In the event of a crashed or infected computer, wiping and reloading your operating system is often the only option. To reformat your computer, you will need to load your Windows Vista recovery DVD and reinstall your operating system. Once loaded the Vista setup will guide you through the installation process, so this part doesn't require explaining. However, getting into the Vista setup requires a setting in your computer's BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) to be changed from the default.
Instructions
1. Enter your computer's BIOS menu. Start your computer and wait for the system boot screens to appear. Once the boot screen appears, look for instructions for entering setup, BIOS, or something similar. Follow the on-screen instructions and you will be taken to the BIOS menu.
2. Browse through the various BIOS settings (without changing any) until you find the "Boot" (or similarly named) section. Here you may change the primary boot device from the hard drive (default) to your DVD/CD drive (necessary for loading the Vista recovery DVD). Once located, change the "Initial" or "Primary" boot device to DVD/CD drive.
3. Insert your Vista recovery disk into your DVD/CD drive, then save your changes and exit the BIOS menu. Options for saving and exiting will be in the lower-right hand corner of the screen. Once exited, your computer will reboot and run the Vista recovery DVD. Wait for the setup to load and follow the onscreen prompts.
Tags: your computer, Vista recovery, BIOS menu, boot device, computer BIOS, computer will