[Superkawaii]

hey guys so i want to install windows all over again , will this ensure that ever virus , rootkit , malware ect is gone?

i bought my laptop from bestbuy like 3 years ago but it didnt come with a cd but i own the license and product key its on the back of my laptop.

what would be the best way of doing this?

[Supreme‌‌‌‌‌‌‌]

Download the same Windows 7 (e.g. Home Premium, Ultimate), burn it to a cd or use a usb to make a bootable usb drive. Then, you can reinstall Windows that way. It will also ask for your product key.

Here is one way to make a bootable USB:
http://www.poweriso.com/tutorials/how-to...-drive.htm

[Nachfolger]

You should be able to hit restart then when it's turning back on hit esc or f1/f2/f9 I can't remember then you can reset it to factory

[Mr. 443]

if u have an HP then you might have a system restore option like i do. i have a drive in my laptop just for that purpose

[Aura]

hey guys so i want to install windows all over again , will this ensure that ever virus , rootkit , malware ect is gone?

i bought my laptop from bestbuy like 3 years ago but it didnt come with a cd but i own the license and product key its on the back of my laptop.

what would be the best way of doing this?

For what Windows 7 edition is your product key associated to ? You can always download official Windows 7 editions .iso from Microsoft's website.
Here's a link to a forum where all the official Windows 7 Pro. SP1 .isos are listed with their download link. All you have to do is to choose the language you want, and the version (32-bits and 64-bits).

http://www.w7forums.com/threads/official...ads.12325/

After you downloaded an .iso, you can either burn it to a DVD or put it on a USB and make that USB bootable. Both operation can be done via Microsoft's Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool, here :

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store?Acti...vd_dwnTool

[Superkawaii]

You should be able to hit restart then when it's turning back on hit esc or f1/f2/f9 I can't remember then you can reset it to factory

would restoring it to factory guarantee to remove all malware just like formating it?

---

the version of windows that im using is home premium QA

For what Windows 7 edition is your product key associated to ? Action=html&Locale=en_US&SiteID=msusa&pbPage=Help_Win7_usbdvd_dwnTool

[Aura]

would restoring it to factory guarantee to remove all malware just like formating it?

It won't do a complete wipe of your hard drive if that's what you're looking for. But there's REALLY small chances that the malware resist to a factory reset to be honest, as the whole OS is being rewritten on the hard drive and the malware is linked to it in some sort, so it would get "wiped" too.

Edit : Also, for Windows Home Premium, here :

Windows 7 Home Premium x86 with SP1 (bootable)
http://msft.digitalrivercontent.net/win/X17-24208.iso

Windows 7 Home Premium x64 with SP1 (bootable)
http://msft.digitalrivercontent.net/win/X17-24209.iso

Source : https://social.technet.microsoft.com/For...proinstall

[Polymath 1.0]

would restoring it to factory guarantee to remove all malware just like formating it?

---

the version of windows that im using is home premium QA

I strongly advise you to use the Factory Restore facility provided by your laptop's manufacturer. Not only will it return your O/S to the factory delivered state, including all the correct drivers, but also the manufacturer's offline activation which will leave the OEM:COA sticker on your computer unused. That restore provision is supplied in lieu of DVD media and is the same as formatting your systems O/S partition and reinstalling the O/S, from a safe, secure and known source. The factory restore partition is a compressed image and as such is inherently safe from viral infections which attack, infect and compromise individual files. Using the factory restore which formats the partition before restoring or utilizing formatting and installing from DVD is sufficient for all but rootkit eradication.

In the case of rootkits, formatting and installing from DVD media would not address those anyway, rather if you suspect rootkits specifically you SHOULD use Kaspersky's FREE anti rootkit tools http://support.kaspersky.com/5350 to scan for and address suspected issues.

Take care

[Cakey]

You can mount the files on a flashdrive and boot it from that. It's literally one google search away.

[Superkawaii]

for all but rootkit eradication.

In the case of rootkits, formatting and installing from DVD media would not address those anyway, rather if you suspect rootkits specifically you SHOULD use Kaspersky's FREE anti rootkit tools http://support.kaspersky.com/5350 to scan for and address suspected issues.

Take care

see thats what im worried about , even though i run those root kit scans and nothing pops up i just want to be super certain for piece of mind that everything is running from new

[Hydra93]

Best option is (personal experience) I did that kind of reboot few times:
1) Download Power Iso/ Deamon tools
2) Make virtual drive
3) Download win 7
4) Put windows 7 to virtual drive
5) just go to my computer, start boot from virtual drive
6) sit back and enjoy
Also feel free to PM me with questions if something is not working or need help.