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Question

I just recently got a re-install cd to re-install my inspiron 6000. So i started by backing up everything on a cd and then went through the whole re-installation. When it was finished it setup a new administrator account and I just followed along. So anyways, I get through everything and I dont know if this is supposed to be this way but all my files were still there?! They were'nt installed but they were sitting in program files. So I deleted them, seeing they did me no good. From there, I installed everything back from my backup cd, and downloaded necesary drivers from dell and everything is fine but I have some concerns:

-At some point after I had been using windows and installing programs, even being online sometimes, when i went to sign online (dial up) it got all the way to the last step (netzero-logging on)and the blue screen appears, i cant remember what it said and its ok if you guys cant help on that cuz it is working now, but it happened over and over and then it just worked. So I just dont want to know what to do if it happens again.

-My old Administrator account is still on my computer along with 2 other admin accounts set up by windows, and I want to completely delete all of them besides my new one, without losing my current account files.

I went on one of my administrator accounts and starting deleting programs, then went back to my new admin acc. and the programs delted from the old acc. had also delted from the new one!? Do I just go on user accounts from control panel and delete accounts (can you delete an account you are logged on to, cuz thats how i'd have to do it-log on to an acc. delete)? Will that erase all files from my new one!! And this is another thing, my free space on my hard drive is LESS then what it was before the re-installation process! I kinda wish now i would of never done any of this.Can anyone help? Im just so confused. sorry for the length

-Chad

spychad · Answer

ok if i go into user accounts from running: control userpasswords2 and delete the one i dont want (it says its built in for administering the computer/domain)will it erase my new one? I would delete the one I'm on and just move to the built in one but on the that one, the internet problem is still there and on my video game(battlefield 2) it shuts-down when im at a certain point(loading a map)! so I dont know what to do! Since i still have the backup cd's, is there a way to delete EVERYTHING and start over? from a full hard drive? not like last re-install?

ward733 · Answer

If you used the windows operating system cd you needed to  delete the partition and reformatt the hard drive in the process. If not the only thing that you had acomplished was a kind of repair where the registry is reset... If the system is working to your satisfaction than great if not you will need to get to the steps in the blue screen where your previous installation in windows is and delete it and recreate a new one and then tell windows to install there.. Good Luck..

spychad · Answer

k so before i insert the re-install cd, i click my computer then right click the hard drive and click format? then insert the re-install disk? and when you format a drive by right clicking it, will it erase all the programs and everything but not the windows needed files for start up and such?

jec4312 · Answer

no I don't think you can format the hard drive from within windows, and formatting a drive does delete all the data on it. You will have to boot from the reinstall cd. You will have to reinstall all the programs you have installed previously. A repair (if your cd has this option) will not delete everything. (I think I have got this right!)

spychad · Answer

alright. i guess what i have to do is make the install cd bootable, then that will make it erase everything and i jsut have to install my programs back.

spychad · Answer

ok i just erased the account that i wanted to keep on purpose because i solved the problem with the other admin account (blue screen when connecting and video game).. BUT i didnt delete it from user account-control panel. because when i went under there it showed the account but it didnt give me a choice of deleteing it! so i ran 'control userpassword2' and removed it from there, and it seemed too quick so i checked my hard disk space and it was the same from before the delete (34.7gb/69.8) and i went to 'C:\Documents and Settings' and it shows that the account is still there along with 7 other ones including guest, but when i look on useraccounts from control panel it shows just the guest!! and i am logged on to the built in admin?! And i know it should be alot more hard drive space because i have only like a couple programs just under 1gb! soo please help Message Edited by spychad on 10-04-2006 10:46 PM

jec4312 · Answer

hi, I'm afraid I can't work out why you have so much less free space now. I know sometimes when installing the operating system the temporary files created that should be automatically deleted are not. You could try a search for .tmp files just to see. re user accounts, I don't think you can delete administrator accounts that windows creates if that is what you are trying. If you have a user account that you have created, and no longer wish to use, I think it's better to disable such accounts rather than delete them. I'm afraid I'm not being too much help as I am a bit confused as to how you have got to where you are, but one thing I will suggest is that you don't use the main administrator account (created by windows) too often unless you absolutely have to. It's best to create your own account which you give admin privileges for say downloading software.

spychad · Answer

yeah i get what your saying and i think the way i got to this point is because i first did an upgrade of windwos from the re-instalation by accident then i did a new installation but not from boot , so i talked to a dell tech and they said if i start up the cd on boot and go through the process it should make it back to a fresh mode! soo sorry for any confusion and thank you guys so much for all your help.

-Chad

jec4312 · Answer

yes, I think that is the best way to go. Good luck, and let us know how you get on!

spychad · Answer

k just got done re-installing everything.. so far so good, still gotta work on my game because it is saying my key is been used ! (well yeah before the re-install) soo other than that, things are good.

jec4312 · Answer

hi, glad to hear everything seems back to normal now and thanks for letting us know. re your key, if you mean the number you have to type in when you reinstall, you may have to ring Microsoft and explain what has happened. If it's a key relating to a software program can't help on that!

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