you can purchase original discs for your laptop through acer here

Acer Store: Recovery Media Purchase Program

I would actually purchase recovery disks so you have them for future use just in case.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

I was wanting to reformat because it is 6 yrs old and it doesn't work like it did. The camera wont work but it is still the best one I've ever had. I have a new computer but I love my old one and want to see if I can get it back to working properly.


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## WhyNot (Jun 21, 2011)

ah ok. Well the user guide I pointed you to will take you step by step in reformatting without a disk. It has you check to make sure that you CAN (are still able to) reformat without a disk first....important to know before you start lol. That checking process is indicitive to your acer product so it pays to follow the manual.

Then if you can't reformat it without disks, as long as you do not have win xp PRO then you can get replacement disks from acer.

Do you need help getting files and such over to your new computer or onto cd/dvd or to know how to save contacts/addresses from email programs or your favorites or anything like that? If so, or if you aren't sure where your programs are storing your files for each program, let us know what they are and hopefully we can help 

Don't forget that any programs you have installed on there since you got it, you will have to reload so if you have anything on the old computer that needs a serial number or license/registration number to make sure you have that before you reformat.

Can you still read the microsoft sticker on the bottom of it? You may not need that number...but if you do at some point...it will be a pain to get anywhere without it. It is also stored inside your computer so best to check that you can read that number because if you are in the middle of a reformat and it asks for it...and you don't have it....well. That's just not very convenient AT ALL.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

Ok thanks a lot. I'm not sure if I will try it or not because it does pretty much what I want it to but it wont do some of the stuff it did new. I don't want to make it worse! LOL


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

tambo said:


> Ok thanks a lot. I'm not sure if I will try it or not because it does pretty much what I want it to but it wont do some of the stuff it did new. I don't want to make it worse! LOL


Honestly, wiping out your hard drive is drastic. Perhaps we should explore your motivations for doing it more thoroughly.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

Nevada said:


> Honestly, wiping out your hard drive is drastic. Perhaps we should explore your motivations for doing it more thoroughly.


yes it is a drastic move for sure. I did it once on my Dell. I had the Blue Screen Of death and nothing I did could get around it.
Called Dell support they talked me through 5 of the tests I had already done and 2 more that would test the hard drive The HD was good.
Still got the BSD so the tech from Dell said only one thing left a complete reformat.
After I got that done all that was showing on the desktop was the Trash Can. LOL
After loading everything on and getting back up, the Tech from Dell even Called ME BACK to see if I got it up and running. I did and thank him very much for the help and even the call back.~!

And as a side note:
It WAS MY FAULT to begin with that caused the BSD. 
My Fault, and my fault only, not windows, nor the Dell Machine.
'
When deleting a program USE the programs own removal tool, or Windows one. Not like I did. deleting files etc.
Learned a good lesson for sure. LOL


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

The camera won't work anymore. Never used it any way but would like to skype on it if I had to. It won't hibernate any more. It won't keep me logged in to my email anymore. It won't ask me to save a password anymore. See nothing major wrong just little annoying things.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

tambo said:


> The camera won't work anymore. Never used it any way but would like to skype on it if I had to.


Let's start with that issue. Have you removed the driver and reinstalled it? Are you sure the camera works (i.e., have you tried it in a different machine)?


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## jefferson (Nov 11, 2004)

Back up, back up, back up...... Have preached that for 30 years. Done it? Well; sometimes.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

If I unistall the camera driver where do I find the hardware to reinstall it? I bought the computer new and I know it worked then. I never used it but I would like to get skype now.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

tambo said:


> If I unistall the camera driver where do I find the hardware to reinstall it? I bought the computer new and I know it worked then. I never used it but I would like to get skype now.


Before you uninstall it, note the model number from the driver profile. You should be able to find a driver online.

What version of Windows are you running?


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

Windows Vista


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

tambo said:


> Windows Vista


Do you know the brand and model of the camera? I'll see if I can find a driver for you.


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## WhyNot (Jun 21, 2011)

Built in cameras on acer laptops are usually disfunctional within a year...and if not, you are one of the lucky ones.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

WhyNot said:


> Built in cameras on acer laptops are usually disfunctional within a year...and if not, you are one of the lucky ones.


Ya but also having Vista is not the best either. And Anybody running anything that old is not getting any critical updates from MS. The machine is at risk of getting bad things on it. MS has stopped supporting anything older then XP with SP2 on it.


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## WhyNot (Jun 21, 2011)

arabian knight said:


> Ya but also having Vista is not the best either. And Anybody running anything that old is not getting any critical updates from MS. The machine is at risk of getting bad things on it. MS has stopped supporting anything older then XP with SP2 on it.


I'm not sure what this has to do with the general malfunction of a piece of hardware that is known to go "bad" or have redundant issues in specific brands of laptops. :shrug:

Your statement(s) is/are "arguable" in that you still can get updates for Vista and XP. Microsoft ceases support, however, does make updates available for a couple of OS's back. They learned their lesson when they "suddenly" ceased support for Win98 even though it's in all of their literature most users generally don't read much about their products for some reason.

In any case, as a second machine I see no reason to not reformat and start from scratch as long as a person has all the particulars in order, already covered for the most part in this thread. Vista is not really any more vulnerable than any other Microsoft product as long as it has the updates and decent antivirus and malware products installed, updated and USED.

