can't format c drive

[Luis Ortega]

I'm stumped, please help.
I want to reformat my win xp pro system and reinstall all of the os and
software but it won't seem to let me. I've tried a boot floppy and the
install cd and even from within windows in disk management but I can't do a
fresh format and partition of c drive and then install win xp fresh.
Thanks for any advice.

 

[John Thomas Smith]

I'm stumped, please help.
I want to reformat my win xp pro system and reinstall all of the os and
software but it won't seem to let me. I've tried a boot floppy and the
install cd and even from within windows in disk management but I can't do a
fresh format and partition of c drive and then install win xp fresh.
Thanks for any advice.

format-->partition is backwards

you must run FDISK first and remove the partition, then format

if you are able to boot from your xp cd, you do not even run format
from the boot disk, just remove/replace the partition, and the xp
setup should (win2k does for me) allow you to format the partition

John Thomas Smith
http://www.direct2usales.com
http://www.pacifier.com/~jtsmith

 

[Plato]

install the system! Suggest you sell the computer and go
back to a shoe box with 3x5 index cards.

Got one with most valuable data within. Damm thing never crashed in 40
years. Never had to spend money on upgrades or repair techs either.

 

[Rob]

I'm stumped, please help.
I want to reformat my win xp pro system and reinstall all of the os and
software but it won't seem to let me. I've tried a boot floppy and the
install cd and even from within windows in disk management but I can't do a
fresh format and partition of c drive and then install win xp fresh.
Thanks for any advice.

Sounds like you need to change the boot order in the BIOS.
If it's set to boot first from (typically) IDE (your hard disk),
you need to change the setting to 'CD'.
If you've already tried that, and the reason you want to
reinstall is because the system failed, it might be the the
hard disk has 'died'..
HTH

 

[PROFESSOR MARVEL]

Are you certain your boot disk is valid? Where did it come from? Try a
win 95 boot disk -- don't laugh, if it gives you c prompt and cd
functionality, you're in.

Marvel

 

[Ron Sommer]

Win 95 boot disk did not have CD functionality.
You need a Win 98 boot disk.

 

[Luis Ortega]

I have just upgraded the motherboard and cpu and wanted to start with a
fresh os install, but since the c drive already contains a win xp, i am not
getting a choice to partition or format drives when the install cd starts.

 

[MCL]

In Luis Ortega
deftly typed:

I have just upgraded the motherboard and cpu and wanted to start with
a fresh os install, but since the c drive already contains a win xp,
i am not getting a choice to partition or format drives when the
install cd starts.

http://michaelstevenstech.com/xpfaq.html#ntfs

 

[Daniel M]

I have just upgraded the motherboard and cpu and wanted to start with a
fresh os install, but since the c drive already contains a win xp, i am not
getting a choice to partition or format drives when the install cd starts.

Thats wierd, when i format and reinstall (about once every few months) I
always just boot from the xp cd, and format the C drive even tho xp is
already installed no worries, somthings definatly amiss as it should be
possible just to boot from cd, format, and reinstall xp without any
buggering around

 

[Michael Stevens]

I have just upgraded the motherboard and cpu and wanted to start with
a fresh os install, but since the c drive already contains a win xp,
i am not getting a choice to partition or format drives when the
install cd starts.

You must delete the partition first.
You boot from the CD and do a clean install.
Click on or copy and paste the link below into your web browser address bar.
How to clean install XP.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html



--

Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[Daniel M]

You must delete the partition first.

You boot from the CD and do a clean install.
Click on or copy and paste the link below into your web browser address bar.
How to clean install XP.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

Soz for jumping in here a bit, but my expience thus far has been completely
different than what all you guys are saying? (not sure why)

I run a 60gig hdd partitioned into 50gig C drive and 10gig D drive. When i
go to reinstall windows, i copy all my documents onto the D drive partition,
boot off the xp cd, tell it to format C drive (which it does, and leaves my
D drive and all data intact) and bobs your uncle im installing......Cant
anybody else just do it this way?...or has everybody usually got to delete
partitions and get hassles formatting C drive?

ps im using NTFS file system but have also used FAT32 this way

 

[Michael Stevens]

Soz for jumping in here a bit, but my expience thus far has been
completely different than what all you guys are saying? (not sure why)

I run a 60gig hdd partitioned into 50gig C drive and 10gig D drive.
When i go to reinstall windows, i copy all my documents onto the D
drive partition, boot off the xp cd, tell it to format C drive (which
it does, and leaves my D drive and all data intact) and bobs your
uncle im installing......Cant anybody else just do it this way?...or
has everybody usually got to delete partitions and get hassles
formatting C drive?

ps im using NTFS file system but have also used FAT32 this way

What do you do when you get this window?
http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPpro3setup.jpg

PS, please use proper grammar in technical newsgroups as it helps to make
sure everyone is one the same page. Most of the newsgroup users are
newcomers and don't know computer speak.
--

Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[Luis Ortega]

Thanks, everyone.
I was able to get the cd to boot and all unfolded well after that.

 

[Daniel M]

What do you do when you get this window?
http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPpro3setup.jpg

I get a slightly different window as my C and D drives say "partitioned" (or
somthing similar) from memory, then i just tell it to format the C drive, i
dont delete partitions as such at all as im not working from a "raw" drive,
i just do a quick format on C drive to reinstall when that becomes a option

 

[Daniel M]

Here is what i do......

Press a key so the system will boot off the cd when it asks
(XP loads various generic drivers)

"Welcome to Setup" screen appears, I press enter to "setup windows now"
(Agree to windows licence screen which appears)

Xp now asks if i wish to repair my current Xp installation, I dont wish to,
so i press escape to skip this

Next screen I pick drive C and press enter, then press letter C to continue
onto the same partition as the existing one (as it warns about it)

Then the format screen appears with both of my hard drive partitions C and D
I simply pick drive C and tell it to quick format......hey presto, works for
me and now Im ready to continue on and install XP again

 

[Alex Nichol]

I'm stumped, please help.
I want to reformat my win xp pro system and reinstall all of the os and
software but it won't seem to let me. I've tried a boot floppy and the
install cd and even from within windows in disk management but I can't do a
fresh format and partition of c drive and then install win xp fresh.

You do it as part of a reinstall of the system after booting the XP CD
direct (you will have to set the boot order in your BIOS setup first).
Enter Setup, and after the license agreement take New Install. When it
asks you to confirm where, hit ESC; select and delete the current
partition and make a new RAW one to be formatted at the next stage

 

[Pat]

Can you boot from the CD?

If yes, then follow directions and you'll arrive at a screen that will
prompt you to assign what drive to install. Since you are not on any OS,
except the install program, you can delete the old partition, and
repartition, or just install over it.