System Restore

[imnotmikal]

Ok so, I recently got a new laptop.
My old one (I'm using it now) sucks pretty bad.
I can't really do anything.

Does anyone know how to completly restore this?

Toshiba Satellite something or other. If you need the complete name/number thing I'll find it later.

Anyway, I wish for EVERYTHING to be wiped from it. Programs, files, even the OS. I have a disk with the new OS I will be installed (Ubuntu) so yeah.

How do I do it?

PS- I do not curently know where my Toshiba Restore disk is. I wish to do without that...

[TheB1GDude]

If you just want to to wipe it then you don't really need to do a restore.
Just bring up a command prompt (Start - Run - CMD)
Type FORMAT C:
Press Enter
Bamm system is blank.....

Also why ubuntu if you want to experience linux there are in my opinion a number of better than ubuntu free operating systems.....

[REDisFASTER]

Care to elaborate on the better linux distros?

I think many people choose Ubuntu or its other versions due to laziness and the fact that ubuntu will ship you a CD right to your door... :/

[TheB1GDude]

Well the fact that ship to you is pretty sweet.... but I don't like the overall look and feel of ubuntu...

I actually prefer the linux live CD's you download and burn the image then stick it in your CD drive and reboot, it loads and auto configures itself and you are ready to rock.... the more advanced live CD's access your harddrive and store information on what you download and install, the more simple ones revert to default....

[EDIT] Sorry forgot the alternatives:

uBuntu
kBuntu - uses KDE rather than GNOME
LinuxMint

Linux Live:

I'll just point you here:

http://www.frozentech.com/content/livecd.php

My favorite is Knoppix......

[imnotmikal]

Just to let you know, its Ubuntu and Kubuntu. Not uBuntu and kBuntu.
Kubuntu is an actual word. It means 'free' in some language, and something else in another. Forgot what though. Lol.

I chose Ubuntu becuase its pretty much the only linux OS I've heard anyone really say anything good about. Plus I already downloaded the .iso and burnt it to a disk.

Also, for some reason, the hard drive is partitioned into C: and D:
C has like 7GB and D is about 60GB.
Should I run the FORMAT thing on both?
Also, how can I un-partition it?
I don't care if I have to pay for it.

[TheB1GDude]

You can use an MS DOS app called FDISK to unpartion them and delete all of the data currently on there.....

[imnotmikal]

Forget that, instead, I am keeping XP, but installing a dual-boot with Ubuntu.

So, when format the D drive, will it reformat to FAT32 that its in? I would prefer it to be in NTFS, if I could.

[TheB1GDude]

It will reformat into NTFS or FAT32 depending on what you pick and if you plan on keeping Windows XP then you can use the built in Windows graphical format tool rather than a command line one.....

Make sure you check what UBuntu needs, i.e. NTFS vs FAT32, as that will be the deciding factor on which to format it as.....

[imnotmikal]

I couldnt find the formatter tool, so I did the comand line.

Enter current volume label for drive D:

What does that mean?

[TheB1GDude]

volume label is the name you want to give it, i.e. my d drive, if you leave it blank it doesn't make any difference.

The windows GUI tool can be found by right-clicking the drive and going into properties....

[imnotmikal]

Ok, in the Windows GUI tool, what is Allocation unit size?
Options are: Default, 512 bytes, 1024 bytes, 2048 bytes, and 4096 bytes.

Which do I choose?

[TheB1GDude]

Default all the way my friend.....

[imnotmikal]

Thanks!

Ugh, now its telling me programs are running from D:
So now I'm off to figure out what I'm running, then I'll be on the highway to Ubuntu...

[TheB1GDude]

Originally Posted by imnotmikal

Thanks!

Ugh, now its telling me programs are running from D:
So now I'm off to figure out what I'm running, then I'll be on the highway to Ubuntu...

If you have a Windows install CD then you can boot it up go into the install and it will let you delete the partition and anything on it, FDISK will let you do the same.... your problem then will be that windows will error like a ***** the next time you boot it because half of your program files will be missing.....

Uninstalling will be longer but safer!!

[imnotmikal]

Well, I decided not to reformat, and just went ahead with installation.
So far, Ubuntu is great!