Any os or piece of software....if we want to get really technical is "disclaimed from all warranties and conditions of merchantability, whether express, implied or statutory, fitness for a particular purpose, title and non-infringement." 
Which means, basically, that they don't guarantee it will work for any reason at any time and it's not their fault.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

I am just going by what MS stays itself on their web pages that is all.

Windows End of Support Information - Windows Help &#38; How-to


Support is ending for some versions of Windows

Support for Windows XP is ending on April 8, 2014.
Support for Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) ended on July 12, 2011.
Support for Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2) ended on July 13, 2010.*

*If you're running one of these versions after support ends, you won't get security updates for Windows.*








What does end of support mean?

And then is this for Extended Life support 


> Extended support&#8212;Microsoft will offer extended support for either a minimum of 5 years from the date of a product's general availability, or for 2 years after the second successor product (two versions later) is released, whichever is longer. Please note: *Extended support is only available for commercial customers.*


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## WhyNot (Jun 21, 2011)

arabian knight said:


> I am just going by what MS stays itself on their web pages that is all.


I understand that, and that is all I am doing as well. I don't find it necessary to try to scare users with end of life talk when it's not necessary.



> How long will security updates be available?
> 
> Microsoft will provide security updates at no charge for most products as follows:
> 
> Security updates are available on the Windows Update Web site to all customersuntil the end of the Extended Support phase at no additional cost for most products. That phase consists of five years of Mainstream Support plus five years of Extended Support. Security updates will apply only to the supported service packs for these products. Customers do not have to sign up for an Extended Support contract to receive security updates during the Extended Support phase.


From:
Microsoft Support Lifecycle Policy FAQ

While some product's mainstream support has ended or will end soon, most of the extended support options are still available until at least 2017. 

Also, while the extended support options are available to Microsoft Partners and other commercial users, Microsoft DOES still allow updates to be downloaded for those products by the general public until that extended support ends.

This also means that for a pc repair place or individual, such as myself, that IS a Microsoft partner...we can update consumer computers until extended support ends...or we buy the update packs.

So. While M$ will no longer continue to make new security and etc updates for a product when mainstream support ends, it does not "disallow" windows updates until they nix extended support for that product. 

And even then, you can find those windows updates for several years after extended support ends, they just do not make new ones and they do not download and install automatically.


The only reason I remember this about the windows update support thing is because in 2003-2004 there was a HUGE to-do about it and people trying to sue M$...and they agreed that updates should be available for a min. of ten years from the "birth" of the product. That was the Win98 and WinME debacle they were all fussing about at the time.

And I seem to remember that it took an act of Congress to actually get M$ to make the updates available for ten years to users. I'm not sure if it did or not...but I seem to remember the whole Congress thing.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

What WN said. To VASTLY simplify it, after mainstream support ends, you will no longer get NON-security hotfixes and other stuff like that.

HOWEVER, one WILL continue to get security-related updates and paid/phone/online tech support.

http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifepolicy


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

If that is the case King then what does this mean?



> Support is ending for some versions of Windows
> 
> Support for Windows XP is ending on April 8, 2014.
> Support for Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) ended on July 12, 2011.
> ...


 No Security Updates?
Isn't that Critical Updates from MS?


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

Uh, yep. XP has SP3; so it essentially means if you're running XP SP 2, you won't get security updates.

This being said, if the natives are restless enough, I HAVE seen Microsoft change those numbers. But in general, yes, that's what it means.

And you don't have to crown me supreme King. Just plain old "Kung" will do. :gaptooth:


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

arabian knight said:


> No Security Updates?
> Isn't that Critical Updates from MS?


It's true that you won't want to be online without security updates, but by the time extended support ends you won't want XP anyway. The thing is that XP compatible hardware & software is getting harder to find, and that trend will continue. The day will come when you'll need an application that simply won't run on XP, so you won't have a lot of choice. Upgrade is inevitable. I was a stubborn hold-out for Win98 but eventually had to go to XP for that reason well before the end of extended support.

But it's not going to be expensive. Even today there are Windows 7 capable dual-core processor laptops that are coming off corporate lease. You can pick-up a used Windows 7 laptop at eBay for under $150, delivered.

DELL LATITUDE D620 CENTRINO DUO FULLY LOADED WIN 7 PRO 2.5GB MEM DVD RW/CDRW 890552699575 | eBay

Just imagine what you can find at eBay two years from now. It won't make sense to hang-on to an XP machine.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

Nevada said:


> It's true that you won't want to be online without security updates, but by the time extended support ends you won't want XP anyway. The thing is that XP compatible hardware & software is getting harder to find, and that trend will continue. The day will come when you'll need an application that simply won't run on XP, so you won't have a lot of choice. Upgrade is inevitable. I was a stubborn hold-out for Win98 but eventually had to go to XP for that reason well before the end of extended support.
> 
> But it's not going to be expensive. Even today there are Windows 7 capable dual-core processor laptops that are coming off corporate lease. You can pick-up a used Windows 7 laptop at eBay for under $150, delivered.
> 
> ...


So true. I remember moving up to XP I had to get a New Printer, and scanner~!
No drivers were made for those older printers, scanners etc. And I REALLY miss the very good standalone scanner I had~! REALLY miss it.
Now I have 3 in one, not nearly the software was with it like the old H-P Scanner had.
They want you to BUY the things now, all they offer is the basic software and that is it.

But in the case of which I responding to was really not XP, but the OP had Vista, and I bet you will agree that was really not a very good OS from MS. LOL


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