[ Solved ] Cleaning off all work

[Louise]

Hello

I STILL have a windows 8 computer. Not been collected yet

As I do not use this computer at all I would like to take off emails and other bits and pieces before it goes

I turned it on last night after many weeks of not using this

I see it has all my up to date emails, recent photos etc on that I have working with on my windows 7 machine

The question is .......... if I clear the windows 8 machine will this also affect my windows 7 machine and clear all my emails etc on this one?

Thank you

Louise

[Ray1000]

No Louise,

 

Your emails are "on the Internet" and you are signed in to your account on both machines to enable you to see them on both machines.

 

If you only signed out, logged off, on the Windows 8 laptop they would be no longer visible to anyone using that machine.

 

Similarly if you can see photos you have only produced since you stopped using the 8 machine these too must be "on the Internet" If they are in a different program you need to sign out of that as well .... on the Windows 8 laptop.

 

You could also return the Windows 8 machine to factory settings removing anything of yours without effecting your new one.

 

Be sure not to "Delete" anything from the Windows 8 machine as you will be deleting it from the Internet and making it unavailable from your new one ... an action replay of your lost email problem.

 

Ray

[KenB]

Hi Louise

 

Just to confirm what Ray has already told you ...

 

I see it has all my up to date emails, recent photos etc on that I have working with on my windows 7 machine

If you stored photos on the Win 7 machine ...and you can see them from the Win 8 machine they must be stored in "Cloud" or a similar internet based storage facility.

Is this the case ?

 

Similarly with your emails.

I know from your previous posts that you have an internet based email account.

This means that you ( and only you ) can access them from any computer .....presumably you have to log in to see them ?

If this is the case then your emails are not stored on either computer.

 

You may still have files / folders on the Win 8 machine.

Point the mouse curser to the top right corner of the screen ....then click on the Search Option ( the magnifying glass )

Type in the word ......documents ..... now hit ENTER

This will give you access to all files / folders

On the left side it will also show Music - Photos etc.

Take a look in these too - just to make sure that you have nothing stored there.

 

Whatever you want to take off you can transfer to a memory stick.

 

Ask if you are unsure about this or if you need further explanation. :)

[Louise]

Hello Ray 1000 and Ken

Thank you for the advice.

I think it would be best if I bought a memory stick and take off all my bits on the windows 8

I will then feel happier if I go back to basics

My email account, and other popular consumer sites I use - I always sign into - so these should not affect my windows 7 if I clear the windows 8

Have I got this right?

Thank you

Louise

[Plastic Nev]

If as you say things are on websites you have to sign on to in order to see them, then they would still be there whatever you do, in fact you could come to my house, use my computer to sign in and they would be there to see from here. So for those, you just need to sign out on the windows 8 computer.

 

By all means buy a memory stick as they are always useful for all sorts of data transfer and short term storage.

 

Nev.

[KenB]

Hi Louise

 

Once you have saved everything you want to onto the memory stick - put it in the Win 7 machine and make sure that you can open the files etc.

Once you have checked you can then go back to the Win 8 machine and delete everything that you do not wish others to see ....or ....you can use the recovery disks or recovery partition to take the Win 8 machine back to factory settings ......how it was when you first bought it.

[Ray1000]

There's an 8GB USB Flash Drive / Memory Stick at your local supermarket for £5.50.

 

I'm only repeating what has already been said here Louise ... When you set about removing the items from the Windows 8 machine don't have it connected to the Internet ... turn the WiFi off ... this way you won't be confused by what you have on the machine, and what is on the Internet.

 

If there's a delay in getting the memory stick you can have a practice following Ken's instructions and identify what is actually on the Windows 8 machine ... you might even gather everything together in one folder ready for transferring it over.

 

Ray

[Louise]

Thank you

That's me homework sorted for tonight!

Bye

Louise

[Louise]

Right.

Have been through windows 8 machine.

I have previously taken off what I use/want to keep. All this is on my windows 7 machne - so I know I have it

So nohting much on there

BUT having learnt from past mistakes will buy a memory stick before I clean anything

Would a 16GB be enough do you think?

Not sure

Louise

[Ray1000]

I only have a 2GB one Louise, which I use regularly for transferring things but empty it each time.

 

When I bought one recently for someone else to save 1500 photos (so they could view them on the TV) on I chose an 8GB one, it's about a quarter full.

 

If someone was giving them away I'd probably choose to have 2 x 8GB rather than one 16GB.

 

Other people may have a better idea.

 

Hope this helps

 

Ray

[Plastic Nev]

Under most circumstances and for most files or photo's 16 GB will be quite adequate.

If it were all video files, which are usually the biggest if in high definition, that stick would give you at least two hours or more of video.

Edit to add, Ray (Posted just before me) has maybe the better idea of getting two 8GB, depends on how far the cash can spread really.

 

Nev.

[Louise]

Hello

Right I will get a 8GB tomorrow

Thank you

Louise

[Louise]

Me again .... sorry .... nearly finished

I have put all that I think I may need on the memory stick. For good measure also took off lots of bits and pieces from my old faithful XP machine

Windows 8. I have had a look and clicked for england ....... but how do I go back to factory settings please. I remember finding it once but they were "dark times"!!!!!

Thank you

Louise

[KenB]

Hi Louise

 

Please post the Make and model number of the Win 8 laptop.

They are all a little different when it comes to Recovery to Factory Settings.

We can look it up and give you accurate advice knowing the Make and Model :)

[Louise]

Hello Ken

It is

ASUST. Model CM6730

Hope this helps

Louise

[Ray1000]

Apologies if it was me who first referred to it as a laptop ... it's a desktop

 

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/search-keywords/xx_xx_xx_xx_xx/cm6730/xx-criteria.html

 

Ray

[Louise]

Hello

Oh that's ok

That is the model I have as per your link

Louise

[KenB]

No problem Ray - I was too lazy to check ....so my fault :)

 

Louise - the instructions for Resetting your PC back to factory settings are below:

 

See page 60 of the manual

http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/Desktop/CM6730/E7593_CM6730.pdf

This will automatically download the manual for you.

 

Where it says "Select only the Drive where Windows is installed" this will be C:/ Drive [ or C:/ Partition ]

 

Check that you have everything off the Win 8 machine as this will take the system back to the way it was when it first came out of the box.

 

If you need any more help - just ask :)

[Louise]

Hello Ken

Thank you

Will follow that tomorrow

Louise

[Louise]

All done!!!! Phew! Nerve racking!

All cleared and back in box

All on memory stick

 

All that is left is for me to thank you all for your help and also for your continued patience!

 

I may be back with a few questions - but these will be "how do I do this or that".

 

Nothing as bad as recent times

 

Thank you all again

 

Louise

[Plastic Nev]

Hi Louis,

Thanks for the update and very glad all is sorted for now.

 

By all means do come back with any other questions, we are always glad to help.

 

Nev.

[KenB]

Well done Louise :)

 

I will mark this one as "Solved"