Might give it a go as I have nothing to loose


Yer the product key is on a sticker on it :)

Might not need the disc, my old Vaio has the default preloaded install on the hard drive.

Just F10 / F2 it and see what happens :)

You can get an XP Pro copy off torrents etc...If you have a sticker on your laptop of your License key you can use it. You will then need to resource various drivers for your graphics/sound etc.. Although you can sometimes download these from the manufacturers website.

Dont thinK I can do it anyway the OS disc seems to have gone walk abouts, fuck knows where it is as the laptop is about 5 years old :lol:

Nope it step by step. If it's recovery software you have then it should contain all the drivers to get you back to a factory state. If it's just an OS disc then you may have to download and install drivers once up and running. Make sure you get windows firewall up or Zone Alarm on before you connect on the net for the first time even for windows updates.

If I go system restore is it like a step by step thing to follow. Also dont need anything other then the operating system disc that it came with do I before I do it

f10 on start up or insert the disc

or system restore from your control panel

basically my laptops got so much virus and spyware crap on it it doesnt work properly anymore.
I dont really need any of the files that are on there is there a way I can completly remove everything to get rid of all the faults and start over?

Cheers Gavin


Windows XP if that makes any difference