Tom's Hardware > Forum > Windows XP > Windows XP General Discussion > How can I reformat harddrive

How can I reformat harddrive

Forum Windows XP : Windows XP General Discussion - How can I reformat harddrive

Tom's Hardware: Over 1.4 million members in 6 different countries available to answer all your high-tech questions. Sign up now! Its free!
Ask the community Add a reply
Word :    Username :           
 
Anonymous   07-23-2005 at 04:24:02 PM

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

 

I have a Dell laptop that was running 2000 Professional. Somehow in setting
up a home network I began getting a login page asking for an Administrator
password that I had not set up and did not have. Could not get around it in
any way. So, I installed an extra copy of XP Home that I had never
installed. That allowed me to get the computer running but the harddrive in
the laptop is too small to run XP effectively. So, I want to start over and
reformat the harddrive and reinstall the 2000 Pro. But, nothing I am trying
will allow me to format the harddrive. Suggestions?

Add a reply
Sponsored Links
Register or log in to remove.
Anonymous   07-24-2005 at 12:38:03 AM
- 0 +

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

 

"cwturley" <cwturley@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9E27721E-B231-44EB-9BB2-7ABA353E9D24@microsoft.com...
>I have a Dell laptop that was running 2000 Professional. Somehow in
>setting
> up a home network I began getting a login page asking for an Administrator
> password that I had not set up and did not have. Could not get around it
> in
> any way. So, I installed an extra copy of XP Home that I had never
> installed. That allowed me to get the computer running but the harddrive
> in
> the laptop is too small to run XP effectively. So, I want to start over
> and
> reformat the harddrive and reinstall the 2000 Pro. But, nothing I am
> trying
> will allow me to format the harddrive. Suggestions?


Boot from floppy disks or from a CD to DOS. Format. FDisk can remove
partitions.

(But you haven't said which file system you use- it makes a difference
And you haven't said what you are trying. Tell what you've tried- it will
save you getting advice to do what you've already done and may give a clue
as to why it isn't working for you).

Reply to Anonymous
Anonymous   07-23-2005 at 06:30:55 PM
- 0 +

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

 

cwturley wrote:
> I have a Dell laptop that was running 2000 Professional. Somehow in setting
> up a home network I began getting a login page asking for an Administrator
> password that I had not set up and did not have.


Well, if you didn't set a password for the built-in Administrator
account when you installed Win2K, and no one else has had access to the
computer, then the password is blank.


> Could not get around it in
> any way.


What method(s) did you try? There are literally dozens of web sites
that offer ways to reset passwords. Try using Google.


> So, I installed an extra copy of XP Home that I had never
> installed. That allowed me to get the computer running but the harddrive in
> the laptop is too small to run XP effectively. So, I want to start over and
> reformat the harddrive and reinstall the 2000 Pro. But, nothing I am trying
> will allow me to format the harddrive.


Again, what, specifically, have you tried?


Suggestions?


Simply boot from the Win2K 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.)


--

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

Reply to Anonymous
frank   07-24-2005 at 08:53:45 AM
- 0 +

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

 

You should have restore disks that came with the PC from Dell. Give
Dell support a call.

"cwturley" <cwturley@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9E27721E-B231-44EB-9BB2-7ABA353E9D24@microsoft.com...
>I have a Dell laptop that was running 2000 Professional. Somehow in
>setting
> up a home network I began getting a login page asking for an Administrator
> password that I had not set up and did not have. Could not get around it
> in
> any way. So, I installed an extra copy of XP Home that I had never
> installed. That allowed me to get the computer running but the harddrive
> in
> the laptop is too small to run XP effectively. So, I want to start over
> and
> reformat the harddrive and reinstall the 2000 Pro. But, nothing I am
> trying
> will allow me to format the harddrive. Suggestions?

Reply to frank
Ask the community Add a reply
Tom's Hardware > Forum > Windows XP > Windows XP General Discussion > How can I reformat harddrive
Go to:

There are 1140 identified and unidentified users. To see the list of identified users, Click here.

Forum map
Bestofmedia Forum ©
2000-2009 Bestofmedia Group
Page generated in 0.209 seconds
Please mind

You are about to answer a thread that has been inactive for more than 6 months.
If you still wish to proceed, please ensure that your posting is original and does not duplicate or overlap any prior responses to this thread.

Add a reply Cancel
Sponsored links
  • Ask the community now
  • Publish
Ad
Related Topics
See all relatives topics
They won a badge
Join us in greeting them
How do I win badges?