Questions on reformatting Windows 7 on a Toshiba Satellite L455

[dannyual767]

My wife's 1 yr old laptop has been flawless until it started acting funny about 2 weeks ago. The DVD drive started making a lot of whirring noise going fast and then slow. Not only that, but the computer started running very slowly. Web pages that previously loaded much faster than my old Toshiba XP laptop were now much slower to load. When closing out webpages or other tabs, the computer is very slow to do so. Almost like it's momentarily freezing up.

Not only that, but when typing an email, the computer will freeze as you type and then all of a sudden it'll display the last 10 letters that you typed!

My wife ran CCleaner and did a system restore. No luck. We've now tried a reformat but the problems are still there !

I'd like some details on the reformatting process for Windows 7. I'm very familiar with XP since I've done it 10-12 times over the last few years. Whenever I reformat XP, I have to reactivate Windows by entering my XP key from the sticker on the bottom of the laptop. However, with my wife's laptop, I never had to reactivate W7. I'm thinking that it has something to do with the reformat option that I chose. I may have reformatted using the hard drive partition even though the computer asked me to load the recovery discs.

I'd like to try another reformat option that might be a "more complete" wipe of the hard drive and a "more complete, clean" install. On the other hand, I'm concerned since the W7 key on the sticker (on the bottom of the laptop) is now illegible. Some of the letters are rubbed off!

I know I'm talking in circles. Please ask me any questions and I'll answer them as best as I can. I'm no newbie to computers but I'm very inexperienced with W7. Thanks in advance and hopefully I can get my wife's computer back up and running for her.

 

[KSoD]

To reformat Win7 is the same thing as it was for XP. Insert the disk, start the install process, format, install the OS. The difference maybe is that your doing a system restore to factory settings and not formatting and reinstalling completely. There is a difference.

To do the full format and reinstall you must make sure you have a Win7 OEM DVD that you can use to restore the OS onto the laptop with. then just follow this guide:

http://www.techist.com/forums/f127/gparted-usage-tutorial-224994/

To format and then insert the Win7 DVD and install.

 

[dannyual767]

To reformat Win7 is the same thing as it was for XP. Insert the disk, start the install process, format, install the OS. The difference maybe is that your doing a system restore to factory settings and not formatting and reinstalling completely. There is a difference.

To do the full format and reinstall you must make sure you have a Win7 OEM DVD that you can use to restore the OS onto the laptop with. then just follow this guide:

http://www.techist.com/forums/f127/gparted-usage-tutorial-224994/

To format and then insert the Win7 DVD and install.

Mak213, I'm pretty sure that the "recovery discs" that my wife burned when the laptop was brand new are not what you're talking about, right?

 

[KSoD]

They could be. Some manufacturers are and some arent. You will have to contact them to find out. If not just go here:

How to replace Microsoft software or hardware, order service packs, and replace product manuals

Order yourself a disk right from Microsoft.

 

[dannyual767]

Mak, I've been looking at the MS website and it looks like I'd have to get a disc from Toshiba. They want $25 to ship the discs and I don't think that there is anything wrong with the "recovery" discs that my wife burned a year ago. I think that they are just fine but I must be selecting the wrong option during the reformat/restore process.

I'm going to try it again and choose a different option.

The thing that concerns me is the MS product activation key on the sticker located on the bottom of the laptop. Hers has several of the numbers/letters that are now illegible. During my reformat attempt earlier today, I must have "restored" the computer instead of actually reformatting since it never asked me to activate her copy of Win7.

If I do a true, clean install reformat, I'm sure I'm going to have to activate Win7. Is there anywhere else this key may be? Is it on the box that the computer came in? The box is up in the attic and I'm sure I can find it. If not, do you think that I can call the MS Supplemental Parts Team and explain to them? I've got the receipt from the original purchase of the laptop from Best Buy.

.....If I do a true, clean install reformat, I'm sure I'm going to have to activate Win7. Is there anywhere else this key may be? Is it on the box that the computer came in? The box is up in the attic and I'm sure I can find it.....

What was I thinking? Of course its not on the box. If it were, then anybody could easily steal it.

 

[KSoD]

You will have to call Microsoft to activate. There is a way to do it over the phone.

 

[dannyual767]

You will have to call Microsoft to activate. There is a way to do it over the phone.

Sometime after New Year's, we'll give MS a call and talk to them about it. Right now, the computer is quite usable but we can tell that it's not running 100% properly. It is definitely slower than before but it beats not being able to use it at all or having to spend $100+ on a new copy of Win7. Thanks, Mak213.

Danny