[Daffypuck]

My girlfriend gave me her Gateway laptop to attempt to fix. I'm not computer savy like she thinks I am. So I figured I'd get some here from the forum. Her laptop is full of spyware, malware & just plain jacked up. I want to format the HD erasing everything and re-install XP. I have the XP disc and keys. How do I do it? Any links would be cool.

[YRTNEG]

Put disk in, press F4 boot from CD, Format HDD :) or download boot and nuke burn to CD and to same

[Daffypuck]

Here's what pops up:

Stop:c0000218 {registry file failure}
The registry cannot load the hive (file):
\systemroot\system32\config\software
or its log or altrenate.
it is corrupt, absent, or not writable

beginning dump of physical memory
physical memory dump complete
Contact you tech support ot sytem admin

[4D(Fordy(Ford) Ollie]

When does that come?

[Daffypuck]

I push power and the XP screen load screen appears for a few moments, then the msg comes. I've tried to boot via the CD drive and I get that message as well. I've tried getting into save mode and nothing.

[Carbon]

Then use Boot and Nuke.

[Daffypuck]

Thats why Ive come hee to ask. I dont even know what that means. I do have the original XP disc that came with the computer 7 the keys. I'll look it up tonight after work and if I cant figure it out, I'll be back here. Thanx

[4D(Fordy(Ford) Ollie]

It's an application. Download DBAN here

[Bubba]

I'm partial to Heidi.IE myself.............

http://www.heidi.ie/node/6

LOL i just saw that Hedi's uses DBAN for it's nuke disc feature...........

[Daffypuck]

Hell, I cant get it to boot DBAN. Ive gone into settings to ensure that it boots from the cd drive and I still get the same error messages. I'll try a thumb drive and see if it works from there. Well, now that I look at it, all I could download was the floppy/usb option. When I download the CD/DVD app, all i get is an ISO file. Am I supposed to just burn that straight to a CD??