Reinstalling Windows

[dragwell]

I am having trouble wiping my c:drive on my laptop. I want to reformat and reinstall windows, but windows wont let me reformat in the normal way, and I can't even do it from a command prompt. Any suggestions?

[G2k1boy]

Did you try using a bootdisk, wiping it, then putting in the XP CD?

[tesco]

If you are using a bootdisk (win98 or other {not an xp one, it doesnt have the format or fdisk commands on it}) then just type format C: and enter and it should format, or try typing fdisk and delete partition then create a new one and restart then format it.

Or

If you have a bootable windows xp cd. Make sure the laptop can boot from cd then restart with the cd in and it will go into the setup and just continue through it as usual but wwhen it asks where to install highlight the partition u want to install on and press d to delete it then c to create a new one using all available space then on the next page u can chose to format it, then the setup will continue

[dragwell]

I don't have a floppy drive, so I can't use a boot disk. My C: drive is not partitioned so it won't let me format it while windows is running. Is there any other way?

[Project E-01]

You can do a low level format from the bios, but be warned, doing so invalidates the warranty on the H.D.D.

However - You must be able to boot from CD if you can install windows. So, burn (or find) a bootable CD and use that.

[cwctv]

Go first and download the Win98 disc to http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm
do what the sites say's and put it on a floppy leave the floppy in then open Nero and choose burn bootdisc I would use a Cdrw so you don't waste a disc.
Go into fdisk press 4 check your fat table if other than fat32/16 to get rid of the partition you will need to use nondos remove the partition and then put it back on, reboot - format now put the Xp cd in and away you go don't forget on reboot to go for "with cd drivers or whatever it says" cause when booting with a cd-rom it uses drive A but will still find D: if you tell it to.

Now a question to you is the laptop all you have can you get a bootdisc burned by someone else if you don't have one ?

[dragwell]

Go first and download the Win98 disc to http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm
do what the sites say's and put it on a floppy leave the floppy in then open Nero and choose burn bootdisc I would use a Cdrw so you don't waste a disc.
Go into fdisk press 4 check your fat table if other than fat32/16 to get rid of the partition you will need to use nondos remove the partition and then put it back on, reboot - format now put the Xp cd in and away you go don't forget on reboot to go for "with cd drivers or whatever it says" cause when booting with a cd-rom it uses drive A but will still find D: if you tell it to.

Now a question to you is the laptop all you have can you get a bootdisc burned by someone else if you don't have one ?


I think I understand. I need to get a boot disk floppy made on another computer and then burn that to a cd using nero (bootable data cd). then i can complete the process.

There is no way to do this without a floppy disc?

[tesco]

i said...

If you have a bootable windows xp cd. Make sure the laptop can boot from cd then restart with the cd in and it will go into the setup and just continue through it as usual but wwhen it asks where to install highlight the partition u want to install on and press d to delete it then c to create a new one using all available space then on the next page u can chose to format it, then the setup will continue.

that is how i instakll and have no problems at all on either of my computers so unless you cant get your computer to boot form the cd or you dont have a real windows disc this is what u should do.

[cwctv]

dont have a real windows disc

That's sounding about right to me at this point.

So the answer to the question is NO if the XP you have isn't bootable plus you will need access to a cutter.

[I.am]

Listen to what ROSSCO_2004 said. That is exactly what I would have done it. It works with no sweat!

[dragwell]

Thanks for the advice, I ended up using partion magic to make a new partion and then install windows there, then i formated the original partion and reinstalled windows again there. Everything is working fine now and my hard drive got a much needed cleaning out. :D

[tesco]

so u installed windows twice? why? or did i misunderstand? anyways im happy for you.

[Maximus359]

I thought you just throw the Xp CD in, press any key when it say.

When it comes to which drive, just delete the C:, comform it & then reformat it as NTFS as Quick format.


After that it should install & you are sorted

[dragwell]

so u installed windows twice? why? or did i misunderstand? anyways im happy for you.



I thought you just throw the Xp CD in, press any key when it say.

When it comes to which drive, just delete the C:, comform it & then reformat it as NTFS as Quick format.


After that it should install & you are sorted

I couldn't erase the c: drive because windows had already copied the files there that it needed to perform the instalation. It wouldn't let me do it. Stupid system.

[I.am]

I think the reason why it did that was you must have pushed the cd in while running windows and then it restarted and ran the setup?


What you should have done was set the bios so it boots up from the cd rom or pressed F8 (i believe) for the boot menu and boot from the cd when you start your computer. This way the temp. installation files are not created.