Many new computers no longer come with a Windows CD. This can be confusing when you need to reinstall Windows or if you want to format your hard drive and do a clean install. So I will try to explain how to restore your computer without the CD if you are in this situation. If this doesn't help as the procedures are different for each PC, please respond to the thread with the make and model of your system and I will respond with the correct restore procedure.
1. Reboot your computer and press 'F10' (This may be 'F8', 'F11', or 'F2' key on some computers) key numerous times after you see the bios screen (the part where you first see black and white text). Stop when you see a menu selection.
2. On the Menu you should be presented with a few options like repair or system repair, restore or system recovery. This is different for each manufacturer.
3. Normally if you want to restore your computer back to its default settings, you will select the restore option and then be presented with a warning that all your data will be deleted and that the computer will be set to manufacturer default settings.
4. Hopefully you have made a back up of all your data. If you have, select the option to restore your computer. If not restart your PC and try to recover your data. In the same menu, you may be presented with an option to run system repair or safe mode. Try doing this so that you can get to your data and perform a backup.
5. After you have performed the system restore, your computer should be back the way it was when you first purchased it. After this has been completed, download every Microsoft update you can find using the Windows Update, install an Antivirus program like a great free one called Microsoft Security Essentials, and then you can begin installing any additional programs.
If at anytime during the restore process, the computer is unable to perform the restore, then this may indicate a problem with the computer, normally a hard drive failure. Again, if you have any problems with this process, please respond to the thread. I will try to be more specific for your brand of computer. The point I wanted to make here is that you can restore your computer without a CD if it is a newer computer. This is possible as the manufacturers like to install a recovery image on a separate partition on the hard drive. Some newer computers also come with a booklet showing you how to create a backup image of this drive on a CD or DVD. Please do this as it can be very difficult to get a copy of the image from the manufacturer in case the hard drive with that data is damaged or that partition is formatted or deleted.
