Heeelp!!! Need to format HDD, running XP

[dUFF_Man]

Hi guys,

I need some help. I am running windows xp pro right now and need to format my HDD and start over with installing the software etc. Now when i go to my computer in XP and right click on the HDD and select format, it wont let me do it. I want to know how can I format the darn HDD and start fresh. By the way I only have one HDD and xp is installed on it.

Thanks in advance for your help.

:tongue: If <font color=red>Idiots </font color=red>could Fly, the Skies Would Be <b>DARK</b>.

 

[Lars_Coleman]

You need to boot to the XP install CD and follow the instructions that it guides you through.

<font color=red>People and hard drives are like bandwagon fans and sports!</font color=red>

 

[Zlash]

Oh boy...

You can't format it that way because your using the HD.

<font color=red>:</font color=red> <font color=white>:</font color=white> <font color=blue>:</font color=blue>

 

[dUFF_Man]

Ok, just to clarify I already have XP installed and when I run the setup program on the cd it has no option for reinstall or uninstall or format. Only this it can do is install in another partition. I want a clean sweep of the HDD and fresh start...

Is there any way I can boot in dos mode with XP and type

C:\format c:\s or something like that there???

Thanks for the responses

:tongue: If <font color=red>Idiots </font color=red>could Fly, the Skies Would Be <b>DARK</b>.

 

[Lars_Coleman]

You can do everything from the XP CD. You just need to read the questions it asks you more carefully. I'm not sure of the steps exactly, but it will ask if you want to repair the existing installation or install. Which you just want to do a regular install.

<font color=red>People and hard drives are like bandwagon fans and sports!</font color=red>

 

[ath0mps0]

After booting from the XP cd, select to install to another partition - this will bring up the partition manager that will allow you to delete and reformat the existing partition.

I thought a thought, but the thought I thought wasn't the thought I thought I had thought.

 

[Zlash]

Should be an option for a new XP install then you delete your old partition and create a new one and then it will format it after you select it to install on it.

<font color=red>:</font color=red> <font color=white>:</font color=white> <font color=blue>:</font color=blue>

 

[haitang]

Setup in bios "first boot to cdrom", it will search at cdrom look for xp setup, then you can partition and format, (this is good for full version xp disk, not upgrade disk.) if not, it direct go to c drive, and you can't format and clean install again.

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by haitang on 04/18/02 12:27 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[Guest]

oh my my ............

 

[Guest]

ermmm dont spose theres a way of doing it when u cant boot from the cd? if u reinstall it from windows it doesnt format....

 

[GhostKat]

did you build the system or did you buy a brand name? If it is a brand name, then there should be a a restoration CD that will restore the computer to the way it was shipped out. If you built it, then it should have an ability to change the boot sequence to have the CD rom as the first bootable device. If it's a new mainboard it should be able to boot from CD first. The XP CD if original, or a good copy thereof, will be bootable and when you use it to boot from it should(haven't worked with XP, but if it's anything like 2k)come up with a blue screen and will start coping files needed for setup. It will then come up to a place where you can re-partition and format the drives in the puter. If you can't get it to boot from CD-ROM because of the mainboard then sorry, you're screwed, get new hardware that supports bootable CD's.

If you don't have a bootable cd, then put down your name, address and a phone number in here... (just kididng) no but seriously, if you don't have a bootable CD then you need to find the original or create a new bootable CD by using what Bart lines up from www.nu2.nu

My daughterboard is becoming a motherboard<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by ghostkat on 04/20/02 04:44 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[ddarby]

create yourself a windows boot disk inc. format.exe and run in dos mode and format from there...

 

[Guest]

If you can't boot from CD, read this.
http://support.microsoft.com/search/preview.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q310994