Reinstalling Windows
If you need to install from a normal Windows CD and it does not contain the specific drivers for your PC, you should load the files and update drivers you downloaded, before loading anything else. In case you have recently added hardware to your computer except the Random Access Memory (RAM), you need to update those drivers also.
But before you go for the reinstallation, you should take some precautionary steps to keep the contingencies at bay. Setting up of a restore point on which you can fall back is the most important step.
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• Click on ‘Start’
• Select ‘Help and Support’
• Select ‘Undo Changes with System Restore’ under Pick a Task
• Type in a description, the Windows will add the date and time.
• Click on ‘Create’ and close the Help window.
After completing the above, load the following files and drivers in the sequence mentioned below.
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• Install Service Pack 1 and then the chipboard driver downloaded for the motherboard.
• Now install Network Drivers and then the sound card drivers
• Now install other peripherals like printer, modem, scanner and digital camera etc from their installation CDs.
• At this stage you can a do a quick clean up of your computer, check the volume for errors and defrag the disk to boost up the overall performance of your PC. You may also skip and this and perform later on.
• Remove the Windows CD from the drive, power off your PC and plug in all your peripherals including modem, network cable, loud speakers, 3G card and printers. In case if you use a flash disk, plug it.
• Turn your PC on. If you did not install any plug and play device, the Windows should install it after you power it on.
• Now to safeguard your computer, set the administrator password, before you install your user applications.
• Right click on ‘My Computer and select Manage. Select ‘Local Users and Groups’ and click on ‘Users’, right click on Administrator and click on ‘Set Password’. At this point make sure that the firewall is on. For this select ‘Control Panel/Security Center/Mange the Security Setting for Windows Firewall/On.
• Now, set the ‘Network Workgroup’
• Right click on My Computer and select Properties. Select Computer Name, update the Computer Description and select Change.
• Now use Internet Connection Wizard, connect to the internet and check whether everything is functioning properly. Also check your email program.
• Now for safety reasons, create another restore point as described earlier.
• Now install your applications.
In order to enhance the speed of your computer you can do the following
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• Optimize your system registry
• Remove applications that you do not use, and are unlikely to use in the future
• Remove your temp data, Favorite, Browser history and Bookmark list.
• Make sure your computer is free from viruses, spywares and other infection.
• Kill all the superfluous startup applications.
• Try to free your PC’s memory from time to time.
• Schedule clean up software to run automatically
• Defrag and organize the disks
• Tweak and tune up your PC