Windows 7 forum: Windows 7 reformat without a cd key

No need to get it working as it's a return. Just research DBAN and use this machine to learn about that.
Bob

Not clear what you did, but probably you did it wrong.
Things that aren't clear:
"downloaded onto a CD"
"formatted onto the disc"
"the instructions run in text"
"I ran another program"

Since you ran another program, I suppose you don't need to run DBAN anymore. So your problem is solved?

Just in case it isn't: did you use IMGBURN to burn it to a disk?

Kees

Ok Kees, do me a favor, walk me through this step by step please, I'm not really into this crap and been playing with it for a couple days now. I downloaded a virus and want to wipe the drive, went on youtube and several people recommended using DBAN, so i followed the instructions and put it onto a DVD-R 4X. the only thing that came up was the written instructions, not the program itself. what I did wrong, I have no idea. Now that other way you said to do it, wasn't the way that came when I downloaded it, but if you could walk me through that, i'll try that way....... Thanks.....

OK all I did was follow the instructions, and thats what I got. Ok you want to burn IMGBURN. Now will that wipe the drive clean, and do I really need the Win 7 OS disc to restart the system when it does cleaning the drive, because I don't have it.

But Ed, how do wipe the drive without the disc, Microsoft says you need the the OS Disc before you could wipe the drive, it's a little confusing to me.....

Thats what the girl Tech from Microsoft said on the "Live Chat" Line. OK so I do need the OS Disc. I thought there was a part inside that keeps the OS in there, no matter what you do from the outside. I'm telling you I know nothing about this crap. But now I do. Well Part B to this was I asked her what were to happen if I started the drive back up using a OS XP disc from my desktop, and she said it would tell it's the wrong disc.
So my new question is, if I wipe the drive clean and theres no more of anything left behind, how would the machine no it's the wrong Dsic (XP) ???

Now thats lot more understandable. So basically I need the original Win 7 Disc and the Recovery Discs from HP. Will I need anything else, virus protection, etc...I already have MS Essentials, which i really don't know what the Hell that does if these viruses get through. Or it catches them right after they already get through, and by that time it's a little to late at least in this case.....
I was watching this guy on YouTube, he had Reformatted his "XP". And before and after he ran like three different virus scan products, and what one didn't pick up, the other did. And after all of that, he still wasn't able to get all of them. But the number did go from the thousands to about 2 & 7.
How many dam virus protection systems do you need for these dam things and how do you know which one to get and which is better than the next. Your Brain needs a computer just to remember what the Hell your doing. His video was about, I think 23 min. I was taking notes as I watched him.
But by min 9, my brain was fried again. I just watched the rest of it and saved it to my favorites so I could go back to it. Thats why I said to you, I need someone with patients, to walk me through this crap.
My Comp guy I think is MIA, his phone is either down from the storm, just down, or he's swamped with work. the guy is excellent. I just give him my problem one day, go back the next, pay, which of course I hate, but you know what, sometimes you just have to because as you could see, I've been dealing with this since the 15th, and still no where to being even starting except making constant wrong moves.
Listen, I really appreciate your time dealing with mess with me, and never take it for granted.
Thanks Again Kees and to Ed ODaniel. I always love to learn new things, but this is a little challenging for me. So many things to do, and once, in my case, get started by time you it, the day is shot....

recovery partition and program you have no need to "wipe" or "Format" or "partition" or anything else because that is what the image the recovery program does.

The system is restored to factory condition and all personal data files as well as updates and programs installed by the user are eliminated.

Since a hard drive is storage think of it as a dresser drawer. When you got the dresser new it had nothing in the drawer. Over time you added some clothing and removed some clothing (on a hard drive that would equate to adding data files and applications and uninstalling some of them you didn't like).

If the dresser had a manual that told you that to restore the drawer to factory condition you should:
1. remove the drawer from the dresser and while holding the drawer over a trash bin
2. turn the drawer upside down and shake it vigorously (that would be like running the recovery program)
3. then to turn it rightside up and
4. re-insert it in the dresser (that is like rebooting the system after the recovery process)
5. I'll just bet that drawer would be EMPTY again just like when it came from the factory.

the appropriate link I offered earlier for the OS that came installed on your HP? The link will tell you what keys to press while booting the computer to access the PC Recovery utility.
http://forums.cnet.com/7723-19411_102-406537/windows-7-reformat-without-a-cd-key/#message3361009

Those links offer Step-by-step guidance for recovering the PC to its factory condition WITHOUT any RECOVERY DISKS.
http://forums.cnet.com/7723-19411_102-578120.html