restarting computer in DOS mode

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

I am running XP Home edition. I would like to restart my computer in DOS
mode (not MSDOS). Could anyone help me do this???

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

I would like to Format my C: drive. I have a nasty virus on my computer and
was planning on starting over. Any idea how to do this without going into
DOS mode?



"André Gulliksen" wrote:

> Stadly wrote:
> > I am running XP Home edition. I would like to restart my computer in
> > DOS mode (not MSDOS). Could anyone help me do this???
>
> Sorry Mac, can't be done. There is no "DOS mode" in XP. This particular dog
> was shot, skinned and buried together with Windows Millennium Edition.
>
> What excactly were you hoping to accomplish from DOS mode?
>
>
>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

In news:C0843090-81A0-4D5C-94D2-CD635DD7DDA9@microsoft.com,
Stadly <Stadly@discussions.microsoft.com> typed:

>I would like to Format my C: drive. I have a nasty virus on my
> computer and was planning on starting over. Any idea how to do
> this
> without going into DOS mode?


Just boot from the Windows XP CD (change the BIOS boot order if
necessary to accomplish this) and follow the prompts for a clean
installation (delete the existing partition by pressing "D" when
prompted, then create a new one).

You can find detailed instructions here:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

or here http://windowsxp.mvps.org/XPClean.htm

or here http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm



However, it's extremely rare that this needs to be done to get
rid of a virus. There are usually much easier ways available.
What virus is it?


--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup




> "André Gulliksen" wrote:
>
>> Stadly wrote:
>> > I am running XP Home edition. I would like to restart my
>> > computer
>> > in DOS mode (not MSDOS). Could anyone help me do this???
>>
>> Sorry Mac, can't be done. There is no "DOS mode" in XP. This
>> particular dog was shot, skinned and buried together with
>> Windows
>> Millennium Edition.
>>
>> What excactly were you hoping to accomplish from DOS mode?

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

Boot the XP CD and install, deleting the current partition
and reformatting.


"Stadly" <Stadly@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C0843090-81A0-4D5C-94D2-CD635DD7DDA9@microsoft.com...
|I would like to Format my C: drive. I have a nasty virus on
my computer and
| was planning on starting over. Any idea how to do this
without going into
| DOS mode?
|
|
|
| "André Gulliksen" wrote:
|
| > Stadly wrote:
| > > I am running XP Home edition. I would like to restart
my computer in
| > > DOS mode (not MSDOS). Could anyone help me do
this???
| >
| > Sorry Mac, can't be done. There is no "DOS mode" in XP.
This particular dog
| > was shot, skinned and buried together with Windows
Millennium Edition.
| >
| > What excactly were you hoping to accomplish from DOS
mode?
| >
| >
| >

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

Colin Barnhorst wrote:
> To
> format C:, you must boot with the XP cd, delete all the partitions
> and then create a new partition. If you don't you are likely to
> install Windows with the wrong drive letter. For that reason,
> disconnect any other drives attached to the system before starting.

Disconnecting drives is way overkill. Besides, this method does not take
into account the possibility of other partitions existing on the primary
drive, so you still risk getting jumbled drive letters.

The easiest is to _not_ repartition. Just pop in the installation CD,
select the C: partition for installation destination, and then quick format
as NTFS. This preserves drive letters with the minimum fuzz.

Not formatting at all is also an option. Simply install Windows on top of
the existing installation. This way you don't delete documents and data that
are stored on C:. The downside to this is that there will be more clutter
left on the drive. Besides, since this is a virus infected PC, there is the
possibility of accidental reinfection by running a leftover executable.

That being said, there should be better ways to get rid of the virus than
reformatting.