Full system restore questions

[Ruin]

Ok recently I got a brand new computer with Vista, and my old one is still decent and runs ffxi just fine on XP. Anyway, when the hackings etc started goin around, I stopped playing it all on PC. I dont want to use ffxi on my new computer, because many websites etc, are being used on it always. So I want to completely wipe my old computer and have ffxi only on it to play on PC once again and be 100% safe.

1) Is it simple to completely erase everything and do a full system restore? If so how is the best way>

2) I only have the Vista back up disc for a windows program..that came with my new computer. Will I be able to use this disc and if so how?

[shaddix]

if you want to do a full reinstall and it be 100% safe i wonder do you have any compsavvy friends you could ask to help you out?

[Epical]

If your XP computer is a retail PC and not a custom-built, they should've included a "Restore/Recovery" feature that you see when you're first booting up (activated by a keypress like F11). From there, you can completely reformat and reinstall Windows based off the recovery partition of the hard drive. Again, this is only possible if you're using a computer made by a company (HP, Gateway, Acer, etc).

Otherwise you'll need to boot off a Windows disc and go with the reformat/reinstall that way.

[Vyvian]

Yeah, who made your old computer, and what model is it, then we might be able to tell you if there is a built in automated restore feature.

[Ruin]

Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.00GHz, was made custom by a local company called intro systems. Its says ASUS AS T2 on the front of it. I dont think itll have a windows XP recovery program but I really dunno. I wouldnt mind trying to use the Vista back up disc I got with new computer anyways, if that is possible?

As for the full system delete, Is it that complicated, not just a few clicks and you're computer gets wiped? And then you would need a windows disc to get it goin after its been fully wiped?

[Rags]

Just run a few different virus and spyware programs should keep you safe enough from the hacks. Pretty much anything that they use would have been detected by those programs. Unless you been a bad boy/girl and put a ton of stuff in your registry.

You can always just uninstall programs, chkdisc your hard drive to get rid of temp files and other junk and then run a disc defrag which will free up allot of space and make the system run a little smoother. Other then that set your firewall to protect and avoid using I.E and you should be fine.

Its been a few years since I did a full wipe of my system. I think you put your windows disc into the system and reboot. IT will then give you a few options. like check for missing files and uninstall windows from the HD. Then you will be able to fresh install windows. Then your stuck with the lovely job of reinstalling everything back on your system. Drivers, Patches, FFXI.

But since you don't have a Windows disc your either forced to buy one or torrent one off a site and then burn it to a cd. Your vista recovery disc wont work.