Advise in reformating my computer ? and is it safe?

apparently i got a virus in my computer so i have to reformat it. ive been watching youtube on how to reformat. this will be my first time.. is it safe what should i avoid? for my computer not to get messed up while reformating it? ive been planing to do it soon but to afraid to mess it up.. suggestions?Advise in reformating my computer ? and is it safe?
do a clean install and boot from the install disk ... delete partitions ... make sure u have all ur drivers on hand .. disconnect peripheral equipment and unplug the internet until u finish and get a software firewall installed ... then go to windows update ..Advise in reformating my computer ? and is it safe?
You don't have to format your hard drive just because you got a virus. Look up how to clean that particular virus instead of looking up how to format your hard drive.
First of all, copy all the files you want to keep (documnets, photos, music, downloaded files etc.) to a CD, DVD or, if you have one, to another hard-drive.


With this done, you can proceed with the hard-drive formatting: insert a bootable diskette or CD, restart your computer, enter the BIOS setup program and set the drive you have the bootable disk into as the primary booting device. Save the settings and restart your computer.


As your computer boots and loads the OS on the bootable disk, read the help file to find out how to format your hard drive with that OS. If you want, you can patitionate your hard drive, so you'll be able to have more than one operating system on your computer (I managed to get three OSs on a single hard-drive) working independently. Format the partitions and set one of them as the active partition to be able to start installing an OS. After the formatting is done, restart your computer, boot again from the bootable disk you used first time, and start the installation of the operating system you want to install. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete successfully the installation.


If you partitioned your hard-drive and if you want to, you can now restart the computer and install another OS on another partition but be carefull not to let the second OS to format another partition than the one it's installing into.


Now you can set the hard-drive as the primary booting device in the BIOS setup program and the computer will boot directly from the hard-drive.
First of all you need to COPY all the files that you need to some other media, like a DVD.


Secondly you need to locate all the required installation CDs in order to RE-INSTALL Windows, Office and whatever other software you need.


Finally you need to locate all the CDs (or download the files) for your hardware. Some hardware is autonatically discovered by Windows but still you may require to find various drivers and software for some un-detected hardware.


Please note that when formating ALL the information on your drive is permanetely lost!
You should download MyDrivers from download.com to back up your drivers before you format.





formatting is simple and easy, pop in a windows CD and follow the instructions, there's nothing to it. We've all popped our formatting cherries before; it isn't anything huge.





You'll notice a significant change in your system after you'll format, it's gonna feel fresh. :)
Have you tried downloading an AVG anti-virus software and see if you get rid of the virus? Formating should only be used if you have no other choice.


If you do choose to format, the best way is to make sure you have your windows XP cd and Registration Key. After you have backed up all the programs you want to CD/DVD (which could also bring the virus over if you don't know where it is). Then just boot to the XP Cd. Clear the partion and create a new one of the same size and let windows install itself.
Don't forget to go to Windows Update and re-install all critical and security updates after you reformat. The act of reformating will, of course, erase these too. Depending on which version of Windows your are re-installing, it may take several trips to Windows Updates to get them all as there are many updates themselves that have been updated.





Keep going back, until WU says there is no more updates. You might need to download a 100 or more!





Until your computer is re-updated and re-patched, it will be at a huge risk, security-wise.





Good luck.