Format Hdd

[james_bond_rulez]

Originally posted by :&#045@31 March 2004 - 08:34
I have a secondary computer which was running on Windows 2000 (I know its probably the worst Windows OS ever but it was on before I got it ). I installed XP on top of it and basically messed up the whole computer when I tried to get rid of Windows 2000 as I deleted loads of OS stuff manually. Then I tried formatting my hard drive (I know the risks, I made a backup of everything important, blah blah ) but it won't let me do it, says the volume is in use by another process or something similar. Furthermore, the only icon on desktop when XP starts is the recycle bin. Thirdly, I can't even get it to run in Windows 2000 mode.

I just want to totally wipe the HDD clean and start over.

PLEASE HELP ME!

that's cuz you dont know and you mess it up.

win2k is one of the best os that ms has come up with.

Just use a win98 DOS bootdisk and then format c:\

it's simple really

[Mad Cat]

Originally posted by :&#045@31 March 2004 - 17:34
Then I tried formatting my hard drive but it won't let me do it, says the volume is in use by another process or something similar.

You tried to reformat the active partition? If it was possible, what would Windows do when it self deleted that part of itself that it needs to reformat while in Windows

Killdisk is cool, does over the hard drive with redundant data many times over, good if you ever get caught by the cops. Either that or a magnet...

[Virtualbody1234]

As already mentioned.

Just boot the Windows XP CD. There are tools right there to format before the setup starts.

Use NTFS.

[clocker]

Originally posted by :&#045@31 March 2004 - 11:11


What's "partition magic 8"?

It is a very cool program for partitioning/formatting/in general screwing around with your drives.

I consider both it and Norton Ghost to be "must have" programs.

[tesco]

Since everyone has already posted plently of helpful comments\ideas I thought i would just say that in XP by default there is only one icon on the desktop, that is the recycle bin. To get more icons on the desktop the easiest way is to:
right click desktop>click the desktop tab>click customize desktop>choose the icons you would like at the top of the window.

[delphin460]

or just go to properties and choose windows classic mode and all the usual icons apear on yer screen

and yes why bother with any of the old ways of partitioning and formatting as windows xp when booted from the cd allows you to do it all, partitioning / formating ect all in one go

[peat moss]

Originally posted by delphin460@31 March 2004 - 18:38
or just go to properties and choose windows classic mode and all the usual icons apear on yer screen

and yes why bother with any of the old ways of partitioning and formatting as windows xp when booted from the cd allows you to do it all, partitioning / formating ect all in one go

Some priortory systems have installed factory recovery partions. I like to fdisk or use killdisk first from the floppy drive .Then boot from cd to install. Works best on older system's, I feel.

[:-)]

Thanks for all your help guys. I booted from the XP disc and it formatted it for me and now, happiness, a clean hard drive.

[firefox]

Originally posted by :&#045@1 April 2004 - 07:39
Thanks for all your help guys. I booted from the XP disc and it formatted it for me and now, happiness, a clean hard drive.