Formating HD with windows XP

[Guest]

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

I have tried to format a hard drive with the windows xp
format using this trail (format c/fs:ntfs) it comes back
with a error saying that format is not available. I also
checked out to see if FDISK comes with xp but there isn't
any info on this either. I have also found some info about
DISKPART it comes back with a error saying that the hard
drive must be dismounted. Directions found elswhere say
that when dismounting a drive it must be free standing. To
me free standing means alown. any way I havent tried this
method untill I get some info back from somewhere or some
one. All I want to do is remove all existing programs and
files from this hard drive and install windows xp pro.
Have tried installing on top of xp home as the install
indicated but that just messed things up more.
Any one got a 3rd party program or info that isn't partof
xp that mite do the job.
Thanks for your feed back.
RB

 

[Guest]

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

The Windows XP CD is bootable and contains all the tools
necessary
to partition and format your drive. Follow this procedure
and allow
Windows XP to partition and format your drive:

NOTE: It would be best to physically disconnect all your
peripheral hardware devices, except the monitor, mouse and
keyboard, before installing XP.
NOTE: If you have an internal Zip Drive installed,
physically disconnect the EIDE and power cable to it
before proceeding, otherwise your main hard drive may not
be assigned the customary C: drive letter.
After installing Windows XP, you may then reconnect it.


1. Open your BIOS and set your "CD Drive as the first
bootable device".

===> Accessing Motherboard BIOS
===>
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

2. Insert your Windows XP CD in the CD Drive and reboot
your computer.
3. You'll see a message to boot to the CD....follow the
instructions.
4. The setup menu will appear and you should elect to
delete all the existing Windows partitions, then create a
new partition, then format the primary partition
(preferably NTFS) and proceed to install Windows XP.

5. Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]

6. ==> Immediately after installing Windows XP, turn on
XP's Firewall.
==> http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

7. After Windows XP is installed, visit the Windows
Update website
and download the available "Critical Updates".
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/cd/order.
asp
-you can order a cd with all the windows updates
thru oct 2003.

8. After installing the critical updates, be sure and
visit the support website of the manufacturer of the
computer to download and install any available Windows XP
compatible drivers, such as video adapter and audio
drivers.

9. If you happen to run into any installation
difficulties, use the following resources:

How to Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During
Installation
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?
scid=kb;EN-US;310064

Troubleshooting Windows XP Setup
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_setup.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Kelly Theriot]


>-----Original Message-----
>I have tried to format a hard drive with the windows xp
>format using this trail (format c/fs:ntfs) it comes back
>with a error saying that format is not available. I also
>checked out to see if FDISK comes with xp but there isn't
>any info on this either. I have also found some info
about
>DISKPART it comes back with a error saying that the hard
>drive must be dismounted. Directions found elswhere say
>that when dismounting a drive it must be free standing.
To
>me free standing means alown. any way I havent tried this
>method untill I get some info back from somewhere or some
>one. All I want to do is remove all existing programs and
>files from this hard drive and install windows xp pro.
>Have tried installing on top of xp home as the install
>indicated but that just messed things up more.
>Any one got a 3rd party program or info that isn't partof
>xp that mite do the job.
>Thanks for your feed back.
>RB
>.
>

 

[Guest]

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

Greetings --

It sounds like you're trying to format the drive containing the
system volume from within WinXP. You can't. This would be the
computer equivalent of sawing off the tree limb you're sitting on, and
WinXP is "too smart" to allow this.

Simply boot from the WinXP installation CD. You'll be offered the
opportunity to delete, create, and format partitions as part of the
installation process. (You may need to re-arrange the order of boot
devices in the PC's BIOS to boot from the CD.)

HOW TO Install Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;316941

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

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


Bruce Chambers
--
Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. - RAH


"DRBL4" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:1647f01c447f7$62d30fb0$a601280a@phx.gbl...
> I have tried to format a hard drive with the windows xp
> format using this trail (format c/fs:ntfs) it comes back
> with a error saying that format is not available. I also
> checked out to see if FDISK comes with xp but there isn't
> any info on this either. I have also found some info about
> DISKPART it comes back with a error saying that the hard
> drive must be dismounted. Directions found elswhere say
> that when dismounting a drive it must be free standing. To
> me free standing means alown. any way I havent tried this
> method untill I get some info back from somewhere or some
> one. All I want to do is remove all existing programs and
> files from this hard drive and install windows xp pro.
> Have tried installing on top of xp home as the install
> indicated but that just messed things up more.
> Any one got a 3rd party program or info that isn't partof
> xp that mite do the job.
> Thanks for your feed back.
> RB