Formatting a Laptop

[underdog]

I've formatted a lot of computers, but I've never formatted a laptop before. My laptop has slowed to a crawl, so I'd like to try giving it new life before I replace it. Is formatting a laptop going to be any different than formatting a desktop? I'm mostly concerned about all the on board stuff, specifically the network card.

Should I be concerned or is there anything different I'm going to need to do?

[JPMNICK]

I've formatted a lot of computers, but I've never formatted a laptop before. My laptop has slowed to a crawl, so I'd like to try giving it new life before I replace it. Is formatting a laptop going to be any different than formatting a desktop? I'm mostly concerned about all the on board stuff, specifically the network card.

Should I be concerned or is there anything different I'm going to need to do?

nah same shit, just go to the manufacture website beforehand and get all the drivers. same as a PC

[KingGeno]

nah same shit, just go to the manufacture website beforehand and get all the drivers. same as a PC

Indeed. This is so so so so important. If you can't, at least get the manufacturer's nic/wifi nic and video card drivers. You want to make sure you get the drivers from the manufacturer's website too.

And of course, back your stuff up.

Also, if you have a Dell and it is under warranty, do a live chat with technical support. They will give you a list of the drivers you need specifically for YOUR laptop, and give you the order they should be installed. Pretty nifty.

[hunnerbun]

.Also, if you have a Dell and it is under warranty, do a live chat with technical support. They will give you a list of the drivers you need specifically for YOUR laptop, and give you the order they should be installed. Pretty nifty.

HP will do the same thing. i just did this last week. The worst part was getting all the windows updates. I swear the format took about an hour all the updating shit took about 10 hours. I bet I restarted 8 or 10 times, no word of a lie!

[underdog]

Indeed. This is so so so so important. If you can't, at least get the manufacturer's nic/wifi nic and video card drivers. You want to make sure you get the drivers from the manufacturer's website too.

And of course, back your stuff up.

Also, if you have a Dell and it is under warranty, do a live chat with technical support. They will give you a list of the drivers you need specifically for YOUR laptop, and give you the order they should be installed. Pretty nifty.

I don't think its still under warranty, its over 3 years old.

I always downloaded the drivers after I formatted, so I'll make sure I download everything prior this time. Got everything backed up on an external hd, so I at least have that covered.

[KingGeno]

HP will do the same thing. i just did this last week. The worst part was getting all the windows updates. I swear the format took about an hour all the updating shit took about 10 hours. I bet I restarted 8 or 10 times, no word of a lie!

Windows Updates will ALWAYS take the longest. It stinks. And ya think with these super computers we have right now and fiber connections that updates wouldn't take long. I remember reading Bill Gates EPIC Email Rant (http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/141821.asp) from a while ago about Windows Updates. These are legit, and I chuckle.

[instrument]

Or dl ubuntu for it and you'll probably be a lot happier....

[MisterSmith]

iobit makes a product called Advanced SystemCare that you can download here.

It is good general purpose cleanup tool, but the thing you will be interested in right now is the Driver Backup function.

I don't have it installed in the computer I am working on today, but it is somewhere in the advanced system settings or tools. Kick it off and it will save all of your drivers in a Drivers folder in the program's folder.

It is good to download updated drivers from the manufacturer's site, but to fill in the gaps and get you running quickly, the driver backup is really useful.

[underdog]

Or dl ubuntu for it and you'll probably be a lot happier....

I think I may actually try that.

iobit makes a product called Advanced SystemCare that you can download here.

It is good general purpose cleanup tool, but the thing you will be interested in right now is the Driver Backup function.

I don't have it installed in the computer I am working on today, but it is somewhere in the advanced system settings or tools. Kick it off and it will save all of your drivers in a Drivers folder in the program's folder.

It is good to download updated drivers from the manufacturer's site, but to fill in the gaps and get you running quickly, the driver backup is really useful.

Your link isn't a link.

[KingGeno]

Advanced Systemcare is excellent.

I also use/recommend REVO Uninstaller, CCleaner, and IOBit SmartDefrag. All free, all awesome. All can be found on http://www.download.com (http://www.download.com/)

[MisterSmith]

Ugh! I am in hell today.

Sorry, here's the link (http://download.cnet.com/Advanced-SystemCare-Free/3000-2086_4-10407614.html?tag=mncol).

[MisterSmith]

Advanced Systemcare is excellent.

I also use/recommend REVO Uninstaller, CCleaner, and IOBit SmartDefrag. All free, all awesome. All can be found on http://www.download.com (http://www.download.com/)

All good programs. I use REVO and CCleaner all the time.

However, I tend to favor Auslogics Disk Defrag. Probably just because I have used it more, but still a very good product.

[underdog]

I think my laptop has developed intelligence.

It started deleting random programs a while ago, but now, I'm trying to copy certain disks so I can format it, and it has stopped recognizing the internal CD drive. If that isn't weird enough, it's stopped recognizing my external DVD burner.

I have no idea what is going on. I tried to use an older copy of XP I had, but the computer just spazzes and won't progress with it. I can't even format this fucking thing.

[TooLowBrow]

I think my laptop has developed intelligence.



exactly