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[jonny2112]

My daughter has a 10" notebook computer which is running a bit slow and is 'clogged up' with stuff! I would like to reformat it, and start from scratch. It is currently running Windows 7 Starter, which is good enough, though I would consider upgrading it at the same time. Just wondering how you would do this without a disc drive?

TIA 

[TheBoy]

Sounds like a Netbook. Likely Atom CPU and NM10 Chipset. Not much you can do, nature of the beast.

For Win 7, 2Gb RAM and an SSD will be about the most you can do.

[CaptainZok]

There may be a recovery partition with a copy of the factory installed os.
Otherwise either plug in a usb dvd drive or copy the windows install to a usb drive and run from there. Google Windows 7 USB DVD download tool that will put your copy of windows on a usb stick.

[Victor Meldrew]

Too slow, as CaptainZok says, does it have a recovery partition? Do see any messages during boot to press a key (usually on of the 'F' keys) to enter recovery?

[jonny2112]

Sorry it is a netbook. Atom N270, with 1GB RAM.
I'll have a look at the start up re recovery option, though from memory it goes straight to the loading screen rather than any sort of BIOS options.

[Grrrrrr]

A neighbour of mine had similar problems and when I looked there was some music torrent software on there and half the world downloading from her computer. Cannot remember the name of the software but might be worth checking for that sort of thing first!

[Kevin Wood]

Sorry it is a netbook. Atom N270, with 1GB RAM.
I'll have a look at the start up re recovery option, though from memory it goes straight to the loading screen rather than any sort of BIOS options.

Hmm. Not really up to running Win 7 even before it gets clogged up with junk software, as said. Mine barely runs ran XP at an acceptable speed before it got replaced with Linux.

Pretty sure it'll have a rescue partition on it somewhere, so google the model and find out how to get the BIOS to restore it, after backing up anything that needs to be saved.

[johnnybbad]

If you have a recovery cd then you can transfer it with a normal pc onto a usb memory stick

But you will have to make the usb stick bootable to use it

[tunnie]

Not much experience with netbooks, but I'd look at upgrading the RAM to 2GB. 

[TheBoy]

Hmm. Not really up to running Win 7 even before it gets clogged up with junk software, as said. Mine barely runs ran XP at an acceptable speed before it got replaced with Linux.

IME, I found my (then similarly specced) Atom netbook actually ran Win7 better than it ran XP  .  I was a little surprised myself, as the reason for downgrading to XP was Win7 with 1G was too slow to boot. I don't use standby much, as I don't use the machine enough, so its always a full boot.

So went back to Win7 upgraded to 2Gb, ripped out the spinny platter thingie and slapped in an SSD.  Now, quite usable, despite the HP build, and all junk I've slapped on.

Overall, I'd say mine is quite usable now, but at a cost.  I have an occasional need for a netbook sized PC, so was worth me spending £80ish to get it to that state (cheaper now of course).  Personally, I would never recommend a Netbook unless you had the very specific need for that size.

As to Linux, I did slap OEL on mine for a very specific work related reason  , and it stayed on for a few weeks.  Text based (my preferred way of using Linux) was fine, as soon as X was fired up, it was a bit of a dog.  Again, I rarely use standby as I don't use it enough, and the battery is flat by next time I go to use it .  Admittedly, OEL probably isn't the leanest build, being a 100% clone of RHEL.  Linux didn't stay on it as if I wanted an OS thats incompatible with everything, I'll use my tablet, which starts quicker, and I find faster and nicer to use than Netbook+Linux.  Horses for courses

[mathewst]

I'd also advise not to use Win7 on that configuration.
Simply lacks the juice for win7
Although xp is pretty outdated now.
As TheVoy suggested put more RAM in it and see about hard drive, but I'm not sure how viable an option this is (depends how old an laptop is)

[mathewst]

TheVoy

ups sorry typo error I meant TheBoy

[TheBoy]

I'd also advise not to use Win7 on that configuration.
Simply lacks the juice for win7
Although xp is pretty outdated now.
As TheVoy suggested put more RAM in it and see about hard drive, but I'm not sure how viable an option this is (depends how old an laptop is)

Most netbooks are similar spec.  a 2Gb memory module is around £20 (sadly, you'll have to throw away the original module).  For SSDs, I will only use Crucial m4 at the moment, so a 64Gb will be around £50, 128Gb about £90.

[zirk]

Win 7 really needs 2gb Ram on an Atom Netbook, you could also try slapping in a 4gb SD Card in and configure it for ReadyBoost Cashe to help speed up graphics / Video.

Other than that keep it clean, get rid of as many Start Up Programs that are not required plus any other rubbish running in the background and thats about as good as it gets for the Atom IMHO.

[TheBoy]

Win 7 really needs 2gb Ram on an Atom Netbook, you could also try slapping in a 4gb SD Card in and configure it for ReadyBoost Cashe to help speed up graphics / Video.

Other than that keep it clean, get rid of as many Start Up Programs that are not required plus any other rubbish running in the background and thats about as good as it gets for the Atom IMHO.

How does that work then, as Readyboost is a disk cache?