Selling my laptop... how the heck...

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OnlyCurious

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I'm trying to sell my laptop and I need to erase all my files and set it back up as it was when I first bought it (original factory settings?)...

I know that dell partitioned a portion of my hdd with Windows XP Media Center... so how can I erase everything on my hdd and reinstall Windows XP MCE from the partition?

I'm lost... I've reformatted a computer before but that was with a reboot Windows XP reinstallation cd, not a partitioned Windows XP...
 
Have you tried accessing the partition and seeing if there is a image in there or something. Maybe you need a disc to boot from... I don't really know besides that.
 
It's a 10gig partition. I don't even know how to access it. It's a 60gb hdd and it only reads 49gb when I first bought the computer.


Anyone know how to erase everything and set the laptop into original state?
 
Sounds like a 'Host Protected Area'.

I don't know much about that, but perhaps knowing the name will help you search.

I've never had one, but if I remember right, you get to them from the bios...
 
At the POST screen, there should be an option to do a Recovery boot, or something like that (just watch what the big Dell logo comes up). I've had to do this on a few HP's, and usually at the POST screen, there's something like "Press XX to enter recovery" or something like that.
 
you can also make a CD for this. Go to dell's support site and look up your model for exact instructions. It will only let you make a single copy.
 
you can also make a CD for this. Go to dell's support site and look up your model for exact instructions. It will only let you make a single copy.

Do you know what the download file is called. I looked on dell support and I can't find anything that has to do with reinstalling anything...
 
